So Low
Talib Kweli Lyrics

Yeah, I like that
Starting on a positive note, the singer is expressing his liking for something.

Snap your fingers
Using an onomatopoeia, the singer is encouraging the audience to snap their fingers.

You can do it all by yourself
The singer is suggesting that the audience do something independently.

I can go so low
The artist can reach a very low point in life.

I can feel the gravity that's in the world around me
The artist feels the weight of the world on his shoulders.

I can go so low
The singer can experience extreme levels of pain and hardship.

I can feel the fire burning as it swirls around me
The singer feels the intensity of the challenges he is facing.

And I've been so low
The artist has experienced a very deep low point in his life.

I felt ice cold in hours at the bottom of the sea
The artist felt numb and helpless at one point in his life.

Might have been so low
The artist suggests that someone else may have also experienced a low point but not the same as him.

You might did low, get low, but you never been as low as me
The singer believes that he has been through worse than others who may have experienced a low point.

I always speak for the struggle my people still hurting
The artist is a voice for those who are still facing struggles and hardships.

I'm a name brand I'm a product but still a real person
The singer is well-known but still a human being with real emotions and experiences.

I'm still flirting with death although I'm still certain
The singer is taking risks despite being sure of his goals in life.

About my commitments in life although I'm still searching
The singer is committed to his goals but still looking for answers.

I better find a way, if not I better make a path
The artist is determined to find a way to succeed, even if he has to create his own path.

One that's seldom traveled by the masses
The artist wants to take a unique and rarely taken path to success.

I never get stuck in all the traffic I cut through all the plastic
The singer does not get caught up in distractions and is able to cut through obstacles.

Enemies of the enlightened like the government is fascist
The singer believes that those in power can be oppressive and opposed to progress.

I talk it how I live it yet I'm still considered a walking contradiction
The artist is true to his beliefs but others still see him as inconsistent.

'Cause I'm breaking out of your artistic prison, listen
The artist is breaking free from the constraints of others' expectations.

I got my own demons what I'm supposed to do with yours
The artist has his own issues to deal with and cannot handle the issues of others.

Times like this I gotta remind myself what I do it for
The singer needs to remember his motivation in difficult times.

People I knew before celebrity swear they see the change in me
The artist's old friends believe that his celebrity has changed him.

I tell 'em change is God you gotta let it be
The singer advises his friends to accept change and see it as a positive force.

How does it feel to come full circle
The singer is reflecting on how far he has come in life.

Still cursing, still pursing my lips to pull purple but,
The singer may still struggle with certain vices despite his success.

Witness it, the building of a legacy
The artist is creating a legacy that others can observe.

So let us just pray cause the journey that's ahead of us
The artist asks for spiritual guidance for the journey ahead.

Got us facing a task that just might get the best of us
The singer acknowledges that the task ahead may be very difficult.

That's why we gotta clash with the Titans like Pegasus, no Oedipus
The singer must face challenges head-on like the mythical figures Pegasus and the Titans rather than becoming too involved in personal dramas.

but it's like the beat is my therapist
The artist finds solace and comfort in music.

When I let it in it get up in the cracks and the crevices
Music reaches into the spaces of the artist's innermost thoughts and feelings.

Of my memories what kind of treasure are you buried with
The artist is pondering the hidden emotional depth within his memories.

You fight when you die are you a soldier or a terrorist
The singer is questioning the morality of violent conflict and the various labels placed on those who engage in it.

Remember this there's no one else to blame when you're solo
One must take responsibility for their actions when alone.

Establish your fan base local before you take it global
The singer advises to build a local following before trying to gain global recognition.

Don't be scared spend your own dough
The singer encourages taking risks and investing in oneself.

You gotta speak up be vocal sometimes you feel so low
One must express themselves and their needs even in times of despair.

Ain't nowhere to go but up, go with us
The only way is up and the artist invites others to join him on his journey.

We just getting started why you slowing up?
The artist is still motivated and wants to continue progressing while others may be slowing down.

But know enough to know this was done by the collective we
The singer acknowledges that his success is a product of collective effort.

Even if my name is on the record sleeve I ain't into brevity
The singer does not want to be defined simply by his name on a record album.

What the fuck is a celebrity?
The artist questions the value and meaning of being a celebrity.