Real
Lupe Fiasco feat. Sarah Green Lyrics
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Uh, Food & Liquor
Yeah, my man said he wanted something real,
Real, real, real, real
Something he could recognize, something he could feel,
Feel, feel, feel, feel
Baby girl said she was in the mood for something real,
Real, real, real, real
Something she could feel, feel, feel, feel
Lust, sometimes can override trust
She said that's why she gave it up
My man said blood spilled out of everything he touched
He crushed everything he crushed
Ruined everything he loved, he just wanted to rush
Blamed it on the times being rough
Doing dirt, with the devil, chasing after the dust
Make a fuss, if it's them, but we hush, if it's us
That's why, my momma said she wanted something real,
Real, real, real, real
Something she could be proud of, something she could feel,
Feel, feel, feel, feel
She said they so used to not having nothing real,
Real, real, real.. real
That they don't know how to act
They don't know how to feel, feel, feel, feel
Life, ain't meant to come around twice
Yeah, that's why I gotta get it right
They said I got it honest now I gotta give it life
But sleep on it, that's why God give you night
I mean, I had a dream that, God gave me flight
Too fly for my own good so, God gave me plight
If I wake up in the morning now I gotta give 'em sight
Make 'em see, break 'em free, ain't a G, sho' you right
The game is not to give 'em nothing real,
Real, real, real, real
Nothing they could use, nothing that they could feel,
Feel, feel, feel, feel
Give 'em a bunch of lies and teach 'em that it's real,
Real, real, real, real
So that's all that they a-know
That's all that they a-feel, feel, feel, feel
Struggle, yeah yeah, another sign that God love you
Cause on the low, being po', make you humble
Keep they names in my rhymes to try and keep them out of trouble
Cause being po', also teach you how to hustle
All they want is some shoes or some rims for they bubble
Now that I got my own, I can hit them with a couple
Cuff, my homies so they ain't got no reason to cuff you
That's my plan, if I can, on the man, up above you
That's why, I gotta give 'em something real,
Real, real, real, real
Something they could recognize, something they could feel,
Feel, feel, feel, feel
To my homies on the block I gotta give 'em something real,
Real, real, real, real
Something that'll make 'em stop
Something they can feel, feel, feel, feel
Yo! For real, really real, yeah!
Know what it is, woo!
Baby girl said she was in the mood for something real,
Real, real, real, real
Let's go!
[Sarah Green]
So real, so real
In Lupe Fiasco's song "Real," he explores the concept of authenticity and the desire for something real in life. Throughout the song, he mentions various people in his life who are seeking something genuine, whether it is his friend who is tired of fake relationships and wants something he can trust, his mother who wants something she can be proud of, or himself who wants to give his audience something real that they can connect with. He also touches upon the struggles of being poor and how it can teach you to hustle and appreciate the small things in life. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes the need for something real and tangible that people can feel and recognize.
Lupe Fiasco's lyrics are critical of the media and entertainment industry for often promoting falsehoods and not giving the audience anything genuine. He believes that people are so used to the manufactured and superficial that they no longer know how to recognize or appreciate realness. The song suggests that the constant exposure to lies desensitizes individuals from recognizing the value of authenticity and can make it challenging to differentiate between what is real and what is not.
"Real" has an accompanying music video that features Lupe Fiasco visiting different locations around Chicago, showcasing the city's everyday people and the struggles they go through. The visuals in the video reflect the song's lyrical themes of authenticity and the harsh realities of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, Food & Liquor
Introduction to the song title and album name
Yeah, my man said he wanted something real,
A friend of Lupe's expressed the desire for something genuine
Real, real, real, real
Repeats the concept of 'realness'
Something he could recognize, something he could feel,
The friend wants something familiar, and emotionally evocative
Feel, feel, feel, feel
Repeats the desire to feel emotions
Baby girl said she was in the mood for something real,
A female expressed similar sentiments to the male friend
Something that could make her move
She wants something energizing
Lust, sometimes can override trust
Describes the often problematic and conflicting nature of lust and trust
She said that's why she gave it up
The female gave up on lust because it conflicted with trust
My man said blood spilled out of everything he touched
Lupe's friend had a destructive lifestyle
He crushed everything he crushed
Lupe's friend ruined everything he came into contact with
Ruined everything he loved, he just wanted to rush
Lupe's friend was reckless with his emotions
Blamed it on the times being rough
The friend used external factors as justification for his choices
Doing dirt, with the devil, chasing after the dust
Metaphorically describes his friend doing morally questionable things
Make a fuss, if it's them, but we hush, if it's us
People often complain when others do something they don't agree with, but accept it when they themselves do it
That's why, my momma said she wanted something real,
Lupe's mother also desires something authentic
Something she could be proud of, something she could feel,
She wants something that brings her joy and a sense of accomplishment
Feel, feel, feel, feel
Emphasizes the importance of emotions
She said they so used to not having nothing real,
Many people are accustomed to things that are not genuine
That they don't know how to act
People have a hard time knowing how to respond to authenticity
Life, ain't meant to come around twice
Life is a one-time opportunity
Yeah, that's why I gotta get it right
It's important to live life the right way
They said I got it honest now I gotta give it life
Lupe must take his talent and use it to do something great
But sleep on it, that's why God give you night
Time spent sleeping allows for reflection and rest
I mean, I had a dream that, God gave me flight
Lupe had a dream about being able to fly
Too fly for my own good so, God gave me plight
One's gifts and talents can also lead to hardships
If I wake up in the morning now I gotta give 'em sight
When Lupe wakes up, he must use his talent to inspire others
Make 'em see, break 'em free, ain't a G, sho' you right
Lupe wants to help others see the truth and break free from their troubles
The game is not to give 'em nothing real,
Society often focuses on false representations of life
Nothing they could use, nothing that they could feel,
People are often given things that are unfulfilling
Give 'em a bunch of lies and teach 'em that it's real,
Fake things are often presented as real
Real, real, real, real
Repeated emphasis on authenticity
So that's all that they a-know
People only know what they are taught
That's all that they a-feel, feel, feel, feel
The false concept of life is all they know how to feel
Struggle, yeah yeah, another sign that God love you
Struggles in life can be seen as a sign that God has love for you
Cause on the low, being po', make you humble
Being poor can make you humble because you understand struggle
Keep they names in my rhymes to try and keep them out of trouble
Lupe intends to use his music to influence people positively
Cause being po', also teach you how to hustle
Poverty can also teach you how to work hard and make something out of nothing
All they want is some shoes or some rims for they bubble
People often prioritize material possessions
Now that I got my own, I can hit them with a couple
Now that Lupe has his own success, he can share the wealth
Cuff, my homies so they ain't got no reason to cuff you
Lupe wants to keep his friends out of trouble and make sure they don't get arrested
That's my plan, if I can, on the man, up above you
Lupe's ultimate goal is to make the world a better place, if possible with the help of a higher power
To my homies on the block I gotta give 'em something real,
Lupe wants to give his friends authentic messages in his music
Something that'll make 'em stop
Music that will make them stop and think about what they're doing in their lives
Something they can feel, feel, feel, feel
The importance of evoking emotion in the listener
Yo! For real, really real, yeah!
An exclamation that further emphasizes the importance of authenticity
Know what it is, woo!
Acknowledgement of understanding the message being conveyed
Let's go!
Encouragement to take action in pursuing realness
So real, so real
Reiterating the importance and desired outcome of being genuine
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HARVEY W. WILLIAM JR. MASON, KENNETH JAY MASON, WASALU JACO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind