Lupe Fiasco - Body of Work (Lyrical Breakdown)
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- Опубліковано 4 вер 2024
- There is too much to unpack in this song in one video. Generally:
Bones are the sins.
Skin covers the bones.
Body is the life's work (full of bones).
Anatomy is the study of the body.
Therefore, If one studies this body of work, one will understand the bones (anatomy will be the death of me).
A Body of Work is a cohesive collection of work by an artist, or the total output of an artist's life work. The body of work here can refer to Tetsuo and Youth, Lupe's entire career, or his entire life up until now (ie. skeletons in his closet). The body is also a metaphor for a physical body, that can refer to using a body for sin (sex, smuggling, racial prejudice etc), or the bodies of The Game and The Streets.
The Game and The Streets are characters in Lupe's "Michael Young History/My Cool Young History" Saga. They are literal personifications. The anatomy of The Game and The Streets are described in the song 'Real Recognize Real'. MYH is raised by the anatomy of The Game, and he falls in love with the anatomy of The Streets. Both are full of vices, and are eventually the death of him.
Homework:
Deep Cover, Bill Duke
Hamlet, Shakespeare
2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick
Oedipus Rex, Sophocles
Michael Young History Saga:
Real Recognize Real (Description of the The Streets and The Game)
He Say She Say (MYH loses his father)
Put you on Game (MYH meets The Game; new father)
The Coolest (MYH meets The Streets; new mother/lover)
Hello Goodbye / Uncool (MYH gets too big, his downfall)
The Die (MYH dies)
Superstar (MYH gets rejected from heaven)
The Cool (MYH is sent back to earth, to relive the same cycle forever)
This dude TimesNuRoman gotta be Lupe or a very cautious, disciplined scholar of modern culture and esp. Lupe's discography
i watched all the timesnuroman videos and i came up with the same conclusion. no way this isnt lupe. the one where hes talking about the double dragon video game, its unreal.
I think something about the times nu Roman moniker should give him away.
I thought so too so i looked into the favorited videos. Lots of sri lankan favorited videos and old youtube videos. Dont think its Lupe, but he is genius.
I SAID THE SAME THING FAM!!!!!!
Anyone know how to reach this man we need to crowdfund more vids or see if this IS Lupe
Im a 38 year old grown ass man. The ending visuals added with the 🎷 makes me cry. Its so beautiful
Lupe is a genius-level-author who’s choosing to make music
Lupe's discography has enough depth, mixed with enough substance and musicality, to listen to for the rest of an entire life. No exaggeration. This channel embodies this belief.
T&Y is lupes best album imo and that says something because F&L and The Cool are both classics
Truth
Lupe fiasco is the greatest of all time
Drogas WAVE nigga
Tetsuo & Youth is conceptually the deepest album ever. When it comes to storytelling and bars, no one approaches Lu.
I've always said that in the future Lupe's Discography will be masterpieces, such as those as some of the greatest musicians of all time, along the lines of Mozart and Michael Jackson. Today's generation does not understand his lyricism because they are dumbed down, when our civilization advances, then the masses will appreciate the artwork this man creates. timesnuroman, you have visually expressed this artwork! Thank you for that.!
what u said about Lupe is so true, I'm a fan and its still some things it took me awhile to really understand about his lyrical art
Bruh, looking at videos like these that decodes Lupes lyrics should get him up top.
Lupe and michael are great and all, but you can’t compare them to someone like Mozart or Beathoven...
DT Justice you’re right Mozart didn’t use language as a tool that pushes the peak of creativity
Over Finally they are totally different musical mediums. Obviously you can not compare one to the other. Saying lupe can do what Mozart does or saying Mozart can do what lupe does is nonsensical. They are all masters of their craft.
Lupe is a straight up Genius! The metaphors and double entendres are brilliantly placed throughout his works.
Great effort on this video. LUCY starring Scarlett Johannson is also the reference for the lines that start "pills celebrating we won. in the system of the women never knew he had it in em...."
Lucy was smuggling pills inside of her, "New hightech ways smuggle whole thangs" and didn't know she had them in her.
Also, Lupe has several underlining meanings that relate to the battle/contrast/study of Religion Vs Science throughout T&Y and the movie Lucy fits this messaging damn near flawlessly. Lucy was also the name of the oldest bones of human beings ever discovered, preceding the Bible by a few 100K years. This is the Bible's "closet full of bones" they may not want to be known.
They say good poetry is never understood the first time you read (hear) it. Lupe is big on literature and takes his craft seriously. This is a perfect example on how rap should be made, for rap is nothing more than poetry. I think he is way ahead of his time. At least he is appreciated by his core fans. Great Job Lupe...
So explain to me what is his form of writing
@@Zayrius-tori sailboat wouldn't survive in an ocean of my tears,,,Floatin' on the water out the eyes that I see with
Burnin' on the fire out the eyes that I see with
So as we heat seekin' the seen heater sea-seein'
But fuck it, it's too far off the deep end""" what do you call this style? Its from slr3 .
Damn Lupe is dope yo. He talking about his life thru different movies and books his body of work. Damn Lupe you in the top 5
Oh my fucking God!!! there is no way timesnuroman isn't lowkey Lupe himself! I knew there was the cool references throughout this album, but my god I would never have figured this one out!! Good job man, good job!
+LostInTheAtlantic thats what i'm saying like how the hell did timesnuroman figure all this out he needs to make a video of himself explaining all this!!
+LostInTheAtlantic Yeah man. That history in description is the queue. Wild how I can listen to Superstar and had NO CLUE it fit in with the MYH story. Has to be Lu
The production level on Lupe's songs are always so tight and refined, silky smooth.
And he just nestles his bars softly ontop
Lupe's music stimulates the mind while Kendrick Lamar music Feeds the soul. Lupe is the G.O.A.T lyrically though. This album was a masterpiece!
I absolutely agree with you.
Definitely
Enheritance Dorrico well said 👌
the goat hands down
Enheritance Derrico Lupe has so many songs about God and I haven't heard him contradict himself yet. I wouldn't be caught playing Kendrick's flip-flop-flow. I rate Kendrick with the rest of em'.
This has to be my favorite Lupe track
5:04 - The Coolest verse 1:
I love the lord
But sometimes it's like that I love me more
I love the peace, and I love the war
I love the seas, and I love the shore
No love for no beach, baby that's law
But she doesn't see, therefore I spoil
I trick, I fall, run up in raw
I love her with all my heart
Every vein, every vessel, every bullet lodged
With every flower that I ever took apart
She said, that she would give me greatness, status, placement
Above the others, my face with grace covers of the magazines
Of the hustlers, paper, the likes of which
That I had never seen, her eyes glow green
With the logo of our dreams, the purpose of our scene
A obscene obsession for the bling
She would be my queen, I could be her king, together
She would make me cool, and we would both rule, forever
And I would never feel pain
And never be without pleasure, ever, again
And if the rain stops, and everything's dry
She would cry, just so I could drink the tears from her eyes
She'd teach my how to fly, even cushion my fall
If my engines ever stall, and I plummet from the sky
But she would keep me high, and if I ever die
She would commission my image on her bosom, to him
Or maybe she'd retire as well
A match made in Heaven set the fires in Hell, and I'll be
+SuperJcoleFan when you take what the woman ad libs throughout the song and put it together, it parallels this verse. It kinda confirms that it's the Streets talking.
my favorite Lupe song ever!
Sun God Sam is what I'm waiting for
son god sam if FIRE
I hope he does it
Hey Lupe stans we gotta tell our parents thank you. Bc of what they exposed us to, we are able to appreciate Lupe.
this dude is god i swear this whole album murdered my mental
you are under appreciated. this is awesome. all your songs. i knew lupe was dope but you are up there for breaking down his lyrics to their basic forms to we can comprehend them and digest his music faster. i hope lupe reaches out to you and thanks you. because if his fan base had access to these breakdowns, not only would he gain NEW fans, he would solidify his position as one of the greatest lyricist with fame.
+Byron 1906 Yup...
+EagleZtoTheGrave thanks bruh, sorry for the typos
"Don't leave the restroom whith ur leftfoot " in islam restroom are considered where the devils live since they love nasty stuuf it's advised to enter it whit ur left foot and leave with ur right foot. 😊
Thx for the info.
I love God, On god Lupe stans got help each other
I didn't know that. I always knew things dealing with the left, were always viewed as evil. That's why left handed ppl were considered devil worshippers centuries ago. But I didnt understand the reference to the bathroom and left foot. I just thought it was bad luck. Thanks for the explanation...
Awesome 💆🏽♂️💆🏽♂️
yakeen salafi so in Islam it’s a sin to take a shit? ... I feel sorry for you ... taking a big shit is so relieving and so glad I don’t have to feel bad about it
Lupe is the best rapper alive
FACTS
Amazing, this video provides so much more clarity to that song. Thank You SO MUCH for making these videos. Please do more songs from T&Y, I want either Prisoner 1 & 2, They.Ressurrect.Over.New, Deliver or Madonna (and other mothers in the hood) ! But hey I'm just happy with any video you put, it gives much needed clarity to Lupe's lyrics and makes think Lupe's even MORE of a GOAT than he already is, which great. Thanks man.
second this!!
Lupe is a genius..period
I Never would have gotten the Deep Cover references now it all makes sense......nigga are you Lupe?
upayjay1 lmaoo
He used to do psychological sundays where a few sundays in series he talked about deep cover. This happened leading up to the the album drop. But you couldn't tell he was giving you footnotes to the song. Gotta love dude for that.
upayjay1 i just watched the movie again for the first time in years and i had to run back to this video. I am so stunned with the references
I knew Lupe was deep but after I heard this song the first time I realized that he was on another level.
Listening to this the first time, I felt as if the tone of the song was about women. Continuously listening, I began to feel as if he was speaking on his body of work. Scarlett Letter A standing for Adultery turning into Anatomy which references maybe the sins in the work that he created. NOW this has taken a whole different direction. I can feel the solo in the background explain the high that one feels when using. Great art allows you to see and feel what you can withholding the truest essence of what that art really is. My mind is OFFICIALLY BLOWN! FUCKIN AWESOME!
Lupe is literally a genius
2001 a space odyssey. Lupe on Kubrick, the mind break is real.
This song can mean so many things, but even in its simplest form it’s a masterpiece.
Lupe your music it's what Hip-Hop needs. It would be an honor to meet you in person!! Your one of my favorite rappers.
one of the most under rated channels in the world thank you man!
Confused? Read the description to go deeper.....
you ARE Lupe aren't you? keep it real.
+Baylien lol right....dope job
+Baylien he's neither confirming nor denying lol
+Trestres 23 I'd say hes a close cousin lol
yo times nu roman gotta eat is also part of the MYH saga
I just personally want to thank you for putting in the work to give an amazing song a breakdown more than just text. I've been waiting since your last upload to watch a new one again and again for 70 times.
My favourite track on the album. Made me happy to see this breakdown
This song might go down as one of the best songs in hip hop history.
At 5:03 it says, "See the coolest, verse 1" Way back in Food and Liquor, Lupe told the story about 3 individuals, The Game, The Streets, and I forgot what the name of the other guy is, but he represents all of us. Dude has a bone hand. The Streets is the female with the red hair, green dollar bill eyes. She's the one that's talking during verse one of the Coolest.
"I love the Lord
But sometimes it's like that I love me more
I love the peace and I love the war
I love the seas and I love the shore
No love for no beach; baby, that's law
But she doesn't see; therefore, I spoil
I trick, I fall, run up in raw
I love her with all my heart
Every vein, every vessel, every bullet lodged
With every flower that I ever took apart
She said that she would give me greatness, status
Placement above the others
My face would grace covers
Of the magazines of the hustlers
Paper, the likes of which that I had never seen
Her eyes glow green with the logo of our dreams
The purpose of our scene
The obscene obsession for the bling
She would be my queen, I could be her king
Together, she would make me cool
And we would both rule
Forever
And I would never feel pain
And never be without pleasure, ever again
And if the reign stops and everything's dry
She would cry just so I can drink the tears from her eyes
She'd teach me how to fly, even cushion my fall
If my engines ever stall and I plummet from the sky
But she will keep me high, and if I ever die
She would commission monuments on her bosom to him
Or maybe she'd retire as well
A match made in Heaven, set the fires in Hell
And I'll be"
Also, I feel like "The Cool" From Food and Liquor would be the Prologue to the "Michael Young History."
...
Actually, now that I think about it.... The Cool, the album is literally an expansion of The Cool, the song from Food and Liquor.... Holy fuckin shit, 10 years later and Lupe Fiasco managed to blow my fucking mind.
The Cool/Michael Young History is the narrator of "The Coolest"
Damn I finally understand that entire first verse. I visited RapGenius a few times for it but to no avail. Visuals are always better than just words.
Same. This channel is a way better source for interpretation than RapGenius.
This was by far Lupe Greatest Song! & that's saying alot!
One of the best all around production values I've ever heard. Body of Work is fucking awesome.
It's like people are deaf
Purple Heart Gunna more like people are dumb and ignorant.
This blows my mind
You HAVE TO DO "Mural Jr." from Drogas Wave. It's only right.
Please do Little Death!
I keep trying to tell people that Lupe is one of the BEST coke rappers out there.
This is our blessing from TimesNuRoman for the year haha we appreciate it!!!!!
To me the ending is symbolizing man returning home to source, I could be way off with that but that's what resonates with me.....Lupe you should be up there in future generations as one of the greatest artists of all time. True art needs to be interpreted by the individual
you're absolutely right lol
ok i just read the description and i get it now, wow broke down the concepts of the cool album. it all makes sense now
yaaassss!!!! i love this song u know how long i been trying cypher out the meaning. thanks for making a video on body of works.
Wow it's all making sense now thinking about the songs from "The Cool" album. I knew it was telling pieces of a story while they're real stories themselves individually I knew Hello/Good bye waa meant for something deeper as it stood because of it's general composition compared to the rest. The game within the game.
the way you end these videos are amazing..
yooooo timesnuroman is back. the goat keep it up
Fucking brilliant.... I dont know what else to say...
keep doing this, it's like going to school.... learning something new
this was an awesome interpretation of the song.
thank you so much for making the videos you are making!! I admire your dedication
I still feel dumb. I love this song
Can we talk about how clean Laurence Fishbourne looks in that cemetery scene
Lupe is pure genius
man PLEASE keep this up. Great work!
This is definitely one of the songs on the album that have multiple narratives. Lupe confirmed the Deep Cover connection.. Here's another.. View the "work" in the title as drugs. As in Body of drugs. The first verse there's a marriage taking place and just listen to the drug references. It seems like the couple had a baby (presumably reincarnated if we're following the most common theory on the album.) That baby's body parts are made out of drugs or the baby is a drug. The second verse deals eith taking those drugs in a limo and driving it to Washington heights ( area of New York known for being a wholesale drug market.) and a drug deal happens. Still working on a third verse but it reveals who the mother and father are. Most likely the two characters from "The Cool" his second album which was also a concept album.
This song has 5 different narratives that run at the same time, thus every line has 5 different meanings.
Lupe is a genius
Great job as always. And thanks for the description
lupe is a beast!!
This was amazing.
I know you have worked very hard on these videos... Thank you... More please!!
well im more confused than ever
Imagine timesnuroman makes a comeback on waves
We need more breakdowns
journey the mind of what you may portray as confusion, lupe fiasco
Love the theories. Unless this is actually Lupe, I feel some parts might be reaching a bit though. Either way, really like what you’re doing.
WELCOME BACK!!!
Pretty sure I can home school my son with Lupe lyrics by just taking time to dive into the references.
🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Can you please do Cripple, Sun god Sam and Mural Jr from Drogas Wave. UA-cam needs you back on your shit.
You gotta do WAV FILES off of DROGAS WAVE
when he say what sound like scriptures and you put up the verses, I was trying to see what book they from.. then realized they were lupe verses..........which are scriptures in themselves good work
i appreciate what you are doing man its awesome
god damn i knew this song was deep but damn this ocean deep
You freakin Genius!!
2:58 there are also sacred dances coded in certain sanskrit texts
legend
"If the government get it I'm a fool" ... I feel like more rappers need to know this because wow #thugger😂😂😂
Break down a track off of Pharaoh Height next!!
I cannot understand how you get all this, but good job.
Fantastic work
YO if you could do "Little Death" before his next album drops, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING. I kno you prlly got other things to do, but if you find the time, im sure we would all APPRECIATE it.
about time my nigga, first comment
Can you create one of these videos for Lupe's song 'What You Want'...
???
amazing work again!!!!!!
LITTLE DEATH!! Please do a video for that song.
PLEASE DO TRACKS FROM PHARAOH HEIGHT!!!
And another one ☝️👑
you can do an entire undergrad class focused on this album
Amazing
Im tripping balls and this is great
The Molly in the body of Christ compared to communion omg
Much better than Rap Genius!
I think this amazing thank you
Dope visuals
This video was not good enough. A lot missing in terms of information with the verses.
Thanks again