Around My Way
Lupe Fiasco Lyrics

First off say peace to Pine Ridge
Starting with a humble recognition to Pine Ridge, which has been impacted by the damages of the white man's alcohol consumption.

Shame at all the damage that the white man wine did
Expressing the sense of shame around the fact that the white man's excessive alcohol consumption has caused so much harm.

Ghost Dance, Trail of Tears, 5 million beers a year
Referencing the Native American Ghost Dance and Trail of Tears as examples of white man's oppression against indigenous people combined with the unfortunate reality that 5 million gallons of alcohol are consumed each year.

And all that other crime did
Acknowledging that white man has caused harm in many other ways as well.

More peace to the teachers of blind kids
Offering peace and respect to teachers who educate children with visual impairments.

To rebels in small cells keeping their mind big
Showing appreciation and respect to activists who keep their minds sharp even while imprisoned in small cells.

Say everything's hostile
Implying that the current state of affairs is less than favorable, and that the world feels hostile.

Suicide bombers and prosperity gospels, emaciated models
Highlighting the disparate realities of the world where devastating acts of terror and greed-driven ideologies coexist with oppressive and unrealistic beauty standards.

With cocaine and blood pouring out their nostrils, they got to
Alluding to the pressure faced by models to maintain unhealthy lifestyles in order to meet beauty standards.

Just to stay awake on the catwalk of life where everybody watch you
Describing the metaphorical catwalk of life on which people perform for others and feel pressured to maintain appearances.

Straight hair, high heels and a handbag
Listing physical characteristics that are often associated with the fashion industry and societal expectations of beauty.

Crucifixes, racism and a land grab
Describing the ways in which religion and discrimination are used to justify harm against others and seize land opportunistically.

Katrina, FEMA trailers, human body sandbags
Drawing attention to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath, including the use of FEMA trailers to house displaced individuals and the tragic loss of life.

A peace sign and a pants sag
Referencing the fashion statement popular among younger generations that may signify a desire for peace but may also be seen as disrespectful.

A money toss cause a 9 stripper mad dash
Describing a lifestyle in which people freely throw around money causing chaos and desperation among those vying for it.

A friend request following a hash tag
Referencing the millennial culture of seeking social media validation and forming relationships through online platforms.

Now everybody want it like a last laugh
Describing the fleeting nature of popularity and the desire for fame and fortune.

A Michael Jackson jacket or a daft mask
Listing examples of popular fashion items that drive consumerism and trends.

Purple Jordans or the mixed girl in your math class
Listing specific cultural and fashion items that are popular among young people today, referencing consumerism.

Stable is when the Ba'ath had Baghdad
Alluding to the stability that existed under the government of Ba'ath in Baghdad before it was weakened and toppled by external interventions.

But corporate jets really had to have that gas bad
Suggesting that despite the stability, external interference led to the downfall to serve the interests of corporations that were greedy for oil resources.

War and they hope they all fall from the ratatat
Suggesting that those who wage war may hope that the enemy will fall to acts of violence and gunfire.

Cause that's just more dinosaur for the Cadillac
Implying that the reason for wars and violence is to maintain power and luxury for the elite class, regardless of the cost.

Live from the other side what you see
Introducing a perspective focused on the other side of societal issues, highlighting a different viewpoint.

A bunch of nonsense on my TV
Critiquing the content and impact of mainstream media on society, calling it nonsense.

Heaven on Earth is what I need
Expressing the desire for a utopia where everything is harmonious and just.

But I feel I'm in Hell every time I breathe
Emphasizing the current sense of dissatisfaction and disappointment with how the world is.

Rich man, poor man, we all gotta pay
Pointing out how everyone has to pay the consequences of societal issues and inequalities, regardless of their socio-economic status.

Cause freedom ain't free, especially 'round my way
Acknowledging that freedom comes at a cost and that in certain places, that cost is particularly high.

And we marvel at the state of Ottoman
Commenting on how people may be fascinated by the history of the Ottoman empire, without fully understanding its impact on society and the world today.

Then turn around and treat Ghana like a garbage can
Drawing attention to the hypocrisy of admiring a certain culture while discriminating against another and treating them poorly.

America's a big motherfuckin' garbageman
Making a statement about how America functions as a waste management system, taking in resources and producing waste.

If you ain't know, you're part and parcel of the problem
Pointing out that ignorance is part of the problem that perpetuates issues in society.

You say no you ain't, and I say yes you is
Calling out individuals who deny their complicity in systemic issues that impact society as a whole.

Soon as you find out what planned obsolescence is
Suggesting that once people understand the concept of planned obsolescence in consumer products, they will realize the harm caused by excessive production and consumption.

You say no they didn't, and I say yes they did
Continuing to challenge individuals who deny the reality of systemic issues and the harm they cause.

The definition of unnecessary-ness manifested
Pointing out how the pursuit of profit through planned obsolescence creates excessive waste and unnecessary consumption.

Say that we should protest just to get arrested
Calling out the notion that protest often leads to arrests rather than real change, highlighting the limited effectiveness of some forms of activism.

That goes against all my hustling ethics
Imbuing the artist's own personal boundaries and beliefs into the discussion of activism and social reform.

A bunch of jail niggas say its highly ineffective
Referencing the perspective of incarcerated individuals who may view protest as ineffective in creating real, lasting change.

Depart from Martin, connect on Malcolm X tip
Suggesting that the artist prefers a more forceful, direct form of activism over the peaceful and passive activism associated with Martin Luther King Jr. as inspired by the tenets of Malcolm X.

Insert Baldwin to similar the separate
Invoking James Baldwin, a prominent Civil Rights activist, writer, and intellectual who addressed issues of race, injustice, and identity. This may suggest an effort to unite different sides and ideologies in the fight for social justice.

To me, the truth is more fulfilling than a meth hit
Revealing the artist's own prioritization of truth and honesty over fleeting and harmful pleasures.

Or finding really fast internet to have some sex with
Alluding to the culture of hookup culture and online dating in which people prioritize short-term pleasure over deeper connections.

It's all one song short of a set list
Suggesting that there are countless societal issues that are interconnected and part of a larger system of problems.

Couple croissants shy of a continental breakfast
Referencing the notion of breakfast as an incomplete or unsatisfying meal, highlighting the same feeling on a larger societal and political scale.

Or blowing out your birthday candles just to make a death wish
Drawing attention to the inevitability of death and the sense of futility in many aspects of life.

So absurd, word to Chief Bone Necklace
Commenting on the absurdity of some of these societal issues and calling to the indigenous culture that has often been subjected to these harms.

Down at the Lakota Sioux Casino
Referencing the Lakota Sioux tribe and calling attention to the commercialization of Native American heritage through the gambling industry.

A whole culture boiled down to giving you pokeno
Highlighting the way that Native American culture has been simplified and commercialized into entertainment for tourists.

I go as left as a heart in the chest
Indicating a strong alignment with left-wing political ideology, and comparing it to the location of the heart in the chest, a vital and central organ.

Cause the Horn of Africa is now starving to death
Bringing attention to the famine and poverty in the Horn of Africa, an issue that the artist views as a critical problem facing the world today.

Rich man, poor man, we all gotta pay
Reiterating that everyone bears the cost of societal issues, regardless of socio-economic status.

Cause freedom ain't free, especially 'round my way
Reminding listeners that freedom comes at a cost, and that in some environments and contexts, that cost is particularly high.