Lupe Fiasco

Released: September 19, 2006

Songwriter: Lupe Fiasco

Producer: Soundtrakk

[Produced By: Soundtrakk]

[Verse 1]
I told you I would show up screaming out "FNF" 'til the world blow up
They said I was so finished, I told 'em its show business
Meanin there's no business 'less Fiasco's in it
Disrespect the dress code; wear my street clothes in it
Measured, sold, and clothed in it
Opened up closed, after I entered and drove in it, like uhh

[Hook]
Only fear God
Know the weapons of the weak
The weakness of the heart
And never fall asleep

[Verse 2]
Roll in it, music bumpin, windows tinted
Through the good neighbourhoods and all of the woes in it
Exerted control in it
Seen it come and go, stolen and sold in it
Diamond and gold plated
Fountain of youth, dippin my toes in it
Bounce in the booth, spit it like Skoal in it
Putting my heart and my soul in it
Cause

[Hook]
Only fear God
Know the weapons of the weak
The weakness of the heart
And never fall asleep

[Bridge]
Once upon a time, not long ago
When the pusher man creep, where they live life po'

[Verse 3]
With fifteen in the clip and one in the hole
Hallway wall full of R.I.P.'s, some some of us know
None of us know the makers of the toast
Like the bottom of the stove that was used in the murderin' of the scroll
Heart colder than Edy's
Won't let the seedy city defeat me
Rub me out like genies, won't concede til I'm graffiti
Nigga what

[Hook]
Only fear God
Know the weapons of the weak
The weakness of the heart
And never fall asleep

[Verse 4]
I done bellowed, said "What up?" to the reaper
Hell met like Riddell, then high-water, hello
To the five-year-old gunshot hearer, I hear ya
Clearer than the invisible man in the mirror
Cheer up, I put it on the bars like beer nuts
Put a bug in they ear, so from here up, they hear us

[Hook]
Only fear God
Know the weapons of the weak
The weakness of the heart
And never fall asleep

[Bridge]
Once upon a time, not long ago
When the pusher man creep, where they live life po'

[Verse 5]
I put it on my grandmomma's daughter
I microphone control with the soul of slave hummin "Wadin in the Water"
I author like D.W. brother, like a hustla'
God place me in ya armor, I prescribe no partners
I do it for the hood like a parka
But tell my niggas not to shiver
Only time we quiver like a archer is

[Hook]
Only fear God
Know the weapons of the weak
The weakness of the heart
And never fall asleep

[Verse 6]
Here we are now, entertain us
Change don't change us
Ever since the game trained us
We came up like worms in the rain
I dream my chain became a loose noose that was used to hang us
So now, my insane brain, my 32 teeth
And two feet creep like its Elm Street
Cause

[Hook]
Only fear God
Know the weapons of the weak
The weakness of the heart
And never fall asleep

[Bridge]
Once upon a time, not long ago
When the pusher man creep, where they live life po'

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.

more tracks from the album

Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor

From the album

Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor (2006)

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