"Nothin' on You" is an unreleased song by Lupe Fiasco featuring fellow labelmate Bruno Mars. Originally slated to be Fiasco's song, it was given to B.o.B instead. Similarly, this also happened with "Airplanes".
Atlantic Records' chairman Craig Kallman did not like Fiasco's verses, and described it as "wack". Fiasco admitted, "That was the tipping point. It was less about the bruised ego but more the audacity of it. It was mentally destructive. I say it with a certain laissez-faire now because I'm past it, but back then, hearin' that shit, it fucked me up. I was super-depressed, lightly suicidal, at moments medium suicidal—and if not suicidal, willing to just walk away from it all completely."[1]
Record producer Jim Jonsin was contacted by Kallman to collaborate with Fiasco, but persuaded Kallman to give it to B.o.B instead. He reported to MTV News, "I told Craig, 'I like the song a lot. It's a smash and could be somebody's single. But it's not Lupe's record. I need this record for B.o.B. Please give this record to B.o.B.' I guess they went through whoever they went through, convinced whoever they needed to, and it got to B.o.B."[2] Fiasco's version was leaked around the same time as the official release, where people remarked on how Fiasco's vocals lacked emotion in comparison.[3]
Lyrics[]
[Hook: Bruno Mars]
Beautiful girls, all over the world
I could be chasin' but my time would be wasted
They got nothin' on you, baby
Nothin' on you, baby
They might say hi, and I might say hey
But you shouldn't worry, about what they say
'Cause they got nothing' on you, baby
Nothin' on you, baby
[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco]
You already know where my heart be at
Tempo that my heartbeat at, boom boom
They're for you, for real, for truth
It's never been trivial pursuit
May look like a sedan man but I'm really just a coupe
Now that's two, so they can't fit, there's no room
And there's no roof, so there's no limitation
Limitless, since it's initiation
And to the crew, seed sown, then it grew
Was a pilot now we in syndication
And every time we show up it's pay-per-view
Or the news, you're my satellite, that YouTube (Tell 'er!)
[Hook: Bruno Mars]
Beautiful girls, all over the world
I could be chasin' but my time would be wasted
They got nothin' on you, baby
Nothin' on you, baby
They might say hi, and I might say hey
But you shouldn't worry, about what they say
'Cause they got nothing' on you, baby
Nothin' on you, baby
[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco]
On my microphone hustle, stay behind the bar
And I thought I could never be imprisoned
This the story of how you caught me slippin'
That's right, locked up abroad
You remain, they mirage, they collapse, we collage
We stick together like we starting fires
Thick as thieves, pick pockets at large
Kinda like lame miserab's
But we don't play, Broadway's for the stars
She's venus, and me's mars, so we like on a whole 'nother chart
Surreal, it's like a whole 'nother art
Hanging at the MOMA, and we got our names on the A-train cars
Like Frida meets Karlz, coming down banging knocking pictures off the walls
[Hook: Bruno Mars]
Beautiful girls, all over the world
I could be chasin' but my time would be wasted
They got nothin' on you, baby
Nothin' on you, baby
They might say hi, and I might say hey
But you shouldn't worry, about what they say
'Cause they got nothing' on you, baby
Nothin' on you, baby
[Verse 3: Lupe Fiasco]
So what more? Further I could go into
But what for? We're already killing them
We're like Williams and Woods on tour
Now that's love above par, ooh
I just love to love ya, you're my power
My peace, my elegant flowers
No matter what the world is coming to
I take the rap, they got nothin' on you
[Outro: Lupe Talking Over Hook]
Heh, you know what I'm sayin'?
I mean, temptation is a mother
But you're like none other
They can't compare
's why I'm here, you know?
It's like FOR-ever, that's like a long time (Haha)
Yeah, the vibrations are very nice on this one
Lupe, let's go... peace!
References[]
- ↑ Batey, Angus (March 3, 2011). "Lupe Fiasco: 'I have the right to speak out'". The Guardian.
- ↑ Rodriguez, Jayson (May 6, 2010). "B.o.B's 'Nothin' On You' Was Slated for Lupe Fiasco, Producer Reveals". MTV.
- ↑ Bain, Becky (June 22, 2010). "Who Did "Nothin' On You" Better—B.o.B Or Lupe Fiasco?". Idolator.