"Intro" is the opening track to American rapper Lupe Fiasco's debut studio album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (2006). The first verse is recited by his sister Ayesha Jaco, who discusses the city of Chicago. She references to the 1959 poem "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks ('Sing sin. We Thin gin.') It is followed by Fiasco's verse, who quotes from the Qur'an ("I seek protection from Allah against the Devil; In the name of Allah, most merciful, most kind.") He gives acknowledgement to his grandmother, then introduces his album to the audience with the concept of duality, food representing the "good" and liquor representing the "bad."
The two performed it live at the Red Bull Music Festival in Chicago in 2019.[1]
Background[]
In an interview with AllHipHop, Ayesha stated that her brother approached her to write a poem. She continued, "I knew what the album was capturing—the duality of what a food and liquor store meant in our community. It's a place where you go for nourishment on the food side of things, but then there's unhealthy food there. There's also the liquor component. So you go for nourishment, but at the same time, there are the realities, and some cases temptations, of things that have to potential to be bad like liquor, cigarettes, etc." She continued, "I wanted to give an accurate depiction to someone that had never been to Chicago, never been to our block or community, what it felt like, what it smelled like, the background vocals of the kids on the block."[1]
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1: Ayesha Jaco]
Food and liquor stores rest on every corner
From 45th and State to the last standing Henry Horner
J&J's, Harold's Chicken, good finger lickin'
While they sin, gin, sin sin at Rothschild's and Kenwood Liquors
The winos crooked stagger meets the high stride of the youth
Searchin' for the truth
They rebel and raise hell across alleyways and in classroom settings
They get, high off that trunk bass and 20/20 rims
They rock braids, Air Force Ones, and Timbs
They drink Hennessy, Hypnotiq, and 40's
They call they women hoes, bust downs, and shorties
They keep funeral homes in business and gunshot wards of hospitals full
Prisons packed, bubblin' over in brown sugar
They keep empty, Westside lots crowded, hype's powdered
The well is running dry
The days of Malcolm and Martin have ended
Our hope has descended and off to the side
Waiting for the reinstalment of the revolution
Because we are dying at the cost of our own pollution
But God has another solution, that has evolved from the hood
I present one who turns, the Fiasco to good
[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco]
A'uzu billahi min ash shaitani r rajimi
Bismi 'llahi 'r-rahmani 'r-rahim
Dedicated, to my grandmother
Peace! And much love to you
Yeah! And it start
1st and 15, proudly present
You know what it is
See.. I got this philosophy right
I think the world and everything in it
Is made up of a mix, of two things
You got your good, y'know, and your bad
You got your food, and your liquor
That's right... Chilly Chill!
You already know, it's a long time comin'
I give you my... I give you my heart
My soul, my mind my thoughts, my feelings
My experience, nothin' more, and nothin' less
Yes, F&F, uh-huh! So
With no further ado...
Lupe Fiasco's, "Food & Liquor"
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kyles, Yohance (December 27, 2019). "A Conversation with Ayesha Jaco on Providing the Poem for Lupe Fiasco's 'Food & Liquor' & Their Childhood in Chicago". AllHipHop.