Before the days of GPS, navigation was done via stars and compasses. Constellations in the sky would often be used to determine direction. One common example of this during the times of slavery was when escaped slaves would follow the North Star to guide them to freedom. Here, the captains of slave ships, or the haters, are using the stars to navigate.

Lupe describing these haters as “black baby alligator baiters” brings up an infamous piece of history. It is believed by many than black babies were used as bait to lure alligators throughout the 18th and 19th century.

Originally discussed in a post on Reddit, “Alan” can be interpreted as 3 different words that all tie together within the theme of the album:
Alan, Island, and Alon.

One of the major slave centers in the Atlantic was the island of the Philippines. Originally, they were a colony (slave) to the US. Filipinos were often shipped to America to work on plantations as unpaid/cheap labor. Interestingly, the capital of this Island is “Manilla”. Moreover, in Tagalog, the Filipino language, “Alon” means Wave.

Alan is a wave.

Continuing off the theme of the LongChains sinking slave ships seen throughout the album, and in the preceding track “WAV Files,” the “freedom” of living life underwater is discussed in this chorus. As these LongChains are believed to live underwater, they would have to make peace with all of the other creatures that reside there as well. Additionally, creatures being so “down” speaks to the slaves being stuck in that which is considered the “bottom” of the social hierarchy.

Moreover, the description of all of the named animals also alludes to the fact nature is “down” for the LongChains' cause.

The story of this album revolves around slavery. Thus, these lines are likely referencing the sinking of slave ships by LongChains. On an official Reddit post that discussed Drogas Wave, Lupe explained exactly who the aforementioned LongChains were:

They are called The LongChains. When they were submerged in the water their earthly lives expired and they began a new life under and on the water. Some walked back to Africa while others stayed in the sea to help fight slavery by attacking and sinking slaveships. (Micheal Young History was resurrected by the same method when his grave was filled with the liquor his friends & The Streets poured out to mourn him.) The LongChains disbanded after the end of the transatlantic slave trade however a few were chosen to stay behind to keep watch and as guides for decedents of slaves that found freedom and wanted to return home. The last of The LongChains still patrol the seas (and heavens!) to this day.

The slaves were pulled down to what “they think are they graves”, but as album will reveal, it is actually their freedom. A repeated contrast is that, in the story of this album, these tools associated with violence against slaves and keeping them captive are setting them free.

There is also an interesting Biblical parallel to this scene. In Exodus 14, God frees the Israelites who were slaves to the Egyptians by leading them safely through the waters of the Red Sea. Because Pharaoh and his army pursued the fleeing Israelites, as the passage through the sea closed, Pharoah and his army drowned.

The “large hooks on the ends specifically designed for catchin' boats” are the LongChains' weapons that Lupe has described in more detail on Instragram.

‘Til a soft voice in the water tells them, “Breathe”’. This line is talking about the rebirth of the slaves underwater and has several meanings. One of those is symbolized by the image Lupe has posted to social media of an anchor composed of a manilla and an ankh.

The ankh symbolizes several things but is mostly known as a symbol for life or eternal life. It is also sometimes referred to as the breath of life which ties in with the line “Breathe”.

“Murdering the booth” is a phrase commonly used by rappers in an attempt to express their abilities to put together an extremely lyrical song or verse. In Lupe’s mind, however, he is so lyrically gifted that he only needs one half of a single line to accomplish the same feat.

Moreover, playing off the theme of religion seen earlier in the song, and the theme of death seen when talking about “murdering the booth”, Lupe mentions Armageddon. Armageddon is a religious term that describes the place where the final battle will be fought between the forces of good and evil. There are six commonly known signs of the Armageddon’s approach.

The Armageddon of Lupe’s world won’t come with all six signs, he explains as he plays with the double meaning of the word signs, referencing both Yield Signs and Railroad Signs.

Furthermore, Lupe goes on to continue with this theme of death even more, playing off the phrase “For whom the bell tolls”, which alludes to the fact that, “any person’s death is a loss to all of us”.