Little Weapon

## Song by Lupe Fiasco featuring Bishop G and Nikki Jean

"**Little Weapon**" is a song by Lupe Fiasco, released as the twelfth track from *Lupe Fiasco's The Cool* (2007). It features Bishop G and Nikki Jean, with production handled by Patrick Stump. The track was included in Apple Music's playlist, *Lupe Fiasco Essentials*.

## Background

Fiasco recalled to *Entertainment Weekly* that Stump reached out and wanted to help with a track for *The Cool*. With the concept of "dark but futuristic," Stump sent the beat for "Little Weapon". He continued, "...I wanted to address child soldiers. I actually met these guys that run this organization called Invisible Children backstage at a Fall Out Boy show, and I did 'Little Weapon' as an ode to that [issue]. My partner Bishop G is on there taking the last verse. And the twist in the story is the little kid playing the video game—is he any different from the child soldier actually killing people? Because death is death, whether it's digital death or real death."

Fiasco told MTV News backstage at the 2007 MtvU Woodie Awards, "[Stump] got his Kanye West on. It's a song called 'Little Weapon,' and it talks about child soldiers. The bulk of *The Cool* is kind of dark. It comes from a dark place. So 'Little Weapon' is about the coolness—so-called coolness—of child soldiers. It's a real ill record." Stump added, "I love how this one worked. We had a few snags, but in general, it was awesome, because I got to ask him about feel, like, 'What type of vibe do you want for this song?' And then I got to hear him take it to different places. I didn't have to steer too much, which is awesome. ... And I didn't sing on [the track], so this is a real test to see if I can make real music without my voice."

## Critical reception

*IGN* summarized, "The subject of guns from the ghetto to the school yards to the numerous political revolutions around the world is the focus of 'Little Weapon,'" while *BBC* described it as "one of the finest, yet bleakest moments." *Wired* was more critical and wrote, "The track sees Fiasco decrying gaming violence, school shootings and child soldiers as the result of kids transferring in-game violence to reality ... or not. Throughout the song he gives examples of juvenile violence around the world then ties it all together at the end with a metaphor about gaming violence, but honestly his lyrical structure is so convoluted that while we're sure he believes himself to be making a concise (and theoretically ironic) point about the dangers of popular media, a quick deconstruction of the song leads one to believe it's almost completely devoid of meaning."

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: Lupe Fiasco]

Now lil' Terry got a gun he got from the store

He bought it with the money he got from his chores

He robbed the candy shop, told her "Lay down on the floor

Put the cookies in the bag, take the pennies out the drawer"

Lil' Khalil got a gun he got from the rebels

To kill the infidels and American devils

A bomb on his waist, a mask on his face

Prays five times a day and listens to heavy metal

Little Alex got a gun he took from his dad

That he snuck into school in his black book bag

His black nail polish, black boots, and black hat

He gon' blow away the bully that just pushed his ass

[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco]

I killed another man today

Shot him in his back as he ran away

Then I blew up his hut with a hand grenade

Cut his wife throat as she put her hands to pray

Just five more dogs, then we can get a soccer ball

That's what my commander say

How old? Well I'm like ten, eleven

Been fighting since I was like six or seven

Now I don't know much about where I'm from

But I know I strike fear everywhere I come

Government want me dead so I wear my gun

I really want the rocket launcher but I'm still too young

This candy give me courage not to fear no one

To feel no pain and hear no tongue

So I hear no screams and I shed no tear

If I'm in your dreams then your end is near, yeah

[Chorus: Nikki Jean]

Little weapon, little weapon, little weapon

We're calling you

There's a war, if the guns are just too tall for you

We'll find you something small to use

Little weapon, little weapon, little weapon

We need you now, blaow!

[Bridge: Lupe Fiasco]

*Astaghfirullah*

*Astaghfirullah*

*Astaghfirullah*

*Astaghfirullah*

*Astaghfirullah*

[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco]

Now here comes the march of the boy brigade

A macabre parade of the toys he made

In shemaghs and shades, who look half his age

About half the size of the flags they wave

And camouflage suits made to fit youths

'Cause the ones off the dead soldiers hang a lil' loose

Where AK47s that they shooting into heaven

Like they tryna kill a Jetson, the struggles, little recruits

Cute, smileless, heartless, violent

Childhood destroyed, devoid of all childish ways

Can't write their own names

Or read the words that's on they own graves

Think you gangsta? Popped a few rounds?

These kids'll come through and murder a whole town

Then sit back and smoke and watch it burn down

The grave gets deeper the further we go down, it's—

[Chorus: Nikki Jean]

Little weapon, little weapon, little weapon

We're calling you

There's a war, if the guns are just too tall for you

We'll find you something small to use

Little weapon, little weapon, little weapon

We need you now, blaow!

[Verse 3: Bishop G]

Imagine if I had to console

The families of those slain I slayed on game consoles

I aim, I hold right trigger to squeeze

Press up and Y, one less n\*\*\*a breathe

B for the bombs, press pause for your moms

Make the room silent, she don't approve of violent games

She leave, resume activity

Scarred and blue heart, of hard, sharp wizardry

On next part, I insert code

To sweeten up the little person's murder workload

I tell him he work for CIA with A

A operative, I operate this game all day

I hold the controller connected to the soldier

With weapons on his shoulder

He's only seconds older than me

We playful but serious

Now keep that on mind for online experience, ugh!

[Chorus: Nikki Jean]

Little weapon, little weapon, little weapon

We're calling you

There's a war, if the guns are just too tall for you

We'll find you something small to use

Little weapon, little weapon, little weapon

We need you now

Little weapon, little weapon, little weapon

We're calling you

There's a war, if the guns are just too tall for you

We'll find you something small to use

Little weapon, little weapon, little weapon

We need you now, blaow!

## References

1. ↑ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (November 16, 2007). "Lupe Fiasco deciphers his upcoming concept CD". *Entertainment Weekly*.
2. ↑ Montgomery, James (November 16, 2007). "Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump Gets Behind The Boards For 'Cool' Collabo With Lupe Fiasco". *MTV*.
3. ↑ "Lupe Fiasco - The Cool". *IGN*. January 10, 2008.
4. ↑ Long, Chris (2008). "Lupe Fiasco The Cool Review". *BBC*.
5. ↑ "Rapper Confronts Game Violence in Song". *Wired*. December 26, 2007.