Released: July 25, 2010

Songwriter: Lupe Fiasco

Producer: Lex Luger

[Intro]
Uh-huh
Friend of the People
Yeah, I mean c'mon
What the fuck do I gotta do
This one for the fans here, jack

[Refrain]
I think I'm Malco;m X, Martin Luther
Add a King, add a Junior
Some Bible verses, couple Sunnahs
An AK-47, that's a revolution, nigga
Think I'm 2Pac, Bob Marley
Fela Kuti, Marcus Garvey
Them the real ones, light a lighter for 'em
Let you know, that I'm ridin' for 'em

[Verse 1]
Go'n' gimme some, a lil' more beat
Call your friends around, then call the police
I'm ridin' with my flow, it take up four seats
So I'm gon' ghost-ride, but with no sheets
One man by myself, even then I'm four deep
Like hotel swimming pools, that's four feet
These niggas like the rooms, so suite
Priceline, so cheap
I'm the cell phone, they the room keys
I'm some shelltoes, they some shoestrings
I turn 'em off, I take 'em out
I'm Reverend Run, with the laces out
Adidas, so adios
All day, I dream, like I'm comatose
That's your ship sinking, and I'm so afloat
I'm T-Pain, I'm on a boat
Not the slave one, DiCaprio's either
Hear the waves come, they started in the bleachers
So I'm swag surfing, the pool's getting deeper
You still sweet, though, here come them roomkeepers
OK, I'll be the strings, you be the shoes
But guess what? Now they Jimmy Choos
I wear the pants, you Winnie Poohs
Your shit meows, my shit "Awoo!"
I got a fifth flow, call me brother-man
Africa the set, yea that's the motherland
For that BP, I shed fifty tears
In Nigeria, that oil been spilling for like fifty years
"Fifty years? Hell naw"
Hell yeah, I'm tryna tell y'all
At this rate, niggas gon' lose
Can't search for water or grow your own food
Tell me what's gon' happen when them stores close
And ain't gon open up no more
Yeah, that's the realest shit
You gon' feel that, hunger's your enemy
But you can't kill that
Nigga, wake up, don't join the army
Kill your own peoples, but fear Illuminatis
And they ain't even real, or are they?
But you ain't even know, because you par-tay—
Too fucking much, if you start to doubt
They already in your mind, and coming out yo mouth
It's not a trick, nigga, it's a trap
Survival of the fit is what they aiming at
And niggas ain't fit, fat as hell
Fat in mind; body fat, as well
Who use most the drugs? Americans
What's in Afghanistan? Heroin
You think that's by mistake? They can't stop that
Don't think you safe, though, because you not Black
Greed is colorblind, so I'm colorblind
They gon' fuck with yours soon as they done with mine
They say I try too hard, verses overwhelm
I learned most of this from niggas sitting in jail
Where you think I'm from? I'm from the streets, nigga
Triple OGs told me to teach, nigga
And that ain't made up, nope, that's a fact
They say that gangsta shit is the shit I rap
Look who I attract, look at my inner circle
Bunch of street niggas and a couple Urkels
Look at my fanbase, oh, yes
Fuck what Pro say, look at this protest
Where they do that at? Who they do that for?
Must mean I'm doin' bad, and things is movin' slow
We talkin' revolution on public radio
Then catch me down in Houston, sitting on them 84s
Trae, what's up? ABN
Got your back, nigga, sink or swim
Free Chilly Chill, shake off your masters
Pray to God, build your mind faster

[Hook]
I think I'm Malcolm X, Martin Luther
Add a King, add a Junior
Couple Bible verses, and some Sunnahs
An AK-47, that's a revolution (Nigga)
Think I'm 2Pac, Bob Marley
Fela Kuti, Marcus Garvey
Them the real ones, light a lighter for 'em
If you ain't know, I'm riding for 'em

Lupe Fiasco

The Chicago born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco first tasted success when he featured on Kanye West’s hit “Touch the Sky”, a track that shortly preceded his real breakout, his 2006 debut album Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, and he never looked back. He has established himself as one of the greatest urban wordsmiths of all time, with Genius even dubbing him the ‘Proust of Rap’.

While he’s now regarded of one of the 21st Century’s Hip-Hop greats, he wasn’t always a fan of the genre, initially disliking it due to the prominence of vulgarity and misogyny within it. In his late teens, he aspired to make it as a lyricist. In his early twenty’s, he met Jay-Z, who helped him sign with Atlantic Records in 2005. The following year, he released his debut album (Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor), which was met with acclaim from fans and critics alike, as did his sophomore effort, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool.

The following eight years of his career saw far less output than many would’ve anticipated. This can be partly attributed to his struggles with Atlantic Records. The executives wanted him to sign a 360 deal; however, as he refused to do so they instead shelved his already completed 3rd album, Lasers, and wouldn’t promote him as they had previously. The overseers at the label also interfered with his music (as they had tried to do with his fan-favorite track “Dumb it Down”); subsequently effecting the quality and sound of his third and fourth albums.