GENIUS
Sign Up
Kick game Henry, bitch, bonjour Wale – The Work (Workin')
Genius Annotation 3 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Theirry Henry is a famous French soccer player. .

Wale’s shoe (kick) game is good like Henry. Bonjour is “Hello” in French, which is the language Thierry speaks. .

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +0 Downvote
Copy Embed
PG bitches love me like I'm TCB and Polo, bitch Wale – The Work (Workin')
Genius Annotation 1 Contributor ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

PG stands for Prince George’s county in Maryland. Polo of TCB Band is a rapper from the DC area.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +0 Downvote
Copy Embed
I think I'm Larry Hoover, I think I'm Big Meech Wale – The Work (Workin')
Genius Annotation 1 Contributor ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Reference to the hook on, “Blowin' Money Fast”.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +0 Downvote
Copy Embed
I'm locked inside a cell in me, I know that there's a jail in you Lupe Fiasco (Ft. Skylar Grey) – Words I Never Said
Genius Annotation 6 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

There is a jail inside all of us, because we are taught that it is safer to conform. This is Lupe’s update on the Marcus Garvey/Bob Marley line, “emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.”

Lupe’s fame allows him to let out a lot more than the average person. That is why his audience has an entire jail worth of words they have never said, whereas Lupe only has a cell. He speaks his mind in this song and others, such as American Terrorist, regardless of critical reaction.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +19 Downvote
Copy Embed
Keep you at the bottom but tease you with the upper crust Lupe Fiasco (Ft. Skylar Grey) – Words I Never Said
Genius Annotation 5 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

This refers to the “American Dream,” which makes people believe that if they work hard enough, they can become wealthy. The result: poor people work, work, work and die.

“Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat, but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.”

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +31 Downvote
Copy Embed
Complain about the liquor store, but what you drinking liquor for? Lupe Fiasco (Ft. Skylar Grey) – Words I Never Said
Genius Annotation 5 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

In the hood there are many liquor stores —often called “Food and Liquor” stores. Most business comes from the sale of alcohol products, but these stores also sell over-priced food, like milk and cereal. Many Church Preachers condemn these businesses as harming the community, but Lupe also blames the purchasers; without the demand, there would be no supply.

This was also talked about in the Intro to Food and Liquor.

Also, spoken from a Muslim’s perspective, drinking liquor is prohibited.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +45 Downvote
Copy Embed
Htahm9nudhxw

549

5 years

it could also mean that people who are against these liquor shops drink alcoholics to forget about the liquor shops and the injustices they have in the hood. so, it’s basically an easy way to escape from their own problems.

Upvote +2 Downvote
Marked this as missing something?
5 years

Acknowledging the above- This verse and the following are actually a double entendre and a shot at another Chicago rapper by the name of Mikkey Halsted. Mikkey had an album and single out called “Liquor Store” in which he goes into harrowing detail about the roles these liquor stores are having in black communities. The damage he perceived came from people running these establishments not caring about the communities they were in and affecting.

Lupe’s response: Do something about it.

At the time it caused a major controversy with the Arab liquor and corner store owners who felt the criticism was unjust. Chicago rap scene is pretty close knit, and being that Mikkey is well known and around the same circles as Lupe- it would have been understood who this was directed at.

Upvote +1 Downvote
32d2d324e55e11c33ac9c8e994374d93

34,441

11 years

I think hes also talking about hypocrisy around the world.

Upvote +2 Downvote
O8az8rjhticqbok2lf7u

122

11 years

I think he’s also talking about the drug war. People always blame the supply side and ignore the demand side of it. Because in the previous line he talks about kush(weed). The drug war and Prohibition has many similarities.

Upvote +1 Downvote
Show all improvement suggestions
Limbaugh is a racist, Glenn Beck is a racist Lupe Fiasco (Ft. Skylar Grey) – Words I Never Said
Genius Annotation 7 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

A reference to news personalities Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

There are some “joke” Limbaugh-racism lists out there, but there’s no need to embellish. The guy has said some appalling things.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +45 Downvote
Copy Embed
Words I Never Said Lupe Fiasco (Ft. Skylar Grey) – Words I Never Said
Song Bio 11 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Lasers’s second single is a political statement by Lupe, and it was seemingly inspired by the events of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.

Addressing topics such as war and racism, Lupe heavily criticizes the US government and challenges the status quo. He also talks about people’s willingness to blindly follow their government, saying that he himself doesn’t want to be silent and later regret that he never said anything; he wants to stand up and speak up.

The song thematically is similar to “Hurt Me Soul” and features guest vocalist Skylar Grey for the hook. This is actually Lupe and Skylar’s second collab after both appearing on Fort Minor’s “Be Somebody” back when they were both relatively unknown, and Skylar was known as Holly Brook.

Lupe (in)famously performed a 30 minute version of this song at an event celebrating Obama’s 2013 inauguration and was thrown off stage.

Checkout the Genius “Words I Never Said” music video breakdown here.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +27 Downvote
Copy Embed
[Introduction: John F. Kennedy] Jay Electronica – The Announcement
Genius Annotation 2 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

From John F. Kennedy’s speech about sending a man to the moon delivered at Rice University:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouRbkBAOGEw

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +1 Downvote
Copy Embed
My clan plans to get Giuliani hung Big L (Ft. JAY-Z) – 7 Minute Freestyle
Genius Annotation 4 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Rudy Giuliani (1994-2001) was the mayor of New York City when this song came out. Giuliani was well known for his policies to help the urban areas flourish while diminishing crime. However, in the process, he let his authorities (NYPD) slide some incredibly racist tactics in, and is well known as tyrannical to minority communities.

Also play on Clan/Klan and hang/hung. Just like his second bar where he talks about how he lynches other rappers

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +21 Downvote
Copy Embed
Marked this as missing something?
6 years

This may be a stretch but as Biggie referenced in Everyday Struggle there has long been rumors that the mob put out a hit on Mayor Giuliani. Big L could be saying his clan will actually do the job.

Upvote +3 Downvote
Show all improvement suggestions