"NGL" (an acronym for "N*ggas Gonna Lose") is a song by American rapper Lupe Fiasco, released as the second track from his sixth studio album, Drogas Light. It features guest vocals from Ty Dolla $ign.[1]
Background[]
On May 5, 2016, Fiasco revealed the initial Drogas Light track list, which included "NGL."[2]
Critical reception[]
Writing for Chicago Tribune, Greg Kot said, "reflects a black community hemmed in by lack of opportunity that is destroying itself." He added, "raps over a mournful, Gothic soundscape, describing a world defined by opportunism and exploitation of one's neighbors for personal gain."[3] XXL's Scott Glaysher similarly assessed, "comes equipped with an arsenal of socially woke dialogue and positive messaging, especially on 'NGL.' He asks questions [...] that are meant to deconstruct the systematic inequality that plagues the Black community."[4]
Edwin Houghton of Pitchfork commented upon the song's themes, "which is critical of the genre's gangster tropes," and felt the trap-driven production to be a strength.[5] Nadia Younes of The Skinny called it a "highlight," where "Fiasco sounds as though he's freestyling, with his stream of consciousness flow hitting as hard as ever and proving he's still got plenty of energy left in him."[6] Contrarily, The 405's Matthew Reyes believed the album to hold "cringe-worthy moments," with "NGL" being one "of the worst offenders."[7]
Lyrics[]
[Intro: Lupe Fiasco]
N***as wanna win
These n***as wanna win
These n***as wanna win
Everybody wanna be a mothafuckin' winner
That ain't how it work though, yeah
[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco, Ty Dolla $ign]
Ayy, ayy, disproportionate convictions
Especially when it come to our case (Our case)
You seen the movie, they killed the n***a
Why you still wanna be like Scarface? (Scarface)
That's why n***as gon' lose (these n***as gon' lose, ooh yeah)
Yeah, I said it, n***as gon' lose (These n***as gon' lose, ooh)
Yeah, and you can have a friend and you can have a Benz
One's sittin' down, the other's traffickin' (Traffickin')
If you get the car then your friend dies
Havin' one keeps the other one from happenin'
I hope a n***a don't lose (N***a don't lose, ooh)
Fuck that car n***a, n***as gon' lose, uh-huh (N***as gon' lose, yeah)
[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco, Ty Dolla $ign]
And she want love, you only want sex
You got yours, she didn't get hers (Get hers)
She got no respect, y'all had a son (Oh)
She like, "Fuck you", she only want a check
That lil' n***a gon' lose (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
Mothafucka, n***as gon' lose (N***as gon' lose, oh)
Yeah, and these rap n***as talkin' 'bout the hood
Like we all lames and they seen it (Seen it)
It's entertainin', it's cool as hell
That beat dope, that don't mean shit (Mean shit)
That's why n***as gon' lose (N***as gon' lose, woah)
Fuck you talkin'? N***as gon' lose (N***as gon' lose, yeah)
Yeah, if they legalize that whole thing
They doin' weed, next cocaine (Cocaine)
N***as ain't gon' have no jobs
And Wall Street gon' run the dope game (Woah)
What a n***a gon' do? Huh? (N***a gon' do, oh yeah)
You n***as gon' lose (You n***as gon' lose, woah)
[Verse 3: Lupe Fiasco, Ty Dolla $ign]
And when you see me you don't see yourself
That's why I got no problem shootin' me (Yeah yeah yeah)
Willie Lynch set the shit up beautifully
One of the reasons n***as ain't got unity
That's why n***as gon' lose (You n***as gon' lose, oh yeah)
Ayy fuck that shit, ayy, n***as gon' lose, yeah (N***as gon' lose, oh, yeah)
And most hood n***as is good n***as
In a heartbeat, I'll shed blood for him (Blood for him)
But he too stupid, he won't sit down
That n***a too hot, I got love for him (Whoa)
That n***a gon' lose (N***a gon' lose, aw yeah)
On my mama, that n***a gon' lose, yeah (N***a gon' lose, aw)
And you did it cause your daddy did it (And you did it cause your daddy did it)
But he locked up in there and ain't happy with it (Oh yeah)
Do the same thing, get the same results
If your brain work then what's the matter with it? (Lose)
You knew you was gon' lose (You was gon' lose, aw yeah)
They told you, n***a (You was gon' lose, yeah, yeah, yeah)
[Verse 4: Lupe Fiasco, Ty Dolla $ign]
Uh, I never met a saint, from no color (From no color)
From nowhere, from no other (From no other)
From no castle, from no gutter (No gutter)
It ain't nobody that don't suffer (It ain't nobody that don't suffer)
Some n***as gon' lose (N***as gon' lose, oh)
Yeah, yeah, yeah (Some n***as gon' lose, aw)
Promised land, I don't believe that
Had a dream and I don't need that (Need that)
Please God, send us some jobs
Cause my n***as really really need that ('Cause my n***as really really need that)
Or n***as gon' lose (Or n***as gon' lose)
That's right, n***as gon' lose, yeah (N***as gon' lose, oh)
And we sell dope then we turn around
And give the white people all our profits (Oh)
Take a percentage of that, set it to the side
And send these lil' n***as off to college (Oh)
So n***as don't lose (Yeah)
Yeah, n***as don't lose, uhh, yeah (N***as don't lose, oh)
And if they offer somethin', just take it
Then work hard, don't waste it (Waste it)
Every castle started at the basement (Basement)
Yeah, your manager a racist (Racist)
But you're the one that's gon' lose (You're the one that's gon' lose, lose)
That's right, n***as gon' lose (Lose)
[Outro: Ty Dolla $ign, Lupe Fiasco]
And these n***as gon' lose, oh-whoa, I said
I said everybody wanna be a winner, everybody wanna be a winner
Be a mothafuckin' winner, never gotta worry 'bout nothin'
But some n***as gon' lose
Yeah, so n***as don't lose
And it's fucked up, some n***as gon' lose
Ayy, you wake up 'cause you hear shots
Mean another n***a got his tear drops
And you call his phone and ain't pickin' up
And your stomach hurtin', that fear drops
I hope a n***a ain't lose
References[]
- ↑ Goddard, Kevin (February 10, 2017). "NGL". HotNewHipHop.
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco)". Twitter. May 5, 2016.
- ↑ Kot, Greg (February 17, 2017). "With 'Drogas Light,' Lupe Fiasco Stumbles in Trying to Beat Mainstream Rap at Its Own Game". Chicago Tribune.
- ↑ Glaysher, Scott (February 15, 2017). "Lupe Fiasco Balances Bars and Ballads on 'Drogas Light'". XXL.
- ↑ Houghton, Edwin (February 14, 2017). "Drogas Light by Lupe Fiasco". Pitchfork.
- ↑ Younes, Nadia (February 6, 2017). "Lupe Fiasco – Drogas Light". The Skinny.
- ↑ Reyes, Matthew (February 14, 2017). "Review: Lupe Fiasco Awkwardly Combines His Preachy, Political and Pop Proclivities on New Album DROGAS Light". The 405. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017.