Ross, as a young African American from the ghetto, was condemned to be just another statistic from birth, vulnerable to homicide due to gang violence. This sentiment has been expressed by several other rappers, including Kanye and Jay Z and Pusha T.

But Ross was determined to not be just like others in his position, but rise up and make it to the top – number 1.

He is, after all, the Bawse.

Fast forward a few years, and now Payroll’s rapping, not selling drugs! And with all the money coming in, he’s able to afford a foreign car. Guess he woke up in a new Bugatti

Several high-end cars also come with push-to-start buttons, which effects the comparison to a button that fast-forwards time, and with it, financial stature.

A shout-out to Jeezy’s 2012 mixtape, It’s Tha World.

Describing the rap game as a female is a common rap trope, beginning from Common’s I Used to Love H.E.R. By fucking the game, Payroll is going to make the game his.

The Rolex is an expensive, high-fashion watch; a symbol of wealth that is often flaunted by rappers from Jay Z to Big Sean. So when you are able to afford one, you know you’ve made it!

Sean wishes he could make his ex girlfriend’s mother’s cancer disappear like David Blaine’s famous illusionist tricks. He’s asking for God to please make a way to escape the cancer.

To the simple-minded listeners (in this case, dogs), Lu’s elevated lyricism which is often used to teach/discipline (much like a dog whistle) just sounds annoying and hurts their ears, whereas to him, as the human blowing the whistle and creating the tone, he’s immune to the sound(the silencer from the previous line)and understands its greater overall purpose.

Also since dogs don’t seem to understand human language, Lupe could be using this to point out how he’s been saying this for years and no one been paying attention until now that the dog whistle has been blown.

Though despite popular belief, dogs do seem to be able to understand human languages to a certain extent. So perhaps Lupe means that while most can hear/understand ordinary sounds/meanings, only those with elevated hearing/intellect can hear the higher sounds/messages such as a dog hears a whistle. As dog whistles have sound audible to human ears as well as the higher pitch which we don’t, so the dog hears a much more complex message from the whistle.

Alluding to the theory that Ronald Reagan directed the CIA to flood African-American communities in the mid 80s to early 90s, especially the lower-income ones, with crack cocaine in order to cause infighting in the communities and keep the African-Americans away from a better life

The hook is performed by a local California native known as Kent Jamz of Overdoz. Kendrick is also featured on Overdoz’s track called “Taking Me Down” off the mixtape Live For, Die For.