MS. MURAL
Lupe Fiasco Lyrics

If you had to paint the gutter, which color would you choose?
If you had to depict the hardships of life, what perspective would you choose?

Said the patron to the painter, the painter said, 'The blues'
The patron asked for the painter's emotional response, and the painter replied with feelings of sadness

Do you act off intuition or languish and peruse?
Do you act based on instinct or do you spend time contemplating your choices?

More like tap into tradition from the angle of my mood
I draw inspiration from artistic traditions but approach them from my own unique perspective

He looked back at his canvas while strangling a tube
The painter observed his artwork while gripping a tube of paint

A master of the palette, all sanguine and cool
A skilled artist who exudes confidence and composure

The music mostly jazz, the jazz mostly old
The preferred music genre is mostly old jazz

Punctured by some punk and some old smoky soul
Occasionally disrupted by punk music and soulful melodies

An atlas on the trunk from the land of broken goals
A representation of shattered ambitions rests on the artist's chest

Just a cover and a back that you open and you close
Just a superficial facade that can be revealed or hidden

'Where are all the pages?' The painter said 'Defanged'
'Where are all the meaningful elements?' The painter responded, 'They have been stripped away'

I ripped 'em all out and made some paper planes
I discarded them and turned them into playful paper airplanes

Fish grease absorbers and some origami cranes
Absorbing the stains of everyday life and finding solace in delicate origami creations

Poured himself a drink and then poured it down the drain
He poured a drink, only to symbolically discard it

Looked at the empty canvas, said I think I have a name
Contemplating the artwork, he named it 'Gasoline Pouring on the Flames'

Do you consider yourself wild or conforming to a style?
Do you see yourself as unconventional or adhering to a particular artistic style?

The patron pointed at a pile, 'Are those rejections or mistakes?'
The patron inquired about a pile of discarded artworks, questioning if they were rejected or flawed

The painter said, 'That is not for question or debate'
The painter refused to engage in discussions about the value or flaws of the artworks

Most of what we know as art is the projection of a faith
Art is often a reflection of an artist's beliefs and convictions

A product of a Pontiff for the election of a saint
Art is a creation of authority figures to glorify a chosen individual

A gift from the red for the digestion of the can't
Art is a gift from passion to help overcome obstacles

A visual garnish for the confessions of the frank
Art serves as a decorative element for honest expressions

Displays of physical carnage makes connections to the ranks
Art that portrays violence resonates with various groups of people

Goes over very well with South Americans and Yanks
Such art receives great reception among South Americans and Americans

Not to sound shamanistic but there's medicine in paint
Although it may sound mystical, there is healing power in painting

It gets kinetic if you let it, there's a fetish in its strength
Painting becomes alive and captivating when fully embraced, holding an addictive allure

Martyrdom will call, Russian roulette is in the flanks
The pursuit of art can involve sacrifice and unpredictable risks

And most would pull the trigger if the weapons full of blanks
Many artists would take risks even if the outcome is uncertain

But when there's a pool of sharks and you step into the tank
When faced with fierce competition, artists still venture bravely

That's the pool of art that got 'em headed to the plank
It is within the realm of art that artists face potential failure

But they fell for the deceptiveness of the secularists complaint
Artists succumbed to the illusions presented by critics focused on worldly matters

The upheaval of the cathedral into the edifice of bank
The transformation of art's spiritual importance into a profit-driven industry

That pile over there is just the evidence of angst
The artworks in that pile are merely manifestations of frustration

The failed revival of a perfectionist when his efforts have just sank
The unsuccessful attempt of a perfectionist when their hard work falls short

A selection of the waste that lacks direction or a base
A collection of discarded artworks lacking purpose or foundation

You lose all of the plots for the affections of a race
One loses all sense of direction and purpose when seeking validation from others

Man does not become superior 'cause you connect him to a cape
One's worth does not increase just because they are associated with symbols of power

Nor does become inferior because you connect him to a ape
Likewise, one does not become inferior by associating them with their primal origins

I never wanted my life to be a collection of some dates
I never desired my existence to be reduced to a series of insignificant moments

And holiday my days away and intellectually sedate
Nor did I wish to waste my life in idleness and mental passivity

It's not really a beef but conceptually it's steak
It may not be an actual conflict, but it holds significant conceptual weight

Like do genitals and gender roles successfully conflate?
Can we effectively blend the concept of biological sex with societal gender roles?

The current art world is just competitively opaque
The present art industry is full of fierce competition and obscured motivations

It never ceases to amaze, my mouth is medically agape
It continually astounds me, to the point where my jaw drops in disbelief

One day it's raising up the brand, the next it's shredding it to flakes
One day it promotes an artist, the next it mercilessly criticizes and dismisses them

And the velocity of trends is what referees the pace
The rapidity of trends dictates the speed at which art and artists are judged

Professionally accept what ethically I hate
As an artist, I often compromise and accept things I morally despise for the sake of my career

So in all of my work you see this wrestling with faith
Through my artworks, you witness my struggle and questioning of faith

Deceiving in the brushstrokes how aggressively I strafe
I deliberately mislead through my brushwork, attacking with a forceful technique

Less like putting on some makeup, more like severing a face
It's not a superficial disguise, but rather a brutal and profound transformation

'Wow', said the patron with a smile
Impressed, the patron expressed surprise with a smile

That's the most interesting diatribe I've heard in a while
It's the most captivating, thought-provoking speech I've encountered recently

How you articulated the nature and put it all on trial
Your ability to eloquently express the essence and subject it to scrutiny

Took it up to heaven then put it on the ground
You examined it from a higher perspective and then made it relatable to everyday life

The painter asked the patron, 'Can you stand up on the pile?'
The painter invited the patron to elevate their viewpoint by standing on the pile of discarded artworks

I've had a flash of inspiration, my creativeness aroused
I suddenly experienced a surge of inspiration, igniting my creativity

The model took its place, the painter grabbed a lighter
The subject assumed their position, and the painter acquired a lighter

Doused the shit in gasoline and set it all on fire
He covered the artwork in gasoline and ignited it, turning it into ashes

We got through the heart's of stone
We managed to penetrate through emotionally hardened individuals

And scars for bones
People carry emotional wounds that shape their identities

When your heart's unknown
When one's innermost feelings remain a mystery

In the arc of Joan, yeah
In a narrative similar to Joan of Arc's story, yeah