‘Change’ was a key slogan of Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign.

GoldLink is saying that the change we need isn’t necessarily the type of politician we put in office, but that it comes down to a more humanitarian necessity. We need to remember the golden rule when we are making decisions.

This is likely a reference to a line from ‘Jesus Walks’, in which Kanye is talking about how bad life can be even if welfare is an option.

GoldLink is pointing out the misguided haze that we live in in the United States, in many cases perpetuated by Hollywood and the media. It could possibly be a reference to Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kid”.

2Pac – Holler If Ya Hear ME

Pac’s song focuses on gang violence and intimidation, whereas GoldLink is clarifying that that’s not his style.

GoldLink has depth in his words here. First of all he is clarifying that he’s not a hippy, directly after his line about feeding the needy being the golden way. Secondly, he is stating that he isn’t part of the Black Hippy crew, which consists of Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and ScHoolboy Q.

All the bitches are too busy fucking with the Black Hippy crew.

The Willie Lynch letter is a speech supposedly given by William Lynch in 1712 (now believed to be a hoax) explaining how owners can keep control over their slaves.

The speech explains that Willie uses “fear, distrust, and envy for control purposes.”

GoldLink equates this method of control over the slaves, to black-on-black violence in present day. He believes that it is directly harmful to the black community.

Lupe and Chief Keef had a bit of a disagreement. Lupe was quoted saying:

Chief Keef scares me. Not him specifically, but just the culture that he represents. … The murder rate in Chicago is skyrocketing, and you see who’s doing it and perpetrating it — they all look like Chief Keef. When it comes to the point that, you know, that kids who are doing the killings, and they’re kids 13 to 19 years old, and you can replicate that in New Orleans, you can replicate that in Oakland. All the kids look the same.

GoldLink continues by saying that if this truly is hip-hop, then he would rather not have hip-hop, even if that means dying. A direct reference to Lupe’s song ‘Hip-hop Saved My Life."

This line perpetuates GoldLink’s disappointment with black-on-black violence and the harm that it brings to the black community.

A reference to Kanye and Jay Z’s ‘Watch the Throne’.

One of GoldLink’s early songs recorded under the moniker Gold Link James is titled “Black Ski Mask”.

GoldLink claims that he is going to make his presence last in the rap game. The fact that he is wearing all black fits well with the villain theme established a few lines earlier and the song’s sample, Will Smith’s “M.I.B”.

Furthermore, it is a reference to the fact that black never goes out of style. Just like GoldLink.