Got my gold watch, and my gold chain...

“Gold Watch”
Lupe Fiasco Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool

One of the most anticipated albums of the year was Lupe Fiasco’s sophomore release The Cool in which he reprises the story of Michael Young History, created in Food and Liquor’s “The Cool” This is an album that gets better and better the more you listen to it and one of the most interesting songs on the album (and there are plenty to choose from) is “Gold Watch.”

Let’s peruse the essentials of cool…

One of the first things you will notice about this track is the way producers Chris and Drop weave the phrase “give them diamonds up” into the framework of the beat, before the beat even drops. It definitely is a bit jarring if for no other reason than the sample is cut off so abruptly within the beat followed by definitive silence, however, when the beat does hit and Lupe comes on with “Let’s peruse the essentials of cool/a brief study of the things so instrumental to you…” the phrase in the beat suddenly makes more sense. Diamonds, gold watches, the things so instrumental in the greater hip hop community, to the character Lupe represents in this song. Many of us will admit to being a little surprised, if even a little bit, when we see a rapper without platinum or gold or some other precious metal draped around their necks. Why are the rappers so obsessed with these things? Lupe continues his lyrical dissertation with a very telling line:

“My not go to college/but my street smart polished … do the knowledge/man you can’t be punk from projects/firm disbeliever in your punch clock promise…”

Lupe may be from the west side of Chicago, but this is imagery that is all too familiar for anyone who has ever spent an extended period of time in the projects of any city in the U.S. In countless of these places, you have a congregation of people that have the ability to survive on the streets because of their acute street knowledge, but who are unable to turn that same focus into something more conforming. These are the same folks, Lupe suggests, that have been left behind by the system for so long that they’ve become “firm disbelievers” in the “punch clock promise…” That 9 – 5 isn’t working for them. So, what’s important, if you are submerged in this environment, what becomes valuable to you? When it becomes such a struggle to climb out of that hole and you see the pushers and the rappers who came from the same block that you’re from living it up, wouldn’t you be a obsessed with materials to try and supplant some of that despair you’ve felt for so long? He’s not trying to be rude, he’s “just hating in your rules…”

Yeah, yeah, she love it over here…
I like the second verse for its unapologetic innocence mixed with a bit of braggadocio. In it he enthusiastically breaks down the things that he deems instrumental to him, even tossing in a reference to a game I’m sure plenty of us wasted quarters on: “I like street fighter 2/but I really hate Zangief/only Ken and Ryu/ I find it hard to beat Blanka…”It’s a couple of very simple lines, but their sincerity is refreshing; it’s a departure from the usual talk of fast cars and faster women (which, I can’t lie, is fun listening to sometimes). This song embodies what Lupe tries to be more than many songs of his I’ve heard he comes across as a man driven by ambition, good lyrics and gadgets and games. More than anything, he makes no apologies for this.

Lupe did a wonderful job, in my opinion of creating a picture of what a lot of up and coming rappers are aspiring to be and of how easy it is to fall victim to all of the things you should like as a rapper by reminding himself of the things that he still enjoys. They want that gold watch, that gold chain, those Goyard bags and foreign women. But the most coveted thing Lupe has is his “high self-esteem/and the low tolerance for them telling him how to lean…” So in the long run, are those gold watches and fancy cars important if you can’t believe in your own confidence and talent? Like Lu said, “the most important things/are the ones that are unseen…the wings don’t make you fly and the crown don’t make you king…” His ability to weave real-ness and common emotions into almost every single one of his songs and this one is no exception. If you haven’t copped this album yet, you’re doing yourself a major disservice and make sure this joint get some heavy ro.

--K.T.

P.S. My boy JusHH referenced a major track on Lupe’s catalogue that I think anyone who considers themselves a fan of his needs to listen to. Joint is called “Switch” and it’s hands down one of his best songs, commercial release or otherwise.