Streets on Fire

"Streets on Fire" is a song by Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos. It was released as the eleventh track from Fiasco's second studio album, Lupe Fiasco's The Cool (2007). It is part of his concept of the characters The Cool, The Streets, and The Game, describing an apocalyptic world where "The Streets" represents temptation for corruption.Richards, Pete (August 6, 2008). "Interview: Lupe Fiasco On The Hip-Hop Industry, Jay-Z, Chicago, And His Karate Skills". MethodShop.
The track addresses a metaphorical incurable disease which causes people to blame one another, in turn highlighting societal issues like social class divide, corrupt government, the allure of criminal activity, and conformity for what is "cool," even if false or destructive.
== Background ==
Fiasco told Entertainment Weekly, "At the beginning of the song, Matthew Santos lists all these tragedies, and then it says, 'She's out there smiling.' It comes from 1984, the book, where there was so much double-talk and double-think in the first few chapters. That's my favorite book. I tried to put that in a record. So it's like, 'Believe / So say the neon signs by the loudspeakers / Repeating that everything is fine.' You know? 'A subtle silence / To demolish the troubled conscience / Of a populace with no knowledge / And every freedom denied.' It comes directly influenced by 1984—using it as a vehicle to introduce one of the characters very abstractly, very subtly."Vozick-Levinson, Simon (November 16, 2007). "Lupe Fiasco deciphers his upcoming concept CD". Entertainment Weekly.
== Lyrics ==
== References ==
Category:2007 songs
Category:Collaboration songs
Category:Explicit songs
Category:Lupe Fiasco songs
Category:Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
Category:Songs