Kick Push II
Lupe Fiasco Lyrics

Look at what we did
Reflecting on how far they've come since their humble beginnings

Came a long way from dirty ghetto kids
Acknowledging the progress made from a difficult upbringing

You know what it is, haha
A lighthearted comment acknowledging the listeners' understanding

Well the cops didn't fine 'em for grindin', no
The skateboarder wasn't punished for his skating by the police

They kinda blew the vibe, figured it was time to go
The police disrupted the skateboarder's flow and he had to leave

Plus he had to be at home a long time ago
The skateboarder had a curfew to abide by and couldn't stay out late

And he had made like ten dollars off the sign he wrote
The skateboarder made some money from a sign he made

It read: "A lil hungry, and need a lil money It's for my lil sister and her lil tummy"
The sign explained that the skateboarder was raising money for his hungry sister

Wasn't lying tho, he didn't go buy hydro
The skateboarder didn't spend the money on drugs

Went to the restaurant and bought two gyros
Instead, the skateboarder bought food for himself and his sister

'Cause he knew they wasn't cookin' where he live
The skateboarder couldn't get the food where he lived

The kunk-kakunk-kakunks now took him to the crib
The sound of his skateboard's wheels on the street as he headed home

A lil hurt from the rail he took into the ribs
The skateboarder got injured while skating

Right pass the pushers who couldn't under dig
The skateboarder passed by drug dealers who didn't understand his passion for skating

What's the use of pushin'? You ain't pushin' none of this
The drug dealers didn't see the value in skating, only in selling drugs

If I kick it with y'all I'm just pushin' for a bid
The skateboarder felt that if he hung out with the drug dealers, he would end up in jail

But what was on his mind, and pushed him to the lid
Despite the risks, skating was still important to the skateboarder

Their best customer wasn't cookin' for her kids
The drug dealers' best customer was neglecting her parental responsibilities

Gets up to pump, so he Kick, push
The skateboarder continues to skate even though he has to leave

Over his shoulders he swore he'd never look
The skateboarder doesn't want to look back and dwell on the past

'Cause wasn't nothing back there, but the blackness Life wasn't too attractive
The past was bleak and unfulfilling, and the skateboarder is focused on moving forward

You see his mom was a crack head
The skateboarder's mother struggled with addiction

And his father couldn't be contacted
The skateboarder's father wasn't present in his life

He lived with being different, was combated Amongst the other things on his young, black head
The skateboarder faced discrimination and other issues as a young black man

And see his girl was a white girl But just cause she was white, see her life wasn't light world
The skateboarder's girlfriend faced her own challenges despite being white

She too had the drama thick Had a daddy and a mama, but her daddy used to mama hit
The skateboarder's girlfriend also had a difficult family life

Daddy caught something chasin' fatties, made her mama sick Couldn't afford the medicine, pimped her to the pharmacist
Her father was involved in some kind of scandal that made her mother ill, leading to her being exploited for medicine

Had suicidal feelings, would ride Switch over the transition help her conquer it
Skating helped the skateboarder's girlfriend cope with her suicidal thoughts

Pays for mama's pills with a sponsorship Her cell phone bill and a Honda kit
The skateboarder's girlfriend supports her family financially, as well as enjoying material items like a car and phone

And that's why she skates with he Someone to feel the pain and a place to be
Skating provides a release for both the skateboarder and his girlfriend, and a sense of belonging to a community

A traveling band of misfits and outcasts Nod they heads from Misfits to Outkast
The skating community is a diverse group of people who find common ground in their love of skating

A lot of scars, they did this without pads A lot of hearts who did this without dads
The skating community includes people who have dealt with physical and emotional pain

One's father was filthy rich Two was middle class, and one was homeless
The skating community has members from different socio-economic backgrounds

Add in the paralyzed girl in the wheelchair Who just liked to watch, and that was the whole clique
The community doesn't exclude people based on physical disabilities; everyone is welcome to be a part of the group

I think about 'em every time I see this old flick That was taken in the park in front of this old bench
The skateboarder fondly remembers times skating with friends in a particular park

They wrote on the back, "You thank for push, kick Hope you make a video, the beat is so sick"
The friends encouraged the skateboarder to make a skate video

Well I did, I hope you seen it It's on MTV, Soundtrakk's a genius
The skateboarder followed through with his friends' suggestion and made a successful skate video

Love from Tony Hawk, beef from the Ice Creamaz Before we put it out, had to pay the Filipinas
The skate video gained attention and support from notable figures and required some financial investment to produce

Just to show 'em how you Kick, push
The skateboarder continues to skate and demonstrate his passion for it

Over ya shoulders you swore you'd never look
The song calls back to the earlier repeated lines about not dwelling on the past

'Cause wasn't nothing back there, but the blackness Life wasn't too attractive
Again, the past was not ideal, but there is hope for the future in moving forward