Pills

## Song by Lupe Fiasco

"**Pills**" is a song by American rapper Lupe Fiasco, created as a track for his debut studio album, *Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor* (2006). It samples the 1974 song "Out There" by Willie Hutch in the chorus. With the leak of the LP's unofficial material in April 2006, months before its scheduled date in June, it was not added in the official track listing. The song, along with "I Gotcha," were included on the compilation album, *MTV2 My Block: Chicago*, released through Asylum Records on October 10, 2006. On October 13, 2023, Fiasco dropped the song under the name "Out There" through 1st & 15th Entertainment and Thirty Tigers as part of *Chill's Spotlight, Vol. 6 - Underground*.

The record introduces two characters from his *The Cool* storyline, The Streets and The Game.

## Background

Fiasco told *Format Mag* in December 2006, "There was another song that we didn't get a chance to put on the album that was called the "Pills," which came out on this *MTV My Block* compilation and that song kind of personified the ills of the world standing next to the beauties of the world." In a 2020 video, he clarified that it was not actually titled "Real Recognize Real," which was supposedly done by uploaders who assigned their own names.

## Personnel

* David "Prolyfic" Ewing Jr. – producer
* Joey Fernandez – masterer
* Wasalu "Lupe Fiasco" Jaco – vocals, writer
* Willie Hutch – vocals, writer
* Yuki Tasaka – mixer

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro]

*Well, the first thing I want to say is*

[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco]

They say real recognize real

The dollar bill will exercise our ills... E

Frauds is thoroughly camouflaged

And fatigued in the field, be careful who you believe

The pills is dealed like flaccid

Proceeds go towards the buyin' of Caprice Classics

With the wheels to match it, so they can mack it

Like an automatic weapon, steppin' off into traffic, like

"Check him," tears roll down the eyes of the rides

Inside of a funeral procession, here lies

Wit' Xs in his eyes, the unguided misdirected

Squad cars roll past and laugh

[Chorus: Willie Hutch, *Lupe Fiasco*]

Out there

Out there (*Uh*)

*Yeah, hahaha*

*Uh*

[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco]

They say the streets is a demon in a dress

With dollar signs in her eyes and semen on her breath, uh

Scantly clad, no panties, deep throatin' in an alley

Agin' badly, in sunglasses, she pretty

Slain boyfriend names is tattooed on her titties

Sprinklin' greed, ignorance, and envy inside of a Phillie, uh

Hennessey tears, ass'll bring ya enemies here

Flirt wit'cha flaws 'til you run up in her raw

[Chorus: Willie Hutch, *Lupe Fiasco*]

You'll be out there (*Uh*)

Out there, out there (*Out there, out there*)

Out there, out there (*Out there, out there*)

*And they say*

*Uh*

[Verse 3: Lupe Fiasco]

They say the game has the belly of a beast

Blunts for fingers and hollow tips for teeth

Wiretaps for ears; Nike Airs for feet

Blasphemy for prayers; the system for a heart

Rap music for beats; heroin for a son

And it's married to the streets; crack pipes for lungs

And he never sleeps, just spies, with dice in his eyes

Loves life, 'cause he likes when it dies

With a bakin' soda soul, he cough up pleasure

Clothes made out of dollar bills that he sewed together (Uh)

He knows, he's clever, jail is his house

All the liquor that's poured out, goes right in his mouth

Rides around on a stray bullet; with prostitutes

Pimps, dope dealers, and killers tied to it to pull it (Uh)

A TV in his head, strippers slide down his legs

And he's known to ride around with the Feds, he's...

[Chorus: Willie Hutch, *Lupe Fiasco*]

You'll be out there

Out there (*He's out there*)

Out there

*Uh*

[Verse 4: Lupe Fiasco, *Willie Hutch*]

But

Righteousness is a father teachin' his kids

That what's better than wealth, is the respect in the self

(*Out there*)

A pistol-packin' old lady standin' up

To the dope dealers on the block, makin' sure her presence is felt

(*Out there*)

A teacher teachin' that thinkin' is cool

Listen, before you mention "not lettin' school turn 'em into fools"

(*Out there*)

Keeping God first, Lupe is here

F-N-F up, homie, I'll see you out there

## References

1. ↑ Zisook, Brian (October 9, 2006). "Asylum Records & MTV2 Present My Block: Chicago - The Soundtrack". *DJBooth*.
2. ↑ Coachman, Dale (December 24, 2006). "Lupe Fiasco". *Format Mag*.
3. ↑ "The Cool Wiki". *YouTube*. May 13, 2020.