Dissect - MS1E5 - "Superstar" & "Final Hour" by Lauryn Hill

Episode Date: December 4, 2018

We continue our serialized analysis of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill with two songs cut from the same thematic cloth. With both "Superstar" and "Final Hour," Ms. Hill calls out the superficial materialism and ego in hip-hop, frequently citing scripture as she warns her peers about their final day of judgement. Follow @dissectpodcast on Twitter and Instagram. Join our newsletter at dissectpodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Spotify Studios, this is Dissect, long-form musical analysis broken into short digestible episodes. I'm your host, Cole Kushna. Today we continue our serialized analysis of the Miseducation of Lauren Hill. On our last episode, Ms. Hill held a mirror to gender dynamics and stereotypes in hip-hop culture on the song Duop, That Thing. It's the first of a trio of songs on Miseducation that directly address what Miss Hill views as flawed or superficial in the contemporary culture of her era, specifically within the hip-hop community. Many of her observations and opinions about this subject formulated while Miss Hill was pregnant with her first child.

She told the Rolling Stone, quote, Once I had my child, I was forced to sit still. Had I not sat still, maybe I would have been caught up in the whirlwind too. But because I was on the outside, I could see just how materialistic the industry was. It frustrated me that it had nothing to do with talent and musical merit. MCs didn't have to write the rhymes. Singers didn't really have to be able to sing.

I just felt like the world of music was upside down, unquote. This disheartened sentiment about the music industry is expressed potently on miseducation's next two tracks, the first of which is the Doors-inspired lament, Superstar. Superstar was written by Lime, Lauren Hill with Johari Newton and James Poyser. The song's hook famously interpolates the Dore's 1968 hit, Light My Fire. Superstar wasn't always a quasi-doors cover.

It began as a two-cord guitar progression Miss Hill brought to her team, G minor and E minor. These are the same two chords found in the doors Light My Fire, only they're played one step higher. According to Ms. Hill and the song's collaborator Jihari Newton, they couldn't unhear the similarity between Light My Fire and the initial sketches of Superstar. Eventually, they went all in on acknowledging the influence.

That was definitely intentional. You know, there was a song I wrote first, okay? And when I, after it was done, and I ended up using a harpsichord, That's when I realized, wow, this reminds me of that Doors tune, and the hook sounded so perfectly in that. And, you know, what I was trying to say, you know, it just melted.

It melted like butter. And I can't believe I just said that. But it melted. And, you know, they were also, you know, to some extent, a musical influence in my life. I grew up around a lot of music. I was really blessed to come from a very musical family. So I was exposed to a lot of different stuff.

I mean, like Spanish guitarists who some people wouldn't even know, people like Gilberto and, you know, Jose Feliciano, some people, you know, just a lot of different music, you know, the doors, Light My Fire. Jose Feliciano's version of Light My Fire. So, you know, it was music that was in me. And it just fit right in perfectly. As Ms. Hill mentioned, Superstar features a harpsichord as well as an electric piano played by James Poyser.

Of course, like we've heard time and again on this album, it's the drums that act as a cohesive element to all Miss Hill's eclectic influences. Superstar is no different, as both Veda Nobles and Che Guevara contribute hip-hop drum programming, while miscellaneous production is added by Rudy Bird. The track is rounded out with heart provided by Grace Paradise.

We transition now to Superstar's lyrics and subject matter. With the song's introduction, Miss Hill makes very clear just what Superstar is about, the growing lack of authenticity in hip-hop. Superstar begins with the anthemic chant. Hip-hop started out in the heart, now everybody's trying to chart. It's an unfiltered, unambiguous statement of the song's theme, the commodification of hip-hop, and the digression from its roots as an authentic art form in which African-Americans could

express their thoughts and experiences. Given Miss Education's previous track, Duop, and its direct reference to the Puff Daddy song, It's All About the Benjamins, we might suspect this opening statement on Superstar to be at least in part aimed at Puff and his dominant influence over hip-hop culture in the late 90s. Later done Bling Culture, some viewed Puff Daddy's shiny suit extravagance and emphasis on glossy materialism as spearheading hip-hop into a superficial, commercialized space. Speaking about this trend, Ms. Hill told Vibe magazine, quote, Everything I do I try to do from the heart. What gets me upset in music right now is that we're so hidden behind this hole I'm trying

to be cool and I have to look flawless. But humanity, just by definition, we're not flawless, unquote. Ms. Hill elaborates on our malaise and fatigue caused by the music industry in the song's hook. Come on, baby, lie, my fire. Everything you drive is so tired. Miss Hill sings, come on baby Light My Fire, everything you drop is so tired.

Music is supposed to inspire. How come we ain't getting no higher? As we already discussed, this makes direct reference to the doors Light My Fire, a song about pushing a relationship, likely a sexual relationship, to the next level. But rather than a partner, Ms. Hill describes her relationship with hip-yipers.

pop music. She personally views music as a vessel for self-discovery and growth, and she's disappointed by the artists that released derivative music merely to score a hit and cash in. The hook's last line, how come we ain't getting no higher, implies that derivative music is a compromise that leads to stagnation and stunts the evolution of hip-hop and its listeners. Yeah, that's not what it's all about. Once you compromise yourself in one way, you compromise yourself in another way and you've just opened the door to, you know, compromise, mediocrity, settling, that we should constantly be aspiring, you know, to reach higher and higher and higher. We should never be comfortable where we are, you know.

We should always be aspiring to know more and to better ourselves and to approve ourselves, you know, to improve ourselves. Because that's how we improve the world around us by working within us. Ms. Hill elaborates on her position with the song's first verse. Miss Hill begins singing, Now tell me your philosophy on exactly what an artist should be. Should they be someone with prosperity and no concept of reality? Again, Miss Hill is attacking directly the rising prominence of blink culture and hip-hop,

which she views as out of touch with the reality of most young men and women. propagating and pushing this idealized constructed reality is problematic, as Ms. Hill then sings, Now who you know without any flaws, that lives above spiritual laws, and does anything they feel just because there's always someone there who will applaud. In essence, Ms. Hill is saying that despite what you might project for pure public validation, no one lives above or is immune to the laws established by God. The quote-unquote spiritual laws that Ms. Hill cites here likely refers to the four spiritual laws, a popular outreach book that was created to help lead a person to faith in Christ. In summary, these laws outlined the belief that God loves you and has a plan for

your life, but humanity is flawed with sin, and it's only through Jesus Christ that we can be forgiven and know God's plan for our lives. Just like the album's previous track, Doop, Ms. Hill suggests that these cultural trends she's calling out are divergences from the straight path, the path of God, and she hopes that holding a mirror to this behavior will help correct it. Ms. Hill continues her message with verse 2. Miss Hill begins verse 2 attacking the ego that sometimes accompanies wealth and success. Quote, I know you think you've got it all, and by making people feel small, makes you think you're unable to fall.

But when you do, who are you going to call? There's an implication of burning one's bridges or putting oneself above others, something that Miss Hill feels will one day come back to haunt them on the day of judgment. These lyrics might allude to James 5.1, a Bible passage that cautions the wealthy who've abused their positions of power. Quote, come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. Behold the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you.

you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, unquote. Miss Hill continues with more religious undertones as she sings, See, what you give is just what you get. I know it hasn't hit you yet. Now I don't mean to get you upset, but every cause has an effect. This makes reference to the Bible passage Luke 638, quote, give and it will be given to you. It's also similar to to another well-known Bible idiom, reap what you sow, which is derived from Galatians 6-7, quote, Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the spirit will from the spirit reap eternal life, unquote. Again, Miss Hill is cautioning against the short-sightedness of her subject's actions, implying that there are consequences to come, even if they can't imagine them now, when things are good and people are applauding. After a repetition of the song's hook, Miss Hill switches gears and delivers a scathing third verse. Says, and distant lands made plans with the sheiks. Why you beef with freaks as my album sells peak.

All I wanted was to sell like 500 and be a ghetto superstars since my first album blunt it. I used to work your footlocker they fired me infronted. Oh, I quit it now I spit it. However do you want it. This is writing rhymes with the frames lightly tinted. Listen it till you're blocking him, a full name is in a minute. And if your lines sound like mine, I'm taking a percentage. Could I'm precedent and still respect it when it's vintage.

I'm serious. Taking over areas in Aquarius. Running red lights with my 10,000 chariots, just as Christ was a superstar. You're stupid star, they'll hail you to nail you. No matter who you are, they'll make you now to take you down and make your face it. If you slip the bag open, put your pinky in if they taste it. Miss Hill begins her rap verse once again conjuring spiritual overtones. Quote,

Across sands and distant lands, made plans with the sheikhs. A sheikh is a person respected for their piety or religious learning, typically in the Muslim religion. Ms. Hill asserts herself worldly and well-traveled, as implied by the imagery she provides about the sanding landscapes of the Middle East. But we also know this is metaphorical, as she's more interested in collaborating with powerful leaders of spirit, not the false leader she sees in hip-hop.

In this way, she also plays on the slang or secondary meaning of Sheik, which is an irresistible, attractive young male. While the hip-hop star she references throughout the track may think they're irresistible, Miss Hill would rather meet with men who are concerned with their spirits, not their looks or checkbooks. Miss Hill continues by stating her goals in hip-hop were modest from day one, rapping, Why You Beef with Freaks as my album sales peak. All I wanted was to sell like 500, and be a ghetto superstar since my first album Blunted. This latter line makes two references to Miss Hill's first group to Fugis.

Saying my first album Blunted, Blunted, Blunted on Reality. This album was a commercial flop, but that seemed fine with Miss Hill, so long as she gained the respect from her community and became a ghetto superstar. Saying Ghetto Superstar here references the song by the same name, released by Fuji member Praz on his 1998 debut solo album. It's believed by some that Superstar was aimed at Miss Hill's former Food bandmates. In interviews, she has cryptically implied that success and alternative motives had something to do with their separation. The interesting thing about entertainment is that

when you're struggling, everybody goes in with the same goals. You know, but somewhere along the success area, you start to look at everyone around you and go, wait a minute, where you going? Where are you headed? Because I'm going this way. What happened? I thought we were all on the, you know, and sometimes success can do that. sometimes it really illuminates, you know, creative differences, spiritual differences, you know, emotional differences. And I, you know, just like a young person would think that, you know, the friends that you, my fifth grade friends are going to be my friends forever, you know, throughout high school,

throughout, and it's not that they cease being your friends, but sometimes you just mature to a place and some people get there faster, some people don't, you know, and, you know, hopefully ultimately everyone catches up. As Miss Hill works toward her conclusion on Superstar, she plays off the star of Superstar, saying, When it's finished, I'm serious, I'm taking over areas in Aquarius. Aquarius is one of the oldest constellations along the zodiac,

with Miss Hill saying, When it's over, we suspect she means death, and Aquarius might represent the heavens above. Again, rather than be a superstar here on Earth, she'd rather live in such a way that ensures she excels in the afterlife. This is continued as she says, Running Red Lights with my 10,000 chariots. This cites the Bible passage Psalm 6817,

quote, The chariots of God are tens of thousands. By saying she's running red lights, we assume Ms. Hill is alluding to the devil or hell. Again, she's living on earth in a way that allows her to escape hell in the afterlife. As Miss Hill works toward the conclusion of her verse, she plays off the Andrew Lloyd-Weber musical,

Jesus Christ Superstar. She says, just as Christ was a superstar, you're stupid, star. They hail you, then nail you, no matter who you are. Miss Hill feels that if the worship superstar allows their popularity and public perception to control or influence their actions, they put themselves at risk for a type of crucifixion. Because in the end, those that create the pedestal have the power, as they can just as easily take it away. Rather than collecting accolades and chasing the spotlight, Miss Hill feels it's better to focus on one's spirit to serve God and help those around you.

Well, the first Grammy I went was with the Fugis. I guess I was honored, you know what I mean? But the honor to me has less to do with the award. You know what I'm saying? To me, that translates in the relationship that I have with the audience and if my music is helpful to them. You know, that's the award, you know. And that, you know, if I never want to,

Grammy, you know. I would be satisfied if in fact I could help people because it's really really not about that. And I don't say that because it sounds like something cool to say. I mean really, you know, my mother has that stuff, all the awards and stuff because you know if I walked downstairs every day and I saw all my achievements, it would be so easy to become complacent. I've got all of these and look at those. I need to do anything else. But life is continued work. It's constant learning. I don't even, the whole concept of retirement I don't even buy into. You know, we should constantly be working, maybe not physically working, but we could be spiritually, emotionally working toward bettering ourselves

and bettering the lives of others around us. So I'm, you know, I get really afraid of those little comfort, you know, those things that make us feel like, you know, we did something great. Because I've done nothing. I've done nothing, and I mean that sincerely. Superstar takes aim at the facade and fallibility of stardom. As we've heard throughout Miseducation, Ms. Hill places her argument within a spiritual and biblical framework, citing scripture and ancient wisdom as her primary sources, as she calls out the wayward ways of her peers.

This sentiment will not only persist, but amplify as Miseducation continues with his next track, final hour. A song will dissect right after the break. Welcome back to Dysect. The second half of today's episode is dedicated to the song Final Hour, rounding out a trio of songs focused on authenticity and hip-hop culture. Like the album's opening track Lost Ones, the three verses of Final Hour display Miss Hill's mastery of rap and rhyming,

beginning with verse one. Yeah. I treat this like my thesis, well-written topic broken down into pieces. I introduced and produced words so confused. This abuse how I juice up this beat like a dude. Two people, both people like I'm Gemini, rather see me on if I'm Jimmy on this lock I can't pop it, you can't stop it, drop it, your whole crew microscopic like particles

while I make international articles and on the cover, don't dissust the baby mother, business up in this third up you can't tell me I witness first-handed, I'm candid, you can't stand it, respect, demanded, and get flown around the planet, rock hard like planet, or still people feel Lauren Hill from Newark to Israel and this is real so I keep making the street balance Miss Hill begins by addressing the scholarly detail with which she wraps, saying, I treat this like my thesis, well-written topic, broken down into pieces. I introduce, then produce words so profuse. In formal essay writing, a thesis statement is found in the beginning of a piece,

stating the paper's topic and the author's position on that topic. The bulk of the essay then works to prove the thesis. Miss Hill plays on this definition, claiming her rhymes are, intricate and thorough as a scholarly paper. The verse continues, it's abuse how I juice up this beat like I'm Deuce, two people both equal like I'm Gemini. Miss Hill plays off the fact that juice is slaying for both street cred and steroids, claiming her rhyming skills are so strong it should be considered abuse on the beat. She compares her strength to being equal to two people, playing off the fact that she's a Gemini, a sign known for its dual personalities. She continues by

extending the metaphor saying, two people both equal like I'm Gemini, rather Simian, if I jimmy on this lock I could pop it. Miss Hill references Simeon from the New Testament here, the devout man who accepted baby Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem. She then plays out the fact that Simeon sounds like Slim, by referencing Slim Jim, a tool used to Jimmy or unlock car doors without a key. The kicker comes when we realize that Simeon and Jimmy are both first names and are in fact the two people she refers two in the line, like I'm Deuce, two people both equal like I'm Gemini. After a series of lines that put down her competition, Miss Hill asserts her worldwide influence saying, you can't stand it, respect demanded, and get flown around the planet, rock hard like granite or steel. Here she cleverly

ends one line with the word planet, then says rock hard. The meaning here changes depending on the way you group the words. When heard Planet Rock, she references the influential African Bambata song Planet Rock from 1982, a bona fide hip-hop classic. If we hear Miss Hill's line, Rock Hard Like Granite or Steel, we realize she's also playing off hard rock cafe, flipping the words to mean she rocks the bike as hard as granite, a type of rock, or steel, an extremely hard alloy.

This is punctuated with the next line. People feel Lauren Hill from Newark to Israel. This exercises her worldly influence and popularity. She shouts out her hometown, Newark, New Jersey, whose nickname is New Jerusalem, and Israel, whose capital is actually Jerusalem. We also realize Ms. Hill is calling back to our opening lines referencing Simeon, the man who accepted baby Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem. Finally, Ms. Hill closes verse one pointing out her authenticity, saying, and this is real, so I keep making the streets ballads,

while you're looking for dressing to go with your tossed salad. In one of the more humorous lines of the album, Ms. Hill compares her rival MC's skills to eating ass and finds them scrambling for dressing, an additive to mask the taste of their shitty, inauthentic songs. Given what we heard on the song Superstar, this quote-unquote dressing could also be a play on the flashing dressing style of bling culture and hip-hop, which we know Miss Hill views as phony. Final hour continues with the song's hook. We can view this concise hook as the thesis statement. Ms. Hill mentions in the opening lines of the track. She warns about getting too caught up in our attempts to climb the cultural hierarchy through

money and power, encouraging us to keep an eye on the final hour, a euphemism for death. Given the countless references to scripture throughout miseducation, we might also assume the final hour comes within a judgment from God and an implication that our behavior on earth will have consequences in the afterlife. This viewpoint is further elaborated on as the song progresses into verse 2. The final hour. I'm about to change the focus. From the riches to the brokest.

I wrote this. Ophus to reverse the hypnosis. Whoever closest to the line going to win it. You're going to fall trying to bore while my team win the pennant. I'm about to be in it for a minute, then run for Senate. Make a slum lord be the tenant. Give us money the kids to spend it. And then a minute.

Every law that never prevented. I'll survive since I rival, documented in the Bible like Moses and Aaron. Things going to change is apparent. And all transparent are apparent. Gonna be seen through. Let God redeem you. Keep your Dean true. You can get the green too.

Watch out who you cling to observe how the queen doing. I remain calm reading the 73rd song Because with all this going on I got the world in my palm Now you can get the money Miss Hill begins I'm about to change the focus From the Richest to the Brokest

I wrote this opus to reverse the hypnosis The opus or grand scale work here Is the album Miseducation itself Unlike her contemporaries Who Focus on the Riches Miss Hill is going to focus on real issues The majority of everyday people deal with By citing the hypnosis

she seems to allude to a kind of cultural spell, one in which we worship false idols and chase wealth and power because we're taught that this is the path to happiness. In reality, it typically just leads to making the rich people more rich. This is elaborated on in the subsequent lines, I'm about to begin it for a minute, then run for Senate, make a slumlord be the tenant, give his money to kids to spend it. This resembles a Robin Hood-type mentality of taking from the rich

and giving to the poor. But Ms. Hill wants to take it a step further, as she wants to not only redistribute wealth, but also make the disingenuous, immoral landlord, actually experience what it feels like to live under the conditions that they themselves construct. The verse continues with a series of extremely complex lines. Amend it, every law ever prevented our survival since our arrival, documented in the Bible, like Moses and Aaron, things going to change as apparent. Here Miss Hill parallels the history of black people in America with the Israelites in the Bible.

Both groups were oppressed. Blacks were captured and enslaved in America, while Israelites were enslaved by Egyptians in the Bible. Ms. Hill professes that if she were senator, she amend all the laws that, quote, prevented our survival since our arrival, which alludes to the numerous laws that enslaved blacks, but also the laws after the abolition of slavery that worked against the advancement of the black community. She compares this liberation with the liberation of the Israelites documented in the Bible. Moses was the prophet that led the Israelites out of Egypt by parting the Red Sea. Aaron was Moses' brother, who helped to articulate Moses' message to the masses. The verse continues, and all the transparent going to be seen through, Let God redeem you, keep your dean true.

These lines apply that God can see through your deception, that he knows the true intentions behind your behavior. Like in the song Duop, Miss Hill brings up the concept of dean, an Arabic term that refers to the way of life Muslims must adopt to comply with divine law and the judgment of God. Ms. Hill concludes verse two saying, observe how a queen do, and I remain calm reading the 73rd Psalm, because with all that's going on, I got the world in my palm. The 73rd Psalm in the Bible is rather long, so we won't read it in full here. But in short, the passage questions why wicked people who treat others arrogantly

prosper, and why these wicked people are often treated like celebrities because of their wealth. Ultimately, the 73rd Psalm concludes by asserting what matters more than wealth and fame is keeping faith and holding fast to God and God's promises. Wealth is fleeting, lost in a moment, but life in God is forever. It also points out that those who exploit others will be judged by God, so people of faith can give up their envy and their anger over what seems like an unjust world. By saying, because with all that's going on, I got the world in my palm, it seems Ms. Hill is referring to the Bible in her hand.

It's her source of guidance and her direct line to God. I try, you know, not to have a day past where I don't read something from the Bible, for example. It's like my sustenance to me. If the entire week is a battlefield, you know, it's like reading that is sort of like that parachute with the box of, you know, reserves it comes, you know, in the middle of the war. And you have food and water and the toothbrush and toilet paper. You're just like, thank you. You know, so. After a repetition of the song's hook, final hour resumes with verse three.

I've been here before the saint the battle. The spiritual illusions continue in verse three as Miss Hill opens, rapping, I be Breaking Bread, Sipping Manashevitz wine. It's a phrase that comes off as mocking the boastful raps of her peers. Rather than bread, as in money, an expensive crystal champagne, Miss Hill's references are religious in nature.

Breaking Bread is a phrase used several times in the Bible, the most well-known reference being the description of the Last Supper recounted in Corinthians 11. Quote, The Lord Jesus on the night when he he was portrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me, unquote. From this story birthed communion, a remembrance ceremony performed at Christian churches,

in which one eats a piece of bread and sips wine in remembrance and dedication to Jesus. It would see Ms. Hill is alluding to communion as she also references wine. She specifies Manashevitz wine, which is a kosher wine consumed primarily by those of Jewish faith. Like we've heard throughout Ms. Education, Ms. Hill here is intermixing religious groups, a sign that she prioritizes faith, God, and spirituality over fixing herself to anyone's specific religion. Every day is a lesson in focus for me, you know, and not buying into sort of the world's concept of what you have to be. You know, I'm really trying every day to be individual and not just in, you know, my style or my look or my music, but in my approach to life.

I don't want to be religious. I want to be spiritual. Anybody can be religious. Some people jog religiously. You don't want to be that. You want to be spiritual. You want to have a relationship with God as opposed to doing what everyone else does.

Ms. Hill continues her third verse referencing a print song, saying, pay no mind, party like it's 1999. She's implying that her subject acts as if they won't be held accountable for their short-sighted self-indulgent behavior. She follows saying, but when it comes down to ground beef like Palestine, say your rhymes, let's see if that gets you out of your bind. Miss Hill plays off the phrase ground beef, as in meat, applying it to the ongoing ground battles or beef between Palestine and Israel and the Middle East. Miss Hill claims that their

self-indulgent rhymes will be futile when the day of judgment comes. Next comes the rhyme, now I may get the mozzarella like Rockefeller, playing off cheese being slaying for money, and Rockefeller, who is of course famous for his wealth. Like the version, opening line, Miss Hill counters this boast with the subsequent line, still be in the church of La La La Bella, singing hymns Acapella. La La La Bella is a town in Ethiopia famous for its rock-cut churches. Miss Hill is saying that despite the wealth she's acquired, she hasn't lost sight of her spirit and strives to forever make that her priority. This idea is repeated in the verse's next couplet, whether posed in Mirabella and Couture,

or collecting residuals from off the score, I'm making sure I'm with the 144. Mirabella was a woman's magazine and couture is the French word meaning fashionable clothes. The score, as you know, was the multi-platinum Fuji's album, and residuals are royalty payments made to contributors of an album. Finally, 1444,000 refers to the 144,000 people that will be allowed into heaven as mentioned three times in the Bible's book of Revelation. So when all the references are accounted for, Miss Hill's line translates to something like, Whether I'm dressed fancy on a magazine cover or collecting money from my music,

I'm still focused on following God's word and ensuring my place in the afterlife. This final third verse's complexity doesn't relent as it works towards its conclusion. Ms. Hill continues her clever spiritual boasts saying, I make Salat like a Sunni. Salat is the Arabic term for prayer, while Sunni refers to the largest sect of Muslim faith. Ms. Hill plays off the fact that Salat sounds like the phrase, a lot. So saying, I make Salat like a Sunni,

it sounds as if she's bragging about her income, when she's really bragging about how much she prays. Later, Miss Hill says, had opportunity went from Hoodshok to Hood Sheik. Hoodshock is a series of free concerts organized by the Fugis that aim to register new young voters. Hood Sheik plays off two types of chic. Sheik spelled C-H-I-C means stylish and elegant, while Sheik spelled S-H-E-I-K means the leader of a Muslim community. So again, on first listen, you think she's bragging about wealth and materialism,

but she's slyly referring to her faith. Next, Miss Hill says, But it ain't what you cop, it's about what you keep. It's a line that's now often quoted, and has become a kind of hip-hop adage. It implies that acquiring of wealth and material goods is one thing, but real success is sustainment and what you materialize in the long term.

Given everything else she said throughout the track, we might assume she means what you keep in the afterlife, which is not wealth acquired here on earth, but one's moral character and devotion to God. Finally, Miss Hill concludes the third, verse, and even if there are leaks, you can't capsize this ship, because I baptize my lips every time I take a sip. She compares herself to a ship with leaks, which we interpret to mean the flaws in her character. But because she's a woman of faith, she's constantly repenting her sins, constantly correcting and

refining her behavior, which she compares to a baptism, a ceremony in which one is submerged in water to be reborn or replenished in the name of God. We also realize that by saying baptized my lips every time I take a sip. Ms. Hill also brings the verse full circle, back to her multi-religious reference to communion and drinking Manashevitz wine. Conclusions. Doop That Thing, Superstar, and Final Hour are three variations on the same theme. Ms. Hill holds a mirror to those whose behavior she believes has wavered from the Dean or straight path, the path that is pleasing to God. She warns throughout these songs that while this behavior and immorality can offer short-term benefits like fleshly pleasure, stardom, and wealth, there will be long-term consequences

when these people face the judgment of God in the final hour. Throughout at all, Ms. Hill embodies the boastful posture and tone common in hip-hop. But rather than bragging about money and status, she brags about her spirituality, about how much she prays, and how devoted she is to God. She proves that one's lyrical content can have a message without devaluing its coolness, credibility, listenability, or commercial appeal. This works to prove Ms. Hill's thesis, that, as she says on Superstar, music is supposed to inspire. By expressing her message in a language that appeals to the community she's speaking to, she creates a direct line of communication with that community,

a kind of street scripture or textbook that can be referred to for guidance if one really listens. And it's this marriage of music and wisdom that to me is the biggest takeaway from the tree of songs we've discussed over the past two episodes. Whatever your thoughts are about God or religion or spirituality, the central message of Ms. Hill's words is one of self-reflection. It's the critical evaluation of yourself and your actions, getting to the root of your motives, and being honest with yourself about your true intentions. If it turns out one's life is eventually evaluated objectively by a higher being,

how would you score? How self-indulgent are your actions? How much does ego and pride influence your behavior? Is the image that you project to the world a reflection? of who you truly are, or is it simply an attempt to fulfill a stereotype culture as pressed upon you? How much do you value the opinion of others, and how does that influence the way you behave? How truthful are your words? How much do you value your time on earth? How often do you think about how your actions are contributing to humanity at large? When's the last time you did

something purely for the benefit of someone else? If everyone lived life the way you did, would the world be better or worse? The music industry is just a microcontractor. Cosm of the World. So whenever you stand for something and you stand for goodness and truth, you will always get resistance. That's period. Whether you're in pharmaceutical, the pharmaceutical industry, the record industry, or whatever, whenever you stand for truth and for the service, you know, the service of others, see, I could make money very easily. I could make records that are self-indulgent and, you know, basically self-promote me. You know, lyrically as an MC, that stuff comes easy. But in order to do that.

to promote something higher, I mean, I feel now at the ripe old age of 25 that the only thing that I could do is serve others. You understand what I'm saying? And because there are people who have not reached that point in their walk, you know, yes, there's a little anger, there's a little resentment, because you raise a standard, you know, you, especially when you do it and you make some noise, you know, and you do it and people actually listen to what you have to say and like your record is bumping on the radio. And you know, you, you you're saying something that holds a mirror up to a lot of the negativity and self-indulgent things and messages that a lot of other people, you know, but we're all young. I mean,

I have a hard time being so hard on the music world, especially hip-hop, because most of them come out of the hood, 17 years old, having no clue or concept, having no concept of what life really is. And because hip hop is so fast and what we like changes so quickly, by the time they do get a concept, they're no longer making records. You know, so I was, I've been putting this unique position. I have this very unique responsibility that God has made me aware while I still have the mic. For me now, I'm learning that it's more important to be righteous than to be right. I've tried to be right. You know, this is right.

This is an injustice. This is a travesty. I'm right. but I've been very unrighteous and still right. You can attack someone completely right, but it doesn't resolve anything. It doesn't solve your problem. So I understand now that the battlefield,

and that the war is so much greater than what we see before us. You know, I live in this physical body. This is like my address, like 22 Eater Terrace. I just gave everybody my address, but that's my address. But this is where I live, you know, but there's something much deeper. something much deeper. Who I am, you know, has nothing to do with, you know, the hair and the shoes and stuff, even though I like shoes. But, you know, it has nothing to do with that.

You know, and what I do, I mean, I find there's a lot of power and prayers, so I pray for the people who don't understand me. And I tell you, be honest with you, I pray more now to understand than to be understood. I pray that I understand them so that I can talk to them, minister to them even more. You understand what I'm saying? As the Miseducation of Lauren Hill continues, Ms. Hill turns inward with a trio of songs that chronicle a story of love, heartbreak, and forgiveness. It's the critical turning point in the album's narrative, a turning point will thoroughly discuss. Next time on Dysect.

Dysect is written and produced by me. Project support by Spotify's Michelle Santucci. Original theme music by Birocratic. Song Recreations by Andrew Atwood. Additional research by Akash Pandi. Remember, when you listen to Dysect on Spotify, you'll get episodes a week early plus access to exclusive bonus episodes. Follow at Dysect Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and join our newsletter at Dysectpodcast.com. Okay, thanks everyone.

Talk to you next week.