The first single from B.o.B's second album is Strange Clouds. It features Lil Wayne and according to the Strange Clouds Songfacts, it "is 3 minutes 47 seconds of bass heavy bragging.". The song was released on October 3, 2011.
Shoot Up the Station
B.o.B Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The T.V.'s dead where's there to run?
"Cu-cut-cut-cut cut the check man"
[Chorus:]
Shoot up-shoot up-shoot up the station
T.V. sta-T.V. sta- (T.V., radio)
T.V. sta-T.V. sta- (hey, sing)
Shoot up-shoot up-shoot up the station (bah bah bah)
T.V. sta-T.V. sta- (T.V., radio)
[Verse One]:
Shoot up the television with Rutgers and demolition
It's time we fucked the system in missionary position
Listen!
It's my intention for giving this transition
This is for the citizens livin' in glass prisons
Come up in my position
The product of my condition
Put a business plan in my hand and a vision of a politician
It's funny how we're never what we witness
Cause this is broadcast television from the villa to the village
So therefore we go bang-bang
On your corporate main frame
We don't want that watered down
We don't want that plain jane
Take back that Diet Coke
We don't want the same thang
This is not a protest
Better yet a gang bang
Now everybody sang
[Chorus:]
Shoot up-shoot up-shoot up the station
T.V. sta-T.V. sta- (T-T-T.V.)
Shoot up-shoot up-shoot up the station
T.V. sta-T.V. sta- (T.V., T.V.)
Shoot up-shoot up-shoot up the station
T.V. sta-T.V. sta- (Shoot up shoot up)
[Verse Two]:
I'm in a distant realm
I live in alpha mode
And I forgot already, what you about to know
You know I'm ridin' fo' and that bullshit I just ain't vouchin' fo'
I beat the game already
Now I'm just trying to coach
The truth is scary, is very revolutionary
The signal is gonna fade it
The television is a berry
Have you heard of the beast?
Well we all live in the belly
Inhabitants of the concrete jungle to Silicon Valley
There is nothing to fear, not even Illuminati
As evil as things appear, perception is just reality
I ain't really here
A holographic anatomy
Really I'm on the ship with the Planetary Academy
Out
[Chorus:]
Shoot up-shoot up-shoot up the station
T.V. sta-T.V. sta- (T.V. station)
Shoot up-shoot up-shoot up the station
T.V. sta-T.V. sta- (bow bow)
Shoot up-shoot up-shoot up the station
T.V. sta-T.V. sta- (shoot up the station)
In the song “Shoot Up the Station” by B.o.B, he criticizes the mainstream media by calling for people to take action against it. He emphasizes that the media, particularly broadcast television, is responsible for keeping people ignorant and trapped like prisoners in their own glass cells. He uses strong words such as “shoot up” to encourage his listeners to rebel against the system that is controlling them.
B.o.B is urging citizens to take back control of their lives by breaking the “corporate mainframe” and highlighting the illusion of reality created by TV networks. He acknowledges that the truth is often scary and that people have been conditioned to believe whatever they see on TV. By contrast, he presents himself as someone who has already beaten the game and is ready to help coach others in overcoming the same challenges.
Overall, “Shoot Up the Station” is a cautionary tale that warns audiences about the dangers of blindly following the media’s lead. By emphasizing the need for political action and critical thinking, the song empowers listeners to take control of their own destinies.
Line by Line Meaning
Shoot up the station
Destroy the establishment
The T.V.'s dead where's there to run?
There's nowhere to escape the corruption of the media
"Cu-cut-cut-cut cut the check man"
Asking for payment for services rendered
Shoot up the television with Rutgers and demolition
Metaphor for destroying the media with education and deconstruction
It's time we fucked the system in missionary position
It's time to overthrow the establishment from within
Listen!
It's my intention for giving this transition
Explaining the purpose of the message
This is for the citizens livin' in glass prisons
For those who are trapped and controlled by society
Come up in my position
Encouraging others to join the fight
The product of my condition
The result of the environment one grows up in
Put a business plan in my hand and a vision of a politician
Motivated to change society through political and economic means
It's funny how we're never what we witness
The media manipulates our perceptions of reality
Cause this is broadcast television from the villa to the village
The media has infiltrated all aspects of society
So therefore we go bang-bang
On your corporate main frame
We will fight against the system
We don't want that watered down
We don't want that plain jane
Take back that Diet Coke
We don't want the same thang
Rejecting the mainstream and demanding something real
This is not a protest
Better yet a gang bang
Now everybody sang
A call to action against the establishment
I'm in a distant realm
I live in alpha mode
Living in a different reality than the mainstream
And I forgot already, what you about to know
Rejecting the mainstream knowledge
You know I'm ridin' fo' and that bullshit I just ain't vouchin' fo'
Refusing to support false narratives
I beat the game already
Now I'm just trying to coach
Having achieved success, now trying to guide others
The truth is scary, is very revolutionary
The signal is gonna fade it
The television is a berry
The truth represents a big change from the status quo, and the media will try to suppress it
Have you heard of the beast?
Well we all live in the belly
We are all controlled by the system
Inhabitants of the concrete jungle to Silicon Valley
From the city to the tech industry, all are slaves to the system
There is nothing to fear, not even Illuminati
As evil as things appear, perception is just reality
Don't let fear and paranoia blind you from the true struggle
I ain't really here
A holographic anatomy
Really I'm on the ship with the Planetary Academy
Out
Rejecting mainstream reality and living in a different one to fight the system
Contributed by Grace M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.