Social Action #1

Words I've Never Said by Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco is a 29 year old rapper who speaks the truth. Not only the truth; the whole truth. He raps about things that some people are too afraid to say out loud. Some social issues he talks about is government, money issues, terrorism, secrecy, and stereotypes. Lupe Fiasco defines what has become of our society, and helps us see the problems that are all around us. 

"I really think the war on terror is a bunch of bullshit

Just a poor excuse for you to use up all your bullets
How much money does it take to really make a full clip
9/11 building 7 did they really pull it
Uhh, And a bunch of other cover ups
Your childs future was the first to go with budget cuts
If you think that hurts then, wait here comes the uppercut
The school was garbage in the first place, thats on the up and up
Keep you at the bottom but tease you with the uppercrust
You get it then they move you so you never keeping up enough
If you turn on TV all you see’s a bunch of “what the fucks”
Dude is dating so and so blabbering bout such and such
And that aint Jersey Shore, homie thats the news
And these the same people that supposed to be telling us the truth
Limbaugh is a racist, Glenn Beck is a racist
Gaza strip was getting bombed, Obama didn’t say shit
Thats why I aint vote for him, next one either
I’ma part of the problem, my problem is I’m peaceful
And I believe in the people."

These are the lyrics from the first verse. Lupe Fiasco first starts out saying a very bold statement; terrorism is total BS. "Just a poor excuse for you to use up all your bullets." The exaggeration made by the government and public media on topics such as terrorism and 9/11 is very extreme. I mean I understand that thousands of innocent lives were lost during the crash into the twin towers, but it makes no sense to call out all Muslims as terrorists. The next topic he talks about is budget cuts and money issues regarding education. Hes saying how since theres no money to pay for your own childs education then your childs education doesn't matter. Then he goes on to talking about one of my favorite issues; celebrities. Fame is such a large factor in todays society, everyones always talking about TV, music, etc. "Dude is dating so and so, blabbering about such and such." What Lupe's trying to convey here is that all this paparazzi craze and media; what do we take from it? Why should we care? Why do we care? Its not our lives, its someone elses, that we pry our ears and eyes into. "I'm apart of the problem.." That line is very true; even though I'm sitting here talking about these issues, I'm apart of a bigger group that evokes this kind of thinking; societys ideas were created by something bigger than all of us. 

"Now you can say it aint our fault if we never heard it
But if we know better than we probably deserve it
Jihad is not a holy war, wheres that in the worship?
Murdering is not Islam!
And you are not observant
And you are not a muslim
Israel don’t take my side cause look how far you’ve pushed them
Walk with me into the ghetto, this where all the Kush went
Complain about the liquor store but what you drinking liquor for?
Complain about the gloom but when’d you pick a broom up?
Just listening to Pac aint gone make it stop
A rebel in your thoughts, aint gon make it halt
If you don’t become an actor you’ll never be a factor
Pills with million side effects
Take em when the pains felt
Wash them down with Diet soda!
Killin off your brain cells
Crooked banks around the World
Would gladly give a loan today
So if you ever miss payment
They can take your home away!"

This is the second verse, and it mostly talks about hypocrisy. Its saying that we're all really hypocrites inside, we pretend that we care about all these big important issues, when in truth we really could care less. And Lupe's also talking about how people want and declare change; but how is there supposed to be a change if we're not willing to take the steps to make the change? 

"I think that all the silence is worse than all the violence
Fear is such a weak emotion thats why I despise it
We scared of almost everything, afraid to even tell the truth
So scared of what you think of me, I’m scared of even telling you
Sometimes I’m like the only person I feel safe to tell it to
I’m locked inside a cell in me, I know that there’s a jail in you
Consider this your bailing out, so take a breath, inhale a few
My screams is finally getting free, my thoughts is finally yelling through"

This last verse is legitimately the whole story. No one is brave enough to speak up, be heard. Its all because we're afraid; afraid that we're wrong. We're all just scared to say whats really on our mind. All we do is sit back and watch events unfold; silently. Lupe Fiasco's saying how hes the only person he trust with his thoughts because no one else is defiant enough to say 'hey, thats not right.' 

"It’s so loud Inside my head

With words that I should have said!
As I drown in my regrets
I can’t take back the words I never said
I can’t take back the words I never said"

This is the chorus from the song. The main message here is that we all regret not bringing forward our opinions. Because if everyone is mute, then we'd still be living like we were 100 years ago. All it takes is one person to speak their mind. So what if your wrong? So what if no one agrees with you? If you feel something inside of you saying 'no,' you need to make yourself heard.  Because in the end you can't take back the words you've never said.