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This Cleopatra’s costume (high heels, scanty costume, etc.), setting (a presumably seedy motel), and the fact that, as is soon revealed, she’s heading to work, sets up the expectation that she is a prostitute. In addition, the pause between ‘six inch’ and ‘heels’ could suggest that Cleopatra has male sex organs, or could be referring to the customer of Cleopatra and their organs.

There are many theories to what the pyramid is:

  1. The “pyramid” in this setting is not some exotic ancient ruin, but likely a strip club called “The Pyramid” or some area of sin called “the pyramid” by the narrator. Perhaps it’s the Luxor Las Vegas hotel, which is named after an Egyptian city and is in the shape of a 30-story-tall pyramid

  2. It could also refer to a certain pyramid shown in the single art, suggesting her occupation as a prostitute

  3. The pyramid means the corner…. the tip of the pyramid is where two lines meet to form the perpendicular 90 degree angle. So when he says she’s working at the pyramid tonight. basically interchangeable with she’s working on the corner tonight

  4. When a male has a erection under the covers in bed, it makes the shape of a pyramid

  5. The “pyramid” is being used interchangeably. Or should I say you can interpret it two ways; based on what you know about history and what you believe. Some people believe that the pyramids were built from the top down to the bottom. If that is so, the girl in this song, which is obviously a prostitute, is working herself right out of her glory by sleeping with guys to take care of man that is supposed to care and provide for her. The first part of the song talks about a queen losing her honor; the modern day prostitute that started on top and has slept her way to the bottom. If you believe the pyramids were built from the bottom up then the woman is sleeping her way to the top; a reverse of what is going on in the first part of the story. She is looking to sleep with whomever she can to make it out on top (rich, flashy things, fame). This is clear a symbol of what women were back then and what the modern day women of today will stoop as low as sleeping around to get to a place to where she started at and then fell from.

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This segment marks the beginning of the present-day segment of the song. These lines could also suggest that the first part of the song was a dream. The “cheetahs” (cheaters) are both dead at the end of the first part and have been sent to the tomb, where they are lying (dead). In the second part they are still lying together, but waking up, starting the present-day part. At the end of the first part the narrator is also talking about “bad dreams”, which could be a clue too.
Here, the ancient Cleopatra has been replaced by a woman of equal beauty. This woman’s nickname is a nod to the original Cleo, who is remembered as a world-class looker. One ancient writer noted:

For she was a woman of surpassing beauty, and at that time, when she was in the prime of her youth, she was most striking; she also possessed a most charming voice and knowledge of how to make herself agreeable to everyone. Being brilliant to look upon and to listen to, with the power to subjugate everyone, even a love-sated man already past his prime

The narrator of this song keeps the relationship between the two Cleos ambiguous. Is one literally the reincarnation of the other? Is there no relation other than the name? Ocean leaves the answer skillfully ambiguous

In addition, the use of the sun to open this verse is not accidental. Ra was the Egyptian sun god, and one of the culture’s major deities

Note that the motel blinds, which stand metonymically for prostitution, filter the light of the god, even as this woman’s true Egyptian greatness is filtered through the the impurity and degradation of prostitution.

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The historical Cleopatra committed suicide after her lover and political and military ally, Mark Antony, lost the Battle of Actium. This section of the song references that – the “send the cheetahs to the tomb” language is a nod to the ancient Egyptian practice of mummifying cats – not the first time this practice has been referenced in hip-hop.

This narrator seems to think that Cleopatra’s betrayal and fall from grace marks the end of their “war”.

After it is discovered that Cleopatra wasn’t kidnapped, but rather cheated on Frank, the line “met her doom” is indicative that she is now located in a metaphorical “tomb” in Frank’s mind. Thus, the cheetah’s are set to those tombs to find her. Also, the word “cheetah” sounds almost like the word “cheater”, a word Frank would definitely use to describe Cleo in this moment.

This interpretation is further reinforced by the double entendre in the next line stating that “No more he has killed Cleopatra.”

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Cleopatra, like many pharaohs, claimed divinity. She declared herself the reincarnation of the goddess Isis. Isis began life as a minor goddess, but by Cleopatra’s time was “the central goddess in the popular religion of the Egyptian people”

Thus at this time Cleopatra’s sees herself as a wonderful, beautiful goddess and has forgotten the narrator. She’s hidden herself behind both a symbolic gold of pride, and a literal one of riches and jewels.

“Pyramids” is a song that informs listeners about the ancient history of the black woman, and her gradual decline from a Queen/Goddess in her home land to her now degrading role as a piece of meat in the Western Hemisphere. She is no longer revered, but used and abused by men who would have died to protect her honor many centuries ago. The song makes reference to the historical Cleoptara, because she brought dishonor to her country by becoming Marc Antony’s mistress. Marc Antony was a conqueror who wanted Egypt as Roman territory, which is how they crossed paths. In Ocean’s song he narrates the same story happening between him and his woman. Now that she had become a traitor and left him for the enemy, her decision has backfired on her, because she is not an entity of glory and honor anymore, but of dishonor. The man she left her king for had no plans to honor her the way her husband would. This cycle has repeated itself hundreds of times over in the last few centuries and she is now the common whore, not knowing about any of the glory of her history. She is reduced to a common stripper who is now taking care of her man who has no job. It is almost as if “the king” is paying her back for what she did, because the narrator speaks of his woman stripping to “keep a nigga bills paid”. But there is still some kind of unhealthy love and devotion to one another because they still stay together, and are a couple. This song is literally an historical account of the black man and woman in America and their slow fall from grace. From gods to dogs, symbolically.

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Cleopatra, as Pharaoh of an African country and a reported beauty, could easily be called the “jewel of Africa”. This is her man reminding her of what she could be

The “Star of Africa” is a 530.20 carat diamond, and the largest cut diamond in the world.

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This section marks the introduction of the pyramid, an image that will reoccur and shift meaning throughout the tune. Here, it is a nod to the fact that Cleopatra was the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, whose pyramids are still world-famous.

The imagery of masses of people marching also ties in with the eventful days of Cleopatra’s reign. She kicked her own brother off the throne so she could rule unchallenged and had a large part in the Roman Civil War.

Alternately, these lines could describe a present-day dance floor, which would tie in to the contemporary second half of the song.

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Frank hints that the loss of Cleopatra may have serious implications on the Pharaoh and the kingdom at large.

While the historical Cleo never abandoned her post, she did make continually changing alliances with powerful men. After her final alliance with Mark Antony was defeated, she finally abdicated her throne by committing suicide, an event Ocean alludes to later in the song.

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It is rumored that the historical Cleopatra kept cheetahs as pets. During the hook, the implication is that a thief has taken Cleopatra. Cheetahs would be a play on bloodhounds on the trail of a runaway criminal. Imagine loyal cheetahs trying to locate their stolen master.

“Cheetah” may also serve as a near-homophone for “cheater”, which touches on the issues of sex, love, and betrayal that run throughout the song

There is also a well-known chain of strip clubs called Cheetahs, which comes into play later in the song

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It is generally believed that Cleopatra committed suicide by, as was the practice at the time, inducing a cobra (or asp) to bite her.

The “serpent” imagery here nods to the Biblical serpent who tempted Adam and Eve, as well as to an entirely different kind of snake, one who lives in the trousers.

The serpent is also the symbol of treason and disloyalty. Her angry lover compares her to a serpent in this sentence; since Cleopatra lived in her room one can infer that she and the serpent are one and the same. “No more it has killed Cleopatra” refers to two aspects: Her death by means of the serpent, and her serpent-like character which was the cause of her demise.

The serpent could also be symbolic of the man with whom Ocean’s love interest was unfaithful. Cleopatra’s “death” here could refer to his love interest figuratively being dead to him because of her actions. Simply put, the snake (the man) bit (had sex with) Cleopatra, causing her death (Ocean feeling nothing for her anymore).

“he” could also be “The Man” who continues to advertise the controlling image of the black female body as an object for consumption, hypersexual subjectivity and dishonor in popular media.

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Twista tells us about his pimp game, and Crook informs us what “C.O.B.” really stands for

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