"Joaquin Phoenix" is a song by American rapper Lupe Fiasco, released as the fifth track from his mixtape, Friend of the People: I Fight Evil (2011). It features Lil Ronnie on the hook and Travis Barker of Blink-182 as the producer.
Critical reception[]
Writing for XXL, Adam Fleischer expressed admiration, highlighting the lyric of the Michaels: 'Flow is in the microwave, call it Michael Tyson flow / Killing is a dirty job: Michael Myers, Michael Rowe / Bring it back like Michael Fox, see how far them Michaels go / I feel like I'm Michael Crichton writin' with a microphone'.[1] Consequence's Adam Young called the same line "head-spinning" and added, "Now, that's the kind of mind-boggling, smart rhymes we want and expect from Fiasco".[2] Jayson Greene of Pitchfork also gave high praise, penning, "full of head-turning lines, both self-deprecating [...] and silly". He continued, "On the page, when he's engaged, Lupe is invincible. Even his quasi-philosophical nonsense comes with a poetic touch—'Atheism's cheaper and accepts Visa' might not mean anything, but it's a sharply turned, gnomic phrase".[3]
Cultural references[]
- Tilt-A-Whirls are amusement rides, in which passengers spin around an undulating track.
- Robert Paulson was a former bodybuilder in the Fight Club franchise. With his misuse of steroids, he got testicular cancer. Due to hormone imbalance from treatment, he developed gynecomastia, otherwise colloquially known as "bitch tits".
- Michael Tyson is an American former professional boxer, regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.
- Michael Myers is a serial killer in the film series Halloween.
- Michael Rowe is the host of Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs.
- Michael Fox is an American activist and retired actor. He is known for his role as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy.
- Michael Crichton (October 23, 1942 – November 4, 2008) was an American writer and filmmaker.
- The line, 'Life is like a box of chocolates', is from the 1994 film Forrest Gump.
- Joaquin Phoenix is an American actor. One of his roles was Commodus in the 2000 film, Gladiator.
- Superman is a DC superhero, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
- Fiasco interpolates the line 'let 'em recognize from Long Beach to Rosecrans' from 2Pac's song, "California Love".
- Riddick Bowe is an American retired professional boxer and former heavyweight world champion.
- Beauty and the Beast is a French fairy tale, narrating a maiden who falls in love with the Beast, seeing beyond his ugliness.
- Braveheart is a 1995 historical drama film directed by Mel Gibson. It centers on Scottish warrior William Wallace, who leads his countrymen into rebellion against their tyrannic ruler King Edward I of England.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco]
Welcome to my whirlwind, turn like Tilt-A-Whirls
I be throwing up my set, yes, hurlin' up the world and
Going out, we goin in', say "hello" to my girlfriend
Vomiting and conquering, that C-Class is a "girl Benz"
My class is overseas, I be on "all around the world" rims
Women's international, my will is like my girl then
Goin' in is goin' wild, goin' in is goin' strong
Going for the gold, some world-class goin' in is goin' on
I can do this all day, I ain't got it all, 'kay
They all say I'm one wall short of a whole hallway
One Halls short to keep from coughing all in y'all face
Man, I'm so appalled, I can keep them all safe
I can really ball and put titties all in y'all face
That was Robert Paulson, and that deserves a pausin'
So that's Blart, Pierce, and all that's missing is a bearer
For the coffin that is needed for this beat when I'm done talkin'
Balling in the morning, this feel like my callin'
This the new bitches brew, fall off in my cauldron
Lupe's going crazy! Flow is going almonds
We going back to goin' in, you gonna need a Garmin
Then go and get a car to put your Garmin and my broad in
Destination everywhere, reputation everywhere
Music drop, music stop, one man take up every chair
I know that that ain't very fair how one man take up everywhere
But it ain't for long though, it'll be some closure
Or maybe I'll be everywhere after I'm all over
Say goodbye then start the show, fall on off then start to blow
Acting like I'm rapping, it's that Joaquin Phoenix Facebook flow
Flow is in the microwave, call it Michael Tyson flow
Killing is a dirty job: Michael Myers, Michael Rowe
Bring it back like Michael Fox, see how far them Michaels go
I feel like I'm Michael Crichton writin' with a microphone
I ain't saying you should die but you should leave your life alone
Maybe borrow one of mine, fast life, life at home
Life is like a box of chocolates, pockets full of Toblerones
Pocket full of wallets so what continent we shopping on?
[Hook: Lil Ronnie]
I'm killin', I'm killin', I'm killin' this beat (Yeah)
I'm killin', I'm killin', I'm killin' this beat (Yeah)
I'm killin', I'm killin', I'm killin' this beat (Yeah)
I'm killin', I'm killin', I'm killin' this beat (Yeah)
Don't you hear it screamin'?
This that Joaquin Phoenix, n***a, this that Joaquin Phoenix
This that Joaquin Phoenix, n***a, this that Joaquin Phoenix
(Don't you hear it screamin'?)
On that Joaquin Phoenix, n***a, this that Joaquin Phoenix
On that Joaquin Phoenix, n***a, on that Joaquin Phoenix
[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco]
Excuse me, Lupe, "Huh?" This here is your conscience
Supplier of your fire and provider of your content
They really don't want none of you, let's put them in a convent
You are such a handful, you can call us palm prints
They can't get a handle, try to run around my track
And you might get a ham pulled, swag I got a van-full
Plus a motorcycle and a tow truck my sedan pull
I am like a Superman, just without the damn "Youuuu!"
Flow is tied around the track, something like a damsel
Flow is really manly, though, see, that was an example
Remember that for later, though, because I might exam you
Get ready for your tests-s-s, his excellence commands you
See, that's how I get it done: effortless and ample
Means I got a lot of that, no camel toe or Monistat
No pussy in my program...
Worldwide, let 'em recognize from Long Beach to Rosecrans
Put in my work and punch the clock like Riddick Bowe's hands
See, my pot is overflowing, can I put some work in your pan?
Yeah, yeah, I am such a dope man
Kitchen's really happy, you should come and see my stove dance
Movie of the week, I call it Beauty and the Beast
And that there's just the kitchen, you should see just where I sleep
Crib is on some other shit, mind is on the mothership
Brain is on my sister boat, thoughts is in my brother whip
Fitted hat is Reynolds Wrap cause I don't trust the government
See, I'm not just touching it, I'm clutching it with oven mitts
Shit get hot, this wristwatch, looks like its a club in it
Like the way I emcee, man, they just be lovin' it
Used to be a pushover, now I'm into shovin' shit
You be on your glory hole, you don't know who you fuckin' with
Stay off in that story mode, I never like a quick game
Came in with a big blast, go out with a big bang
You might catch some whiplash every time I switch lanes
See, I drive a bit fast, n***a kinda insane
Career on stilts, Braveheart: no kilt
You can hear it screaming "freedom" as the beat get killed
[Hook: Lil Ronnie]
I'm killin', I'm killin', I'm killin' this beat
I'm killin', I'm killin', I'm killin' this beat
I'm killin', I'm killin', I'm killin' this beat
I'm killin', I'm killin', I'm killin' this beat (Uh-huh)
Don't you hear it screamin'?
This that Joaquin Phoenix, n***a, this that Joaquin Phoenix
This that Joaquin Phoenix, n***a, this that Joaquin Phoenix
(Don't you hear it screamin'?)
On that Joaquin Phoenix, n***a, this that Joaquin Phoenix
Chyea, Chyea, motherfucking genius
References[]
- ↑ Fleischer, Adam (November 29, 2011). "Lupe Fiasco, Friend of the People". XXL.
- ↑ Young, Alex (December 8, 2011). "Album Review: Lupe Fiasco – Friend of the People Mixtape'. Consequence.
- ↑ Greene, Jayson (January 18, 2012). "Friend of the People by Lupe Fiasco". Pitchfork.