HUD renovated that section 8 pays for Lupe Fiasco (Ft. GemStones) – Just Might Be OK
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HUD, the Department of Housing and Urban Development renovated the apartment he lives in in the projects and he pays for it with Section 8 vouchers from the government. His mom’s love figuratively built the house and by leaving it, the boy is essentially going against his own mom.
Massive masses pull my back without tilting my glasses Lupe Fiasco (Ft. GemStones) – Just Might Be OK
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Lupe compares himself to Atlas, a character from Greek mythology who was made to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders by the Greek gods.
From conversations held with the Satan on my shoulder Lupe Fiasco (Ft. GemStones) – Just Might Be OK
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Lupe is more friendly with the satan on his shoulder (or the devil inside him). This is a reference to the common analogy where one has a devil and an angel on either shoulder trying to convince them what to do.
I believe we are completed, dig Lupe Fiasco (Ft. GemStones) – Just Might Be OK
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Lupe begins with a house/home metaphor to describe his music or more specifically the Food & Liquor album which had been much anticipated. Here Lupe says the album is finally ready after some intense construction!
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Chauffeurs often look over their shoulders to speak to the passanger in the rear seat. Similarly, Lupe looks over his shoulder but he is looking for his angel which seems to be missing, explaining his friendliness with his devil.
This action of continually looking over his shoulder made him to walk funny. This is a metaphor for saying his steps were misguided as he listened to his devil rather than the angel. Brilliant!
Double entendre:
Where my angels at?
Where my angel sat?
Which led to steps – from the previous line he talks about being influenced by the devil on his shoulder which made him do things that he’s now weary off, causing him to look for the angel on his shoulder
I think “looking over the shoulder” is also looking behind him for people trying to rob him. It was his conversations held with the Satan on his shoulder that tempted him into the life of crime, which made him a target for being robbed.
“Where my angel sat” refers to the right side shoulder that the angel of righteousness sits on. When a chauffeur looks over his shoulder back at the passenger (particularly in the US), it’s his right side shoulder that he would be looking over.