Hip Hop Saved My Life Explained

Hip-Hop Saved My Life
Type:single
Artist:Lupe Fiasco featuring Nikki Jean
Album:Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
Released:March 18, 2008
Recorded:2007
Genre:Alternative hip hop
Length:4:03
Producer:Soundtrakk
Prev Title:Superstar
Prev Year:2007
Next Title:Paris, Tokyo
Next Year:2008

"Hip-Hop Saved My Life" is a viral video,[1] and the second single from Lupe Fiasco's second album, Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. The track features vocals from Nikki Jean, the lead singer of Nouveau Riche.

Content

The single is a heartfelt song that tells the story of an underground rap artist, his personal problems, and his struggle and desire to achieve success. The rapper composes a song with a doggerel structure and a hook, "Somethin', somethin', somethin' / Stack that Cheese", street slang for making money. Author Charlotte Pence argues that Fiasco achieves simple complexity in the song, rebelling against simplistic lyrics while simultaneously exploiting them.[2]

It was revealed on MTV that the song was partially based on the life and career of Southern rapper Slim Thug and dedicated to Bun B.[3]

Music video

The music video, directed by Houston's own Dr. Teeth, was released on March 18, 2008. The video recounts the story of a young up-and-coming rapper and the obstacles he struggles to overcome. The video includes appearances by Slim Thug, Willie D, Nikki Jean, K-Rino, Paul Wall, and Bun B with Lupe Fiasco. In one scene towards the beginning of the video, a clip from the video for "Superstar" (another one of Fiasco's songs) can briefly be seen playing on a television set.

Chart performance

It has first appeared on Billboard as of May 31, charting at #25 on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, then peaking at #20 a week later.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Reid . Shaheem . Rodriguez . Jayson. Mixtape Monday: Lupe Fiasco Plans His Cool Viral Video; Joe Budden Compares Jay-Z To A 'Bully' . https://web.archive.org/web/20080130171204/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1580337/20080125/fiasco__lupe.jhtml . dead . January 30, 2008 . . January 28, 2008. June 18, 2011.
  2. Book: The Poetics of American Song Lyrics. 14–16. 978-1-61703-156-4. Pence, Charlotte. 2011. Univ. Press of Mississippi.
  3. Web site: Lupe Fiasco's Latest Single, 'Hip-Hop Saved My Life,' Honors Southern Rap Heroes Bun B, Slim Thug . https://web.archive.org/web/20080414071829/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1585211/20080410/fiasco__lupe.jhtml . dead . April 14, 2008 . Rodriguez . Jayson . Dotiwala . Jasmine . April 11, 2008 . . June 18, 2011.