Lupe Fiasco's Michael Young History - The breakdown of "The Cool" Story

[slimnuc]

Props! Nice break down of the Michael Young story. I also agree that Lupe is THE best doing it right now!
*Check the sig...

 

[speakup23]

WOW, just WOW

 

[6 Rings G.O.A.T.]

Originally Posted by MOSTHATED770

posting for later

 

[millzhouse719]

"'Cause I'm the... [gunshot] (Gunshot referenced because of "The Cools" death?" Always thought the Gunshot was just an indication of what that whole song was referencing to, that was always my take on it. Seems kind of obvious but just always my take on it. 

 

[noslickremarks]

I never would have thought this was so deeply thought out, although the song "The Cool" From F&L depicts this Michael Young character.
I just didnt realize til now.

 

[tonton32]

 

[jawnyquest]

Originally Posted by ggarvinXX3

DIS @%@!$$ A GENIUS !

  

 

[gtek]

I knew about The Cool's scenario..
but I never thought to link it back to Food and Liquor.

 

[Renaldo Balkman]

very very awesome! seen Lupe live when he came down to the islands... very talented

 

[omgitswes]

I'm the same as GTEK
but that was one of the more enjoyable posts I've seen on NT

 

[youngjordan23]

The metaphor aren't difficult ones but the concept to piece them together through two albums and have a whole other story in general is the

 part about it. I should give lupe more of a chance but some of dudes music tends to bore me

 

[optimusprimeaphia]

I was under the impression people understood the link between these songs...it seemed pretty obvious...


Anyways, just wikipedia it...

[h1]The Cool (character)[/h1][h3]From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/h3]
Jump to: navigation, search
[table][tr][th=""]The Cool /Michael Young History[/th][/tr][tr][td]
The Cool[/td][/tr][tr][th=""]Created by[/th][td]Lupe Fiasco[/td][/tr][tr][th=""]Portrayed by[/th][td]Kadeem Hardison[/td][/tr][tr][th=""]Information[/th][/tr][tr][th=""]Gender[/th][td]Male[/td][/tr][tr][th=""]Age[/th][td]Late 20's, early 30's[/td][/tr][tr][th=""]Occupation[/th][td]Gangster, drug dealer[/td][/tr][tr][th=""]Aliases[/th][td]Michael Young History[/td][/tr][tr][th=""]Family[/th][td]Eight-year-old sister, mother, non-existent father[/td][/tr][tr][th=""]Spouses/Partners[/th][td]The Streets[/td][/tr][tr][th=""]Children[/th][td]One young daughter[/td][/tr][tr][th=""]Possible centric songs[/th][td]"The Cool", "The Coolest", "Hello/Goodbye(Uncool)", "The Die", "Superstar", "Put You On Game", "He Say, SheSay", "Real Recognize Real", "Streets On Fire"[/td][/tr][tr][td]
This box: view • talk
[/td][/tr][/table]
This article is about the concept character. For the associated album by Lupe Fiasco, see Lupe Fiasco's The Cool.

The Cool (born Michael Young History) is a fictional character created by American rapper Lupe Fiasco. First introduced within the titular tenth track on Fiasco's debut album, Food & Liquor, The Cool's background and origin was furthered expanded within Fiasco's sophomore concept album, The Cool.Aside from being the obvious inspiration for the title, he serves asthe central character within the loose, fictional framework of thealbum. The Cool is essentially a murdered drug dealer who has been inexplicably brought back to life and now walks amongst the living as a zombie, searching for a purpose.[sup][1][/sup]
[table][tr][td]
[h2]Contents[/h2] [hide]

• 1 Biography
• 2 Key lyrics
• 3 Appearances
• 4 References

[/td][/tr][/table][h2][edit] Biography[/h2]
Michael Young History had lived a conflicted life since his earlychildhood days. He was abandoned by his father at a young age as toldin the song, "He Say, She Say." Despite the presence of a hard-workingmother, left without a father figure and needing a male role model inhis life, History began to turn to The Streets and her husband The Game, to compensate for the lack of paternal guidance, both characters being personifications of the tough city "streets" and the drug dealing "game."[sup][2][/sup]Being raised by The Streets and mentored by The Game, the otherwiseintelligent, promising young boy was slowly turned into adrug-peddling, gangster.[sup][3][/sup]

In the process of associating with The Streets and The Game, Historybecomes romantically involved with the Streets and sells his soul tothe Game ("Street's got my heart, Game got my soul"). Lupe alsodescribes how Michael Young leaves the mother of his daughter to pursuethe Streets, "that's what I got asked do I love her? Said I don't know. . . To a crying dishonored baby mama who's the mama to a daughterthat I had fathered from afar". The two help Michael History to achievenotoriety as a gangster and drug dealer, all at the cost of losing thethings that are dearest to him.[sup][4][/sup]

"The Die" showcases the story of History's death and the downfall of his empire. He and The Game are returning from a clubwhen The Game requests that they pull over to the side, apparently sothat he can use the bathroom. While an impatient Michael History waitsin the car (incidentally with the song "The Cool" playing faintly in the background),an unnamed gangster (Natalie Orr)ran up to the car and shoot him dead.Although it is never mentioned who the two assassins were hired by, onepossible theory is that The Game was in fact the one who hired them,taking revenge on History for having an affair with his wife. This isalso supported by the fact that the song immediately following "TheDie" is "Put You On Game", a point-of-view narrative by The Game wherehe describes himself as the ever present corruption in society that haseliminated opposition in the past. In addition, The Streets also hasmany tattoos of previous boyfriends she has seduced in the past (i.e. Alexander the Great, Al Capone, etc...), indicating Michael is merely one of many notable, historical figures that the duo has brought down.[sup][4][/sup]



Character logo of The Cool

Upon his death, History is buried in a three-piece suit along withhis few wordly possessions: two diamond earrings, a gold chain layingon his chest, a letter from his eight-year-old sister reading "I missya," a picture of his young daughter, and a swisher cigar in his pocket placed by a friend.[sup][1][/sup]However, six months after burial, History inexplicably awakens from thedead still buried in his coffin. Seeing that the latch is broken, hekicks the casket open and digs his way to the surface, shoveling dirtwith his gold chain and open mouth. Months of decomposition have left his body with an eroded, zombie-likeappearance. Most notably, his right hand has been eaten down to itsskeleton (a reference Lupe Fiasco makes to the decay of righteousness)and despite the settling of rigor mortis,the sharp pain of the three fatal bullets in his body sting upon everywaking movement. It is from this point onwards that he is referred toas "The Cool."[sup][1][/sup]

Once he has made his way to the surface, The Cool attempts to make his way back to the city. He rides the subwaytrain back, much to the other passengers' dismay, as he reeks of death.He finally manages to see himself and what he has become through awindow's reflection and, after a few seconds, realizes that his newfacade does not bother him ("a long look, wasn't shook, wasn'tashamed"). Instead, he begins contemplating on how to pick up his lifewhere he left off, rebuilding his drug empire from the ground up. Heeventually walks past the same spot where he was shot several monthsearlier and finds it odd to be on the other side of things when a groupof children on the street try to sell him drugs. However, whenthe kids suddenly draw their guns on him,(ironically the same one hewas killed with) and when they ask him if he's afraid, The Cool remarkswith his trademark catchphrase: "Hustler for life, no Heaven for a gangster".[sup][1][/sup]
[h2][edit] Key lyrics[/h2][table][tr][th=""]Lyric[/th][th=""]Song[/th][th=""]Notes[/th][/tr][tr][td]"Lord please have sympathy,
And forgive my cool young history."[/td][td]"The Coolest"[/td][td]The line is a play on words as "Michael Young History" can be read as
"my cool young history"[/td][/tr][tr][td]"She said, that she would give me greatness,
Status, placement, amongst the others things,
My face would grace covers of the magazines..."[/td][td]"The Coolest"[/td][td]The Streets lured History into his life of corruption (becoming "cool") through
promises of fortune and fame.[/td][/tr][tr][td]"My new lady gave me a Mercedes and a necklace
 and a solid gold key like the starter of a car,
Or opener of a door, or two pounds of raw"[/td][td]"The Coolest"[/td][td]The Streets wears a locket necklace and gives the key to History (literally
"the key to the streets"). Metaphorically, the key also "unlocks" otheritems such as fancy cars and drugs to sell and profit from. Inaddition, a 'key' is slang for two pounds (a kilo) of cocaine.[/td][/tr][tr][td]"Her eyes glow green with the logo of our dreams..."[/td][td]"The Coolest"[/td][td]The Cool's desire is to become rich as green often refers to money.Dollar signs can be seen is The Streets eyes in the Superstar video[/td][/tr][/table][h2][edit] Appearances[/h2]
Michael Young History appears in the music video Superstar.Thevideo depicts a Mercedes-Benz S-Class stopping at the red carpet. TheCool with his characterizing skeleton hand and The Streets with herdollar signs in her eyes are seen getting out the car. He is alsowearing the chain his 'new girl' gave him.

The lyrics to the song give the idea that Michael is rejected from Heaven, so he comes back to life.

In the song "The Coolest," Lupe raps (regarding the Cool), "NoHeaven up above you, no hell underneath ye and no one will receivethee" saying that History is obviously too bad for heaven as well asbeing too bad for hell.
[h2][edit] References[/h2]

1. ^ [sup]a[/sup] [sup]b[/sup] [sup]c[/sup] [sup]d[/sup] "Biography: The Cool". LupeFiasco.com. http://www.lupefiasco.com/bio_cool.php. Retrieved 2008-12-03. 
2. ^ "What Is 'The Cool'?". MTV.com. 2008-02-11. http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/208680/what-is-the-cool.jhtml#id=1581313. Retrieved 2008-12-13. 
3. ^ "Lupe Fiasco's The Cool: Cast of Characters Revealed". Therapup.uproxx.com. 2007-11-14. http://therapup.uproxx.com/2007/11/lupe-fiascos-the-cool-cast-of-characters-revealed.html. Retrieved 2008-12-01. 
4. ^ [sup]a[/sup] [sup]b[/sup] Solarski, Matthew (2007-11-30). "Lupe Fiasco talks The Cool, Cheeseburgers, Retirement". Pitchforkmedia.com. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/artic...sco-talks-ithe-cooli-cheeseburgers-retirement. Retrieved 2008-12-01. 

[table][tr][th=""][hide]
v • d • e
Lupe Fiasco[/th][/tr][tr][td]
[/td][/tr][tr][td]Studio albums[/td][td]
Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor · Lupe Fiasco's The Cool · Lasers
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
[/td][/tr][tr][td]Singles[/td][td]
"Kick, Push" · "I Gotcha" · "Daydreamin'" · "Dumb It Down" · "Superstar" · "Hip Hop Saved My Life" · "Paris, Tokyo" · "Shining Down"
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
[/td][/tr][tr][td]Featured singles[/td][td]
"Touch the Sky" · "Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom) (Remix)" · "Slow Down"
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
[/td][/tr][tr][td]Characters[/td][td]
The Cool · The Streets · The Game
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
[/td][/tr][tr][td]Related articles[/td][td]
Discography · Awards and nominations · 1st & 15th Entertainment · Child Rebel Soldier
[/td][/tr][/table]

 

[jd turk]

I read up on this a couple months ago, they actually have an article about it on wikipedia, not too hard to find. Lupe to me is the best lyricist out now, his last mixtape was just icing on the cake.

 

[kanyewestjayz4life]

I need help NT:

Lupe was doing a video for this story. What ever happened to it?

I remember seeing lupe presenting what real life actor was going to play which characters. They were on set all dressed up in the characters clothing.

After that video i didnt hear anything about it any more. Did they cancel the project? Info please.

 

[sbib1130]

i kind of peeped this while listening to the cds. those tracks always stood out to me, this just clarified it all. good read

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Would be nice if more dudes did stuff like this.

 

[airjordan jb23]

Originally Posted by KanyeWestJayZ4life

I need help NT:

Lupe was doing a video for this story. What ever happened to it?

I remember seeing lupe presenting what real life actor was going to play which characters. They were on set all dressed up in the characters clothing.

After that video i didnt hear anything about it any more. Did they cancel the project? Info please.

He also wanted to do a comic book for it, but nothing yet...

 

[vernon2k3]

She'd teach my how to fly, even cushion my fall
If my engines ever stall, and I plummet from the sky
But she would keep me high, and if I ever die
She would commission my image on her bosom, to him
Or maybe she'd retire as well
A match made in Heaven set the fires in Hell
Just to add some fuel to the fire...

 

[rafool]

WOW

 

[novaflight]

thanks.

 

[mosthated770]

this thread just makes lupe 100X better in my book...

 

[visualmusic]

I knew about 95% of that, except for a few gaps [the righteousness thing, the Game possibly killing him]. So far that, thanks dude. Best post I've read on here in a while. You broke it down pretty damn nice.

I have one problem though.....How can Michael be listening to 'The Cool' while he gets murdered if the song is about his resurrection? That's one thing that has been bothering me since 'The Cool' [album] dropped.

 

[mosthated770]

hustla for death no heaven for a gangsta..

 

[rock55asu]

Great post 9.9/10, edit the word character and it is perfect. Lupe is killing it and I wish more people did this but from listening to most rappers it seems like they can not keep an idea together for more than 4 bars much less multiple songs.

 

[jthagreat]

^