Outside (2024 song)

"Outside" is a song by American rapper Lupe Fiasco. It was released as the seventh and penultimate track from his ninth studio album, Samurai (2024). The song, produced by Soundtrakk, includes co-production from Kush Baby, who provided the beat switch. In light of the battle rapper concept, the narrator seems to be reminiscing over their exploits, painting vivid imagery of their satisfaction with comparisons to food.
== Background ==
In 2020, during his YouTube livestream "Searching 4 Beats," Fiasco actually played a snippet of the beat, still deciding on what to use. He said, "It's good for my purposes because it contextually ties this one section to this other section and then what the content shift that needs to occur, going into this next piece, and then it has like this really happy chorus part.""Searching 4 Beats". YouTube. May 21, 2020.
With the track listing being revealed, fans wondered if the 2023 song of the same name was on the album. On May 22, 2024, Soundtrakk confirmed via Instagram reply to a fan that it was new."Soundtrakk (@soundtrakk)". Instagram. May 21, 2024.""Outside" Clarity". Reddit. May 22, 2024.
Fiasco explained that "Outside" lyrically serves as the follow-up to "Mumble Rap," where the battle's over and there's voices. He added, "it was a whole scene where it was like she trying to get out of the club, people [are] talking to her and she's having these rap conversations with these people. […] It's like she's talking about who had the best verse. But somebody was outside waiting and that's why there's that gap in the third verse; you switch to the perspective of the person that's outside, waiting for them to come outside. And it was a weird filler piece, but I really liked the vibe of it and just laid it."
Soundtrakk recalled how the sample used was also weird, where one of his friends said it sounded like the Mario Brothers. He continued, "It was a jazz sample I chopped up DJ Premier style once again. Took a lot of pieces from all over the sample. I purposely did trappy, big 808 Lil Jon type of bass on it just to contrast the laid-backness of the sample. I think that's one of the slower records on the album. Most of the album, we kept it in the 90 BPMs. This one's like 83."Gee, Andre (July 5, 2024). "Lupe Fiasco Walks Us Through His Amy Winehouse-Inspired Battle-Rap Album 'Samurai'". Rolling Stone.
== Personnel ==
* Abel Garabaldi – mixer
* Joey Fernandez – masterer
* Kush Baby – co-producer, drum programmer, synths, arranger
* Maxwell Steger – assistant mixer
* Nicolas Isaiah – drum layering
* Rudolph "Soundtrakk" Lopez – producer, drum programmer, flute, harp, strings, keyboards, arranger
* Wasalu "Lupe Fiasco" Jaco – lead artist, vocals, writer
== Cultural references ==
* Robin Hood is a legendary heroic English outlaw from Nottingham.
* Tex Avery (February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator and cartoonist. Notable work he did was for Warner Bros., essential in the development and growth of the famous animated characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Elmer Fudd.
* Mr. T is an actor and professional wrestler, known for his mohawk and gold chains.
* Gangsta Boo (August 7, 1979 – January 1, 2023) was an American rapper. She was part of the Memphis hip hop group, Three 6 Mafia.
== Lyrics ==
== References ==
Category:2024 songs
Category:Lupe Fiasco songs
Category:Samurai
Category:Songs