"Coulda Been" is a song by Lupe Fiasco, released on May 12, 2017. It samples Willie Hutch's "Mother's Theme (Mama)". It is the remastered version of his 2007 leaked track, and ruminates over what he "coulda been" if not choosing a music career.[1]
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say, they say, they say
They say ... y'know a lot of stuff, y'know what I mean?
Don't know what I coulda been
If I wasn't doin' this thing right here
Shit, yo
[Verse 1]
If I wasn't rappin', I'd probably be wrastlin'
Hand-to-hand grapplin' on the corner of Madison
Or real-estatin', tryin' to sell you a mansion
Or rollerbladin', doin' 360 flatspins
Or I'd probably be flippin' a burger
Attemptin' a murder, or paralyzed sippin' on Gerber
I could be workin' at Jewels, chain-snatchin', jerkin' your jewels
Homeless, workin' for food
I might be cleanin' your pool, teachin' your school, preachin' to fools
Leechin', smokin' weed to be cool
At DMVs, holdin' lines up
Or wind up in line-ups, time's up
Full of holes in a hole in a fine tux
Out on parole, out of control, holdin' your dime up
I could be lazy, sittin' on your couch
Or I could be crazy, cussin' pigeons out
[Chorus]
I could be hustlin' bags, strugglin' bad
If I wasn't up in the lab, shit, I just might be
Cuttin' your grass, walkin' your dog
Pumpin' your gas, or nothin' at all
I could be hustlin' bags, strugglin' bad
If I wasn't up in the lab, shit, I just might be
Cuttin' your grass, walkin' your dog
Pumpin' your gas, or nothin' at all
[Verse 2]
I could be thankin' the Academy
A friend of the family, your man deliverin' bail
Or I could be the man that delivers your mail
Or I could be takin' the stand, trickin' on L
This could be my third life, on my third strike
On my third wife, or garbage on my first mic
I could've got off easy, that n***a deserved life
Or the Orkin man, searchin' for termites
I could be stickin' up convenience stores
Or twistin' up what you fiendin' for
Gettin' buck with the meanest whores that been givin' up
On top of a buildin', leanin' forward, with no wings to soar with
They could've kidnapped my daughters
Been extorted for a couple of Porsches
I might be drunk from the Mo', stumblin' slow
Someone to know, runnin' the show, or shovelin' snow, shit
[Chorus]
I could be hustlin' bags, strugglin' bad
If I wasn't up in the lab, shit, I just might be
Cuttin' your grass, walkin' your dog
Pumpin' your gas, or nothin' at all
I could be hustlin' bags, strugglin' bad
If I wasn't up in the lab, shit, I just might be
Cuttin' your grass, walkin' your dog
Pumpin' your gas, or nothin' at all
[Verse 3]
I could be startin', guardin', or plantin' a garden, or security guardin'
Or I could be starvin' and eatin' out your garbage
And found stardom starrin' in sitcoms with Martin
I could've been marchin' with Martin
Handcuffed, North Face over the face with no comment
I might not even be dark-skinned
I might not even be conscious, comatose from a overdose
A R&B singer blowin' the notes
A tailor sewin' a coat, a sailor rowin' a boat
I could've boxed a little, fought for the title
Lost and lost my vitals on the way to the hospital
I could've lost my business
Won the lotto and lost my ticket
I could be the last one to cross the finish, shit
I could be you, I could be him
You could be me, we all got a job to do
[Chorus]
Shit, I just might be
Cuttin' your grass, walkin' your dog
Pumpin' your gas, or nothin' at all
I could be hustlin' bags, strugglin' bad
If I wasn't up in the lab, shit, I just might be
Cuttin' your grass, walkin' your dog
Pumpin' your gas, or nothin' at all
I could be hustlin' bags, strugglin' bad
If I wasn't up in the lab, shit, I just might be
Cuttin' your grass, walkin' your dog
Pumpin' your gas, or nothin' at all
References[]
- ↑ Braboy, Mark (May 15, 2017). "Lupe Fiasco Releases a 10-Year-Old Remastered Version Of "Coulda Been"". Vibe.