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U.O.E.N.O. it Alphacat – President Obama Kendrick Lamar SPOOF
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Rock, ricky, and future NO It.

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People try and blame me for everything: Alphacat – President Obama Kendrick Lamar SPOOF
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Alphacat plays on the popular meme where Obama is blamed for every bad occurrence or inconvenience–even those he has nothing to do with.

Some republican partisans have been known to do this as well, but maybe not to the above extent.

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Stop it, I'm just trying to find a prophet Lupe Fiasco – #DopeFrancis (American Trap)
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This simile draws upon the prophet/profit homophone.

Religious persona: keeping faith by finding a spiritual messenger (prophet).

Dope persona: gain a monetary profit from selling drugs – tying into the next line about lining pockets with $$$.

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2Pac's zombie L.E.P Bogus Boys (Ft. Lupe Fiasco) – Zombie Land
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Or rather, 2pac’s hologram!

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Every second worth of thinking Lupe Fiasco – Put Em Up
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As the line before, Lupe believes his thoughts are very valuable. Every second of thought is worth 3 diamond rings.

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Mean something Lupe Fiasco – Put Em Up
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Everything Lupe raps has a meaning.
Also, He’s very Mean.

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C73f3d8b104b93516b9841e1b09e57d1

995

11 years

and Vicious.

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And ooh, what I say like Imogen Heap Lupe Fiasco – Form Follows Function
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Imogen Heap is best known for a section of her song “Hide and Seek” that was sampled by Jason Derulo for the chorus of his 2009 hit “Whatcha Say” (begins at about 2:45 in video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McDgDlnDX0Y&t=2m52s

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ron king
11 years

Art what I draw…. the rhymes that I spit is art…
make em say ohh
Imogean head Is a black artist…. …when you see a beautiful painting you say ohhh….

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They shoplifted and stole
That just let me know they know Lupe Fiasco (Ft. Poo Bear) – Brave Heart
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Lupe’s first album was leaked and was push back. That just Lupe know that the people were addicted to his music, Similar to drug addicts stealing to get “one more taste”

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And I SCUBA'd way down low Lupe Fiasco (Ft. Poo Bear) – Brave Heart
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Past Scuba Steve’s comfort zone

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Default_avatar_100

-2

11 years

Lupe is referring to his deep lyrics and metaphoric style. He has stated in “Dumb it Down”, “Even scuba steve would find it hard to breathe around these leagues”. Lupe is bringing this line back up to once again to state that he is the deepest artist out there.

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1358288190_759_ghostface_killah-730958

118

11 years

Like this line and the one before, It sounds like a “dumb it down” reference http://rapgenius.com/26146

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you can only see my past if you fast forward Lupe Fiasco – Audubon Ballroom
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Lupe is making history (i.e revolutionary events) in the present, so the only way you can fully comprehend is if you go into the future and look back.

Continuing the computer and Apple theme of the last couple bars, this might be an allusion to the time machine feature on Macs.

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Default_avatar_100

0

10 years

In addition to the literal interpretations the rest of you have given, you could also hear the line as “fast four” instead of “fast forward”. Reading it as “fast four” references the movie of the same name, which chronologically takes place before “Tokyo Drift”, even though it came to theaters three years later. You literally have to watch “Fast Four” to see what happened in the past before “Tokyo Drift”. This creates a genius double entendre and I think this is what he was going for.

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chris
10 years

i think he’s speaking on how we only hear, see, or speak, about black history when we fast forward to the slave trade, overlooking all of the contributions given to man by blacks.

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Dash
11 years

If you fast forward, you will hear his last verse. In this final verse, he “raps Black history” and mentions some names and historical facts that represent his past/history/background.

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Default_avatar_100

1,934

11 years

This is also part of the song’s theme of calling for blacks to reclaim their greatness. Earlier in the verse, Lupe references Martin & Baldwin, evoking black America’s heritage of great leaders and visionaries for civil rights. Lupe is saying blacks can have a renaissance of this age of advancement, but paradoxically only by “fast forwarding”: embracing change, working for the future, raising our children, etc.

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