There's a moment of bliss, but zero redemption in this mother/son street story that's not for the squeamish — even it's just a depiction of a sad reality.
It's not deliverance we're after in this new Lupe Fiasco, it's actual delivery... which is possible, but only with some harmless subterfuge and a long bike ride to the nice part of town.
Boys in the hood for this new YG joint, boasting a Blood transliteration of "Kicking Back, Being Cool" that you might be tempted to treat as the next generation of "-izzle" — if only the video didn't make the deadly reality of Bomptom so awfully clear.
2 Chainz gets the royal welcome to NOLA, with Lil Wayne and other Cash Money Millionaires joining him for a raucous street party. Don't let the abundance of kids and families here fool ya: Between the lyrics and the booty, this is clearly NSFW. Although, certainly not as far as things could have gone in a video for a song about posting your sexcapades on YouTube for posterity.
It starts with imagery of guns, drugs and bitches, watches, chains and fried chicken. Then we take a step-back and see the young impressionable black kid watching it on TV until he gets cuffed and taken away, replaced by a white kid who watches something a bit more classically educational. And lastly, we get a peek at the board room where a "diverse" panel looks at the society they've helped create.
And that description actually leaves out some of the most controversial elements...
There's a certain genius in going classy clip for a song called "Yuck," even if there's only so classy you can take a song like this. Director Alex Nazari keeps things mostly refined: There's an orchestra, and the naked ladies are painted gold, while 2 Chainz gets treated with a multiplicity effect and performs with Lil Wayne on a geometric neon stage.
Stylish b/w portraiture mixes in with Cassie's confident stroll through L.A. that causes several disturances in the force. Also confident? Rick Ross, of course.
