NGL

## Song by Lupe Fiasco featuring Ty Dolla $ign

"**NGL**" (an acronym for "**N\*ggas Gonna Lose**") is a song by American rapper Lupe Fiasco, released as the second track from his sixth studio album, *Drogas Light*. It features guest vocals from Ty Dolla $ign.

## Background

On May 5, 2016, Fiasco revealed the initial *Drogas Light* track list, which included "NGL."

## Critical reception

Writing for *Chicago Tribune*, Greg Kot said, "reflects a black community hemmed in by lack of opportunity that is destroying itself." He added, "raps over a mournful, Gothic soundscape, describing a world defined by opportunism and exploitation of one's neighbors for personal gain." *XXL*'s Scott Glaysher similarly assessed, "comes equipped with an arsenal of socially woke dialogue and positive messaging, especially on 'NGL.' He asks questions [...] that are meant to deconstruct the systematic inequality that plagues the Black community."

Edwin Houghton of *Pitchfork* commented upon the song's themes, "which is critical of the genre's gangster tropes," and felt the trap-driven production to be a strength. Nadia Younes of *The Skinny* called it a "highlight," where "Fiasco sounds as though he's freestyling, with his stream of consciousness flow hitting as hard as ever and proving he's still got plenty of energy left in him." Contrarily, *The 405*'s Matthew Reyes believed the album to hold "cringe-worthy moments," with "NGL" being one "of the worst offenders."

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: Lupe Fiasco]

N\*\*\*as wanna win

These n\*\*\*as wanna win

These n\*\*\*as wanna win

Everybody wanna be a mothafuckin' winner

That ain't how it work though, yeah

[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco, *Ty Dolla $ign*]

Ayy, ayy, disproportionate convictions

Especially when it come to our case (*Our case*)

You seen the movie, they killed the n\*\*\*a

Why you still wanna be like Scarface? (*Scarface*)

That's why n\*\*\*as gon' lose (these n\*\*\*as gon' lose, ooh yeah)

Yeah, I said it, n\*\*\*as gon' lose (*These n\*\*\*as gon' lose, ooh*)

Yeah, and you can have a friend and you can have a Benz

One's sittin' down, the other's traffickin' (*Traffickin'*)

If you get the car then your friend dies

Havin' one keeps the other one from happenin'

I hope a n\*\*\*a don't lose (*N\*\*\*a don't lose, ooh*)

Fuck that car n\*\*\*a, n\*\*\*as gon' lose, uh-huh (*N\*\*\*as gon' lose, yeah*)

[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco, *Ty Dolla $ign*]

And she want love, you only want sex

You got yours, she didn't get hers (*Get hers*)

She got no respect, y'all had a son (*Oh*)

She like, "Fuck you", she only want a check

That lil' n\*\*\*a gon' lose (*Yeah, yeah, yeah*)

Mothafucka, n\*\*\*as gon' lose (*N\*\*\*as gon' lose, oh*)

Yeah, and these rap n\*\*\*as talkin' 'bout the hood

Like we all lames and they seen it (*Seen it*)

It's entertainin', it's cool as hell

That beat dope, that don't mean shit (*Mean shit*)

That's why n\*\*\*as gon' lose (*N\*\*\*as gon' lose, woah*)

Fuck you talkin'? N\*\*\*as gon' lose (*N\*\*\*as gon' lose, yeah*)

Yeah, if they legalize that whole thing

They doin' weed, next cocaine (*Cocaine*)

N\*\*\*as ain't gon' have no jobs

And Wall Street gon' run the dope game (*Woah*)

What a n\*\*\*a gon' do? Huh? (*N\*\*\*a gon' do, oh yeah*)

You n\*\*\*as gon' lose (*You n\*\*\*as gon' lose, woah*)

[Verse 3: Lupe Fiasco, *Ty Dolla $ign*]

And when you see me you don't see yourself

That's why I got no problem shootin' me (*Yeah yeah yeah*)

Willie Lynch set the shit up beautifully

One of the reasons n\*\*\*as ain't got unity

That's why n\*\*\*as gon' lose (*You n\*\*\*as gon' lose, oh yeah*)

Ayy fuck that shit, ayy, n\*\*\*as gon' lose, yeah (*N\*\*\*as gon' lose, oh, yeah*)

And most hood n\*\*\*as is good n\*\*\*as

In a heartbeat, I'll shed blood for him (*Blood for him*)

But he too stupid, he won't sit down

That n\*\*\*a too hot, I got love for him (*Whoa*)

That n\*\*\*a gon' lose (*N\*\*\*a gon' lose, aw yeah*)

On my mama, that n\*\*\*a gon' lose, yeah (*N\*\*\*a gon' lose, aw*)

And you did it cause your daddy did it (*And you did it cause your daddy did it*)

But he locked up in there and ain't happy with it (*Oh yeah*)

Do the same thing, get the same results

If your brain work then what's the matter with it? (*Lose*)

You knew you was gon' lose (*You was gon' lose, aw yeah*)

They told you, n\*\*\*a (*You was gon' lose, yeah, yeah, yeah*)

[Verse 4: Lupe Fiasco, *Ty Dolla $ign*]

Uh, I never met a saint, from no color (*From no color*)

From nowhere, from no other (*From no other*)

From no castle, from no gutter (*No gutter*)

It ain't nobody that don't suffer (*It ain't nobody that don't suffer*)

Some n\*\*\*as gon' lose (*N\*\*\*as gon' lose, oh*)

Yeah, yeah, yeah (*Some n\*\*\*as gon' lose, aw*)

Promised land, I don't believe that

Had a dream and I don't need that (*Need that*)

Please God, send us some jobs

Cause my n\*\*\*as really really need that (*'Cause my n\*\*\*as really really need that*)

Or n\*\*\*as gon' lose (*Or n\*\*\*as gon' lose*)

That's right, n\*\*\*as gon' lose, yeah (*N\*\*\*as gon' lose, oh*)

And we sell dope then we turn around

And give the white people all our profits (*Oh*)

Take a percentage of that, set it to the side

And send these lil' n\*\*\*as off to college (*Oh*)

So n\*\*\*as don't lose (*Yeah*)

Yeah, n\*\*\*as don't lose, uhh, yeah (*N\*\*\*as don't lose, oh*)

And if they offer somethin', just take it

Then work hard, don't waste it (*Waste it*)

Every castle started at the basement (*Basement*)

Yeah, your manager a racist (*Racist*)

But you're the one that's gon' lose (*You're the one that's gon' lose, lose*)

That's right, n\*\*\*as gon' lose (*Lose*)

[Outro: Ty Dolla $ign, *Lupe Fiasco*]

And these n\*\*\*as gon' lose, oh-whoa, I said

I said everybody wanna be a winner, everybody wanna be a winner

Be a mothafuckin' winner, never gotta worry 'bout nothin'

But some n\*\*\*as gon' lose

*Yeah, so n\*\*\*as don't lose*

And it's fucked up, some n\*\*\*as gon' lose

*Ayy, you wake up 'cause you hear shots*

*Mean another n\*\*\*a got his tear drops*

And you call his phone and ain't pickin' up

And your stomach hurtin', that fear drops

I hope a n\*\*\*a ain't lose

## References

1. ↑ Goddard, Kevin (February 10, 2017). "NGL". *HotNewHipHop*.
2. ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco)". *Twitter*. May 5, 2016.
3. ↑ Kot, Greg (February 17, 2017). "With 'Drogas Light,' Lupe Fiasco Stumbles in Trying to Beat Mainstream Rap at Its Own Game". *Chicago Tribune*.
4. ↑ Glaysher, Scott (February 15, 2017). "Lupe Fiasco Balances Bars and Ballads on 'Drogas Light'". *XXL*.
5. ↑ Houghton, Edwin (February 14, 2017). "*Drogas Light* by Lupe Fiasco". *Pitchfork*.
6. ↑ Younes, Nadia (February 6, 2017). "Lupe Fiasco – Drogas Light". *The Skinny*.
7. ↑ Reyes, Matthew (February 14, 2017). "Review: Lupe Fiasco Awkwardly Combines His Preachy, Political and Pop Proclivities on New Album DROGAS Light". *The 405*. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017.