State Run Radio

## Song by Lupe Fiasco featuring Matt Mahaffey

"**State Run Radio**" is a song by Lupe Fiasco, released as the ninth track from his third studio album, *Lasers* (2011). It features guest vocals from Matt Mahaffey, and discusses the circulation of songs played over the radio with little variation. This remarks upon "popular music" that's distributed purely to appease the higher-up corporations. The lyrics, 'Not too smart, you will be a superstar / And if you dumb it some, maybe you could be number one,' is further expanded upon in "Dumb It Down," where simple records sell.

## Credits and personnel

* Brian Gardner – mastering
* David "King David" Manzoor – writer, producer, drums, keyboards
* Ghazi Hourani – assistant engineer
* Joe Peluso, Trevor Aster – recording
* Matt Mahaffey – vocals, writer
* Michael Herring – bass, guitar
* Prescott Ellison – drums
* Wasalu "Lupe Fiasco" Jaco – vocals, writer

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: Matt Mahaffey]

You must be a radio station

And who are we, we must be

A number one song, spinnin' all day long

And over again and over again

And over again and over again

And over again

And we don't win when we call in and nothing's free

Sounds to me like

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco]

We interrupt this broadcast

To bring you this special message about the forecast

The future's cloudy and it's raining on the poor class

Road to peace is closed, heavy traffic on the war paths

Love is balling on a budget

The military's says it's gon' need more cash

To keep fighting for your gas, keep us in our hoods

And hope we never explore past, stay inside of your half

Believe the lies you learn in your class

That there's no treasure in your trash

And a Sealy has the same feeling as the floor has

And that's where you should stay; this is what they play

[Hook: Matt Mahaffey]

Over again and over again

And over again and over again

And over again

And we don't win

When we call in and nothing's free

Sounds to me like

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco]

You're now tuned into the weakest

Frequency of fear, keep you locked right here

And hope you never leave this, never be a leader

Think inside the box, and follow all procedures

Never ever believe that, you will never need this

Hit up all your friends and tell them to repeat this

Hi you're on the air, now what you want to hear

Well we ain't got the truth but how about a remix

Different is never good, good is only what we pick

You ain't got a hit, unless it sounds like these did

Not too smart, you will be a superstar

And if you dumb it some, maybe you could be number one

[Hook: Matt Mahaffey]

Over again and over again

And over again and over again

And over again

And we don't win

When we call in and nothing's free

Sounds to me like

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

[Verse 3: Lupe Fiasco]

So beware what's on the airwaves

And be more aware of what's not gettin' airplay

Independent spirit, you can barely hear what they're sayin'

Truth ain't getting on like shampoo on an airplane

Propaganda's everywhere, constantly on replay

All the hits, all the time, back-to-back on relay

We're really where it lives, make them hear the records we play

Build your own station, become your own DJs

[Bridge: Matt Mahaffey]

You must be a radio station

And who are we, we must be

A number one song, spinnin' all day long

And you put me on daily rotation

You're on the air, we know you're scared

But we don't care, we'll play this here

[Hook: Matt Mahaffey]

Over again and over again

And over again and over again

And over again

And we don't win

When we call in and nothing's free

Sounds to me like

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio

State run radio, state run radio