"ITAL (Roses)" is a song by Lupe Fiasco, released as the third track from his album Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 (2012). The accompanying music video was uploaded to YouTube on July 4, 2013, as "#1234". It was directed by Alex Nazari and combined into a trilogy with "Lamborghini Angels" and "Audubon Ballroom".
Critical reception[]
Billboard wrote in their track-by-track review, "Lupe opens "Ital" speaking to the children directly, continuing a career-long crusade and advising them against the influence of rap videos. The second verse is for the adults who are raising these children, and the third is more or less for whoever is still listening to the song."[1] Pitchfork criticized, "The moral of "Ital (Roses)" is a sound one (don't buy what you can't afford), but Lupe can't get the point across with sounding didactic. "It's called being fiscally responsible," goes one especially difficult-to-swallow line."[2]
Credits and personnel[]
- Brian Gardner – masterer
- Charles "Free Chilly" Patton – executive producer
- Christopher "Brody" Brown – producer, programmer
- Darrale Jones – producer
- Jason Speck – recording
- Joe Peluso – recording engineer
- Larrance Dopson – writer, producer, programmer
- Simon "Simon Sayz" Morel – recording
- Trevor Astey – guitar
- Wasalu "Lupe Fiasco" Jaco – vocals, writer, executive producer
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
"Black panther, black panther, what do you see?
I see a dreaming child watching over me!"
Back, n***a, yeah, hey
Can we get a little break
From the cocaine and the kilos?
Aiight n***a, we know
Aiight n***a, we know
Can we get a break
From the strippers on the p-ole?
Aiight n***a, we know
Okay n***a, we know
[Verse 1]
Hey shawty, ain't no future in no gang bang
And ain't no manhood in no bang bang
Ain't no honor cleaning interstates inside a chain gang
Know some rap n***as put that shit inside your mainframe
Pills make you stupid and liquor do the same thing
'Raris too expensive and they way too hard to maintain
Get yourself a Camry, "n***a said a Camry?"
Watch that hoe depreciate and then you'll understand me
It's called being fiscally responsible
Don't let these lying images up in hip-hop here conquer you
The TV's not your father, fool, that video's not your mama
Try your best to be a man and your worst to be a monster
[Hook]
May we have some roses for the ladies
A little appreciation for the gentlemen
And here's some kisses for the babies
Some peace, humanity for the whole wide-wide-wide world
More patience to the youth then, sympathy for the poor
Empathy for the old, more justice for the downpressed
Treat no liar, ital, iyah
[Verse 2]
I know you're sayin', “Lupe rappin' ‘bout the same shit”
Well, that's ‘cause ain't shit changed, bitch
And please don't excuse my language
Cause I would hate for you to misrepresent
The true expression of my anguish
And by this far I ain't shocked, upset, or appalled
I'm ashamed, bitch
I can't listen if you ain't sayin' shit
And recognize all this emptiness is dangerous
Ain't buildin' up they confidence, we teachin' ‘em that they ain't shit
If they ain't got the latest that they saw on someone famous
Mercy of the Lord on this double-edged sword
Instead of askin' where the hoes is
Maybe maybe may we have some roses
[Hook]
May we have some roses for the ladies
A little appreciation for the gentlemen
And here's some kisses for the babies
Some peace, humanity for the whole wide-wide-wide world
More patience to the youth then, sympathy for the poor
Empathy for the old, more justice for the downpressed
Treat no liar, ital, iyah
May we have some roses for the ladies
A little appreciation for the gentlemen
And here's some kisses for the babies
Some peace, humanity for the whole wide-wide-wide world
[Verse 3]
Called the president a terrorist
Corporate sponsors like, how the fuck you gon' embarrass us?
Ain't my fault, I was just repeatin' this
Professor Emeritus from America
But my tone was like an Afghani kid without a home
Blew that bitch up with a drone
An Iraqi with no daddy, Palestinian throwing stones
The fuck you think they call him? I'mma leave that all alone
Cause this, the focus on this new shit is that hopeless
Place that I was born into systematic brokeness
Took that downpression and developed it to dopeness
It's that great American rap-rap ferocious
[Hook]
May we have some roses for the ladies
A little appreciation for the gentlemen
And here's some kisses for the babies
Some peace, humanity for the whole wide-wide-wide world
More patience to the youth then, sympathy for the poor
Empathy for the old, more justice for the downpressed
Treat no liar, ital, iyah
References[]
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco, 'Food & Liquor II': Track-by-Track Review". Billboard. September 25, 2012.
- ↑ Greene, Jayson (September 27, 2012). "Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1". Pitchfork.