Hip-Hop Saved My Life

## Single by Lupe Fiasco featuring Nikki Jean

"**Hip-Hop Saved My Life**" is the second single and ninth track from Lupe Fiasco's second studio album, *Lupe Fiasco's The Cool* (2008). The track features vocals from Nikki Jean, the lead singer of Nouveau Riche.

Lyrics tell the story of an underground rapper who tries to achieve success as an artist. The song is dedicated to Bun B and largely based on the career of Houston rapper Slim Thug. The official music video premiered over YouTube in 2008, directed by Dr. Teeth. It also features a cameo from Slim Thug.

## Background

In an interview, Slim Thug told *MTV News*, "My DJ first heard the record when Lupe's album came out. I went on iTunes and bought it and was surprised it had a lot to do about me. I don't think it's entirely about me, but he took pieces of my hustle and put it in the song [...] When he came to shoot the video, I got the call from Dr. Teeth, who directed it, and I was down. I brought some of my cars, you know, with the candy paint, and we did it." Later in a statement to *HipHopDX*, he said, "It was crazy to hear that it was about me, inspired by me. It was amazing. It was a dope moment in hip-hop for me."

Fiasco confirmed, "I was with him when we shot the video, and he was like, 'Yo, is this song about me?' It is based on Slim Thug... I didn't know at the time, but there was a situation in Houston where they were trying to figure out who the song was about. Was it about Slim Thug? Was it about Chamillionaire? And it was about Slim Thug, but [then] I dedicated the song to Bun. I called him up and said, 'Yo, Bun, I've got a song for you, check it out,' and he was the first person to hear it. I sent it to him and he was like, 'Yo, it's all good.'"

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: Lupe Fiasco]

Dedicate, dedicate (One time, 1-2, 1-2, and 1-2 and)

This one right here goes out (For your mind, and 2, and 1-2 and)

To my homie with the dream, nah mean? (Uh)

[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco]

He said, "I write what I see

Write to make it right, don't like where I be

I'd like to make it like the sights on TV

Quite the great life, so nice and easy."

Sí, now you can still die from that

But it's better than not being alive from straps

Agreed, a Mead notebook and a Bic that click when it's pushed

And a wack ass beat

That's a track that's weak that he got last week

'Cause everybody in the stu' was like, "That's that heat!"

A bass-heavy medley with a sample from the '70s

With a screwed-up hook that went "Stack that cheese!"

Somethin', somethin', somethin', "Stack that cheese!"

Mother, sister, cousin, "Stack that cheese!"

He couldn't think of nothin', "Stack that cheese!"

He turns down the beat, writer's block impedes

Crying from the next room, a baby in need

Of some Pampers and some food and a place to sleep

That, plus a black Cadillac on D's

Is what keep him on track to be a great MC (Yeah)

[Hook: Nikki Jean]

One you never heard of, I

Push it harder, further, the

Grind might feel like murder, but

Hip-Hop, you saved me

One you never heard of, I

Push it harder, further, the

Grind might feel like murder, but

Hip-Hop, you saved my life

[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco]

Reps North-side, so he rocks them braids

1,100 friends on his MySpace page

"Stack That Cheese" got 700 plays

Producer made him take it down, said he had to pay

Open mic champ two weeks in a row

Ex D-boy with a B-boy flow

Glow like Leroy, you should see boy go

Got a daddy serving life and a brother on the row

Best homie in the grave, tatted up while in the cage

Minute Maid got his momma working like a slave

Down baby mama who he really had to honor

‘Cause she was his biggest fan, even let him use her Honda

To drive up to Dallas, went to open up for amateurs

Let him keep a debit card so he could put gas in it

Told her when he get on, he gon' take her to the Galleria

Buy her everything but the mannequins, ya dig?

[Hook: Nikki Jean]

One you never heard of, I

Push it harder, further, the

Grind might feel like murder, but

Hip-Hop, you saved me

One you never heard of, I

Push it harder, further, the

Grind might feel like murder, but

Hip-Hop, you saved my life

[Verse 3: Lupe Fiasco]

His man called, said "Your time might be now

They played your freestyle over 'Wipe Me Down'

They played it two times, said it might be crowned

As the best thing out the H-Town in a while"

He picked up his son with a great big smile

Rapped every single word to the newborn child

Then he put him down and went back to the kitchen

And put on another beat and got back to the mission of

Get his momma out the hood, put her somewhere in the woods

Keep his lady looking good, have her rolling like she should

Show his homies there's a way, other than that flippin' yay

Bail his homie out of jail, put a lawyer on his case

Throw a concert for the school, show the shorties that it's cool

Throw some candy on the Caddy, chuck the deuce and act a fool

Man, it feels good when it happens like that

Two days from going back to selling crack, yessir

[Hook: Nikki Jean]

One you never heard of, I

Push it harder, further, the

Grind might feel like murder, but

Hip-Hop, you saved me

One you never heard of, I

Push it harder, further, the

Grind might feel like murder, but

Hip-Hop, you saved my life

One you never heard of, I

Push it harder, further, the

Grind might feel like murder, but

Hip-Hop, you saved me

One you never heard of, I

Push it harder, further, the

Grind might feel like murder, but

Hip-Hop, you saved my life

[Outro: Nikki Jean]

Hip-Hop, you saved my life

Hip-Hop, you saved my life

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rodriguez, Jayson (April 10, 2008). "Lupe Fiasco's Latest Single, 'Hip-Hop Saved My Life,' Honors Southern Rap Heroes Bun B, Slim Thug". *MTV*.
2. ↑ Ketchum III, William (April 12, 2008). "Lupe Fiasco Talks "Hip Hop Saved My Life"". *Hip Hop DX*.
3. ↑ "Slim Thug Didn't Know Lupe Fiasco's "Hip Hop Saved My Life" Was About Him At First". *YouTube*. July 4, 2022.