Never listen to Lupe, friend kept tellin me too, finally did and uncovered this. The man's quite talented. Like the 2nd verse, my interpretation:
Verse 2:
No, I ain't the nigga trying to get a liquor line
(A rapper promoting something to poison your mind, clowd your judgement. Trying to profit off of you)
When I be scriptin lines, Want this petition sign
(Trying to get the L.A.S.E.R.S. Manifesto signed. Start a movement. Something positive. Trying to free your mind. Don't want your money.)
It says I'm sick of dimes, Sick of this prison time
(Ideas in the Manifesto)
I really love my people. I'm sick of pimping mine.
(He's doing this out of love)
Now if we autotune that shit,
(Self explanatory)
We can hear the songs from that opera room fat bitch
(If we can use autotune, we can broaden our minds a little further and listen to some opera)
Tell em' it's not to pursue it, just shoe it like a blacksmith
(Not tellin you to be an opera singer, but try it on & mold it like a blacksmith into something you can use, something you crafted. Something original & one of a kind.)
We're trapped, and movin round in circles like it's chap stick
(What rap is doing right now. Moving around in circles recycling ideas from each other. Taking something that was innovative and interesting at first when used by few artists (autotune, by Teddy Riley from Blackstreet in the 90's & later on revived by T.Pain) and that was fine. Then everyone started doing it, using each other's ideas instead of branching out to something completely different like the example he uses here, opera and pulling inspiration from that to create something wholly new.)
And that's the semi-circle way of thinking that we're chapped with
(Hip Hop is a pair of crusty chapped lips right now and they are dry and cracking and we need some new chap stick, some repair.)
Well wrap this around ya head like the bandanas Fabolous used to wrap his hats with
(If you can follow a trend started by a rapper, like putting bandanas around your hat, then follow this rapper. Follow Lupe & the L.A.S.E.R.S. Manifesto. Wrap your head around what he's saying. Think.)
Rather be in F.E.D.S instead of National Geographic's
(Rather be in F.E.D.S. magazine instead of National Geographic. )
F.E.D.S. Magazine:
"Antoine Clark started urban true-crime magazine FEDS in 1998. Although FEDS appears to glorify crime by regularly profiling well-known killers, kingpins, and pimps, Antoine insists that FEDS’ mission is to act as a deterrent; only criminals whose lives have been destroyed by their crimes are featured on the covers."
National Geographic: A reputable magazine where your acomplished work is displayed.)
Well I'm not having it, naw.
(He's not having it!!!!! Naw)
Basically: Think outside the box. Be original, positive, spread love, aim high, set goals, reach for them!
Never listen to Lupe, friend kept tellin me too, finally did and uncovered this. The man's quite talented. Like the 2nd verse, my interpretation:
Verse 2:
No, I ain't the nigga trying to get a liquor line (A rapper promoting something to poison your mind, clowd your judgement. Trying to profit off of you)
When I be scriptin lines, Want this petition sign (Trying to get the L.A.S.E.R.S. Manifesto signed. Start a movement. Something positive. Trying to free your mind. Don't want your money.)
It says I'm sick of dimes, Sick of this prison time (Ideas in the Manifesto)
I really love my people. I'm sick of pimping mine. (He's doing this out of love)
Now if we autotune that shit, (Self explanatory)
We can hear the songs from that opera room fat bitch (If we can use autotune, we can broaden our minds a little further and listen to some opera)
Tell em' it's not to pursue it, just shoe it like a blacksmith (Not tellin you to be an opera singer, but try it on & mold it like a blacksmith into something you can use, something you crafted. Something original & one of a kind.)
We're trapped, and movin round in circles like it's chap stick (What rap is doing right now. Moving around in circles recycling ideas from each other. Taking something that was innovative and interesting at first when used by few artists (autotune, by Teddy Riley from Blackstreet in the 90's & later on revived by T.Pain) and that was fine. Then everyone started doing it, using each other's ideas instead of branching out to something completely different like the example he uses here, opera and pulling inspiration from that to create something wholly new.)
And that's the semi-circle way of thinking that we're chapped with (Hip Hop is a pair of crusty chapped lips right now and they are dry and cracking and we need some new chap stick, some repair.)
Well wrap this around ya head like the bandanas Fabolous used to wrap his hats with (If you can follow a trend started by a rapper, like putting bandanas around your hat, then follow this rapper. Follow Lupe & the L.A.S.E.R.S. Manifesto. Wrap your head around what he's saying. Think.)
Rather be in F.E.D.S instead of National Geographic's (Rather be in F.E.D.S. magazine instead of National Geographic. )
F.E.D.S. Magazine: "Antoine Clark started urban true-crime magazine FEDS in 1998. Although FEDS appears to glorify crime by regularly profiling well-known killers, kingpins, and pimps, Antoine insists that FEDS’ mission is to act as a deterrent; only criminals whose lives have been destroyed by their crimes are featured on the covers." National Geographic: A reputable magazine where your acomplished work is displayed.)
Well I'm not having it, naw. (He's not having it!!!!! Naw)
Basically: Think outside the box. Be original, positive, spread love, aim high, set goals, reach for them!