Gotta Eat

## Song by Lupe Fiasco featuring GemStones

"**Gotta Eat**" is a song by Lupe Fiasco, released as the 13th track from his sophomore album, *Lupe Fiasco's The Cool* (2007).

He told *Billboard* about its message: "[The song] is a concept record about fast food, but it creates a platform to have a conversation about the importance of health. It speaks to dudes who wouldn't even think about it in that capacity. You might have a dude from the hood who's playing the album because it's dope, and he gets to a record like 'Gotta Eat' and it's like, 'Let me think about what I'm eating. Maybe there is an alternative.'"

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro]

I swear, if I see this n\*\*\*a, I'mma kill him

I'm, going, to kill, him

So! Make a n\*\*\*a suffer

You know what I'm saying?

[Chorus]

My man said life ain't easy

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

Streets be all like "Feed me, feed me"

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

My man said life ain't easy

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

Streets be all like "Feed me, feed me"

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

My man said life ain't easy

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

[Verse 1]

Hey, he had a whole lot of cheese

Plus he was a mack, had a whole lot of steez

Made a lot of n\*\*\*as fat, gave a whole lot of Gs

Grams, man, he had a whole lot of these

And he would let you hold, like, a whole lot of ki's

Even if you lose some, he would give you new ones

Twice the bread, it's like he had two buns

And he had a whole lot of seeds

Even his kids had meals for reals

Some rich small fries wrapped in paper since they was lil

Catch up, n\*\*\*a

[Chorus]

My man said life ain't easy

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

Streets be all like, "Feed me, feed me"

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

My man said life ain't easy

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

[Verse 2]

He was a heart breaker

And a law shaker

If it was about caking, he was a partaker

International, he would take trips

Bon voyage, that's how hard he was fishing for the chips

So greedy, never gave to the needy, that's what some say

The way he shunned all the bums hanging in the subways

He called 'em fruits and laughed at 'em

Delivery man, on the pick-up

Drive through and throw a bag at 'em

And it was hard to understand him sometimes

Making a killing, the way he had 'em standing in line

Like

[Chorus]

My man said life ain't easy

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

Streets be all like, "Feed me, feed me"

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

My man said life ain't easy

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

[Verse 3]

Lovers call him King, haters call him Clown

He would say "Bite me, that's the way it's going down"

He was having thoughts that maybe he should retire

Went to Church on a Sunday and saw a deep Friar

Said he had beef and people want him dead

He loved the hungry ones, was only scared of the Feds

He lived the fast life, couldn't get his path right

The Friar just told him 'bout the Hooters that he had last night

"Turn yourself in to the paddy wagon", said "No"

Bacon wouldn't take him, had the Pigs on the payroll

[Chorus]

My man said life ain't easy

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

Streets be all like, "Feed me, feed me"

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

My man said life ain't easy

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

[Outro]

To be continued on another menu, ya dig?

Will he give up his life of crime or will he stay?

This and other adventures on Lupe Fiasco's next album, L.U.P.E.N.D.... Yezzir!

(Yo... So stupid)

My man said life ain't easy

When n\*\*\*as gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

Hey

## References

1. ↑ Lamarre, Carl (June 16, 2022). "Black Music Month: Lupe Fiasco Talks Dodging the Sophomore Jinx With 'The Cool'". *Billboard*.