The Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free) Songfacts reports that Fiasco’s first single off his fourth studio album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 debuted on May 21, 2012. On "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)," he spits rhymes about aspects of modern American life he doesn’t like such as "Suicide bombers and prosperity gospels, emaciated models, with cocaine and blood pouring out their nostrils” as well as socio-political problems in Ghana and the invasion of Iraq.
Lupe released his fifth studio album Tetsuo & Youth on January 20, 2015.
Lupe's 8th Studio Album DRILL MUSIC IN ZION was released on June 23rd 2022
Lupe has previously been on label Epic with his group Da Pak and then signed a solo deal with Arista. His years at Arista only led to the 2003 promo single "Pop Pop" as well as guest appearances on singles from Tha' Rayne (2002's "Kiss Me" and 2003's "Didn't You Know") and K Fox (2003's "This Life"), then Arista folded in 2004 and Lupe was signed to Atlantic Records.
He Say and She Say
Lupe Fiasco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let you leave
I don't know what you want
You want more from me?
She said to him
"I want you to be a father
He's your little boy and you don't even bother
And he's starting to harbor
Cool and food for thought
But for you he's a starver
Starting to use red markers on his work
His teacher say they know he's much smarter
But he's hurt
Used to hand his homework in first
Like he was the classroom starter
Burst to tears
Let them know she see us
Now he's fighting in class
Got a note last week that say he might not pass
Ask me if his daddy was sick of us
Cause you ain't never pick him up
You see what his problem is?
He don't know where his poppa is
No positive male role model
To play football and build railroad models
It's making a hole you've been digging it
Cause you ain't been kicking it
Since he was old enough to hold bottles
Wasn't supposed to get introduced to that
He don't deserve to get used to that
Now I ain't asking you for money or to come back to me
Some days it ain't sunny but it ain't so hard
Just breaks my heart
When I try to provide and he say, "Mommy that ain't your job"
To be a man, I try to make him understand
That I'm his number one fan
But its like he born from the stands
You know the world is out to get him, so why don't you give him a chance?"
I can't, I won't, I can't, I won't
Let you leave
I don't know what you want
You want more from me?
So he said to him
"I want you to be a father
I'm your little boy and you don't even bother
Like "brother" without the are
And I'm starting to harbor
Cool and food for thought
But for you I'm a starver
Starting to use red markers on my work
My teacher say they know I'm much smarter
But I'm hurt
I used to hand my homework in first
Like I was the classroom starter
Burst to tears
Let them know he see us
Now I'm fighting in class
Got a note last week that say I might not pass
Kids ask me if my daddy is sick of us
Cause you ain't never pick me up
You see what my problem is?
That I don't know where my poppa is
No positive male role model
To play football and build railroad models
It's making a hole you've been digging it
Cause you ain't been kicking it
Since I was old enough to hold bottles
Wasn't supposed to get introduced to that
I don't deserve to get used to that
Now I ain't asking you for money or to come back to me
Some days it ain't sunny but it ain't so hard
Just breaks my heart
When my momma try to provide and I tell her, "That ain't your job"
To be a man, she try to make me understand
That she my number one fan
But its like you born from the stands
You know the world is out to get me, why don't you give me a chance?"
I can't, I won't, I can't, I won't
Let you leave
I don't know what you want
You want more from me?
I can't, I won't, I can't, I won't
Let you leave
I don't know what you want
You want more from me?
I can't, I won't, I can't, I won't
Let you leave
The song "He Say She Say" by Lupe Fiasco deeply depicts the pains and struggles of a child who longs for his father's love and care. The song is narrated in two perspectives, one from the mother and the other from the child. The mother tells the father that their child needs him to be a father, to be responsible and take care of his son. The father seems to have abandoned his child and his responsibilities as a father. The child, on the other hand, expresses his feelings and the struggles he faces being without a father figure.
The child is observant and is starting to notice how different his life is from his peers who have a father who cares for them. He notices how his father's absence has impacted his life negatively, causing him to have no positive male role model to guide and mentor him. The mother is trying her best to provide for him, but as he grows older, he realizes that it's not her job to make him a man, and he yearns for his father's presence.
The song's message is powerful and encourages fathers to embrace their roles as responsible and caring fathers to their children. It highlights the importance of having a father figure in a child's life and how their absence causes deep scars that are hard to heal. Lupe Fiasco's "He Say She Say" is a poignant reminder that every child deserves the love and protection of their parents to help them navigate through life's complexities.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't, I won't, I can't, I won't
I refuse to let you go
Let you leave
Allow you to depart from my life
I don't know what you want
I am confused about your needs and desires
You want more from me?
Are you requesting something additional from me?
"I want you to be a father
I desire for you to act as a paternal figure
He's your little boy and you don't even bother
Your son is emotionally affected by your absence
Like "brother" without the are
A wordplay on the fact that the fatherly figure is missing
And he's starting to harbor
The son is beginning to retain feelings of abandonment
Cool and food for thought
The son is calm but has reflective thoughts
But for you he's a starver
The son feels neglected by the fatherly figure
Starting to use red markers on his work
The son is acting out by vandalizing his own school work
His teacher say they know he's much smarter
The teachers recognize the son's intelligence
But he's hurt
The son is emotionally distressed
Used to hand his homework in first
The son used to excel academically
Like he was the classroom starter
The son was proactive and punctual
Burst to tears
The son's emotions are overwhelming him
Let them know she see us
The mother informs others of their family's struggles
Now he's fighting in class
The son is exhibiting disruptive behavior at school
Got a note last week that say he might not pass
The son may not progress academically due to his behavior
Ask me if his daddy was sick of us
The son is questioned about his father's absence
Cause you ain't never pick him up
The father has failed to take responsibility as a parent
You see what his problem is?
The father is being called out for his actions or lack thereof
He don't know where his poppa is
The son is uncertain about his father's whereabouts
No positive male role model
The son lacks a male figure to look up to
To play football and build railroad models
To engage in father-son bonding activities
It's making a hole you've been digging it
The father's absence is damaging and creates long-lasting effects
Cause you ain't been kicking it
The father has not been present in the son's life
Since he was old enough to hold bottles
The father has been absent since the son's infancy
Wasn't supposed to get introduced to that
It was not supposed to happen this way
He don't deserve to get used to that
The son does not deserve to get accustomed to his father's absence
Now I ain't asking you for money or to come back to me
The mother's plea is for the father to be a present parent, not to reunite with her romantically
Some days it ain't sunny but it ain't so hard
Some days may be tough, but they are manageable
Just breaks my heart
The mother is emotionally hurt by their situation
When I try to provide and he say, "Mommy that ain't your job"
The son questions the mother's role in providing for him
To be a man, I try to make him understand
The mother aims to teach the son how to grow up into a responsible adult
That I'm his number one fan
The mother is supportive of her son
But its like he born from the stands
The son feels as though his fatherly figure is a bystander in his life
You know the world is out to get him, so why don't you give him a chance?"
The mother believes that the son needs a chance with a fatherly figure to combat challenges in the world
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG Rights Management
Written by: HAL DAVID, WASALU MUHAMMAD JACO, BURT F. BACHARACH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@justinbennett1937
I was looking in all the wrong places. For an earthly relationship.
..
My heavenly father reminded me I am the son of man
But here now.
God is the absolute truth.
Thank you God
In Jesus name let's just stop this wild stuff and love again.
Seek first his kingdom.
@marcbibanga5601
Food and Liquor is still one of the greatest albums ever made.
@JoseFlores-rl3kj
hell yea
@leivh
Ever
@trentyates418
FACTS!!!
@hawwakarim
Big ole facts!!!
@manga3040
100%
@immortalmortal1000
Wow, the fact that he uses the same verse except with different points of view is a perfect example of Lupe's genius. It's as if the son thinks exactly the same as his mother; the message (IMO) being that kids emulate their role models, whether it be the father OR the mother, so it's the responsibility for the parents to set positive examples.
@SpeedySounds
the first time I heard this song (and still to this day), hearing the second verse just hits it home. as a young kid wondering where my father was, the first verse just reminds me of the shit i heard from my moms mouth growin up when she was defending me. he did end up comin back, but i was already a man. the second verse reminds me of the moment i feel became a man and stood for myself, and everything my mom said is the exact same shit i said. my dad and i are good today, but this song just brings me back to a very dark place.
@TheSecularMinority
This song doesn't even apply to me but it gives me so many feels. I had to text my dad to tell him how much I appreciate him being in my life. In a world full of dead beat dad's I recognized that I'm privileged to have both my parents. Shout out to all the single parents and the kids who made it without both parents.
@Mustafakhan-us9cr
Big up to you fam!