Lights Over Paris – ‘I’m not a Gangsta’ (ft. Game): Greatest Song Ever Written

LOP lookin' all tuff

A lot of controversy has surrounded the hit pop/rock group Lights Over Paris (LOP) over the past two years. From their innovative approach to building their brand via ‘becoming a YouTube sensation’ to their gritty real-world, white-knuckled tween street team that passionately advocates for the group across several outlets. As one of the doctors here at Plaid Creature (PC), I know that our site has been involved (via our Google PageRank) in a lot of the criticism the band has received over the past two years… Are they real? Or is this just another heavily produced, industry (cash driven) manufactured pop group?

Well dear readers, let me just say, they are REAL! And they are here to stay!
So let’s wrap it all up
put this all to bed
once and for all
with a look at…

THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN

Recently, we at PC were made aware of LOP’s next hit single, ‘I’m Not Gangsta’.
A song I initially approached with, if I’m being completely honest here, a bit a skepticism.
I thought to myself… ‘Here we go again… another disappointing piece of musical buffoonery… another ‘club anthem’ like every other ‘club anthem’…

Let me just be to the first to say that
I was wrong!
Upon first listen (via YouTubez), I realized… that ‘I’m not a Gangsta’ is in fact….

THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN

It opens with a declaration of truth regarding the lifestyle of women living in the south-western state of California.

Down in Cali (I LIVE IN CALI TOO!!!)
The girls drink ‘till they go crazy (SO TRUE!)
And smoke ‘till they all get dizzy (OMG, THEY DO!!!!!!! THEY SO DO!!!!)
She told me I can call her my ‘baby’ (AWWWWWWWW)
But Just for the night (LOL! this is sooooo GANGSTA!)

Then it moves into in a visceral experience of two young lovers making a break for the shoreline. Remember that feeling when you first met your significant other? That ‘butterflies in your stomach’ feeling?
This is the part where that happens.
A critical analysis of the lyrics might show that this portion of the song, while lacking in length, is by no means lacking in depth.
Hemingway would be proud!

We were coasting
All the way down to the ocean (BEST LINE IN THE WHOLE SONG, IMHO LOLZ!)
And then she slipped something inside my hand (UH OH!!!! WHAT COULD IT BE?!?!? PERSONALLY… I THINK IT’S A…. a marijuana cigarette.. SHHHH!!! DON’T TELL MOM!)
And threw the blanket down on the sand
And this is what I said:

As THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN, LOP nails the chorus (below) in ‘I’m Not Gangsta’. Not to give away too much here, but if you read between the lines, what seems like a declaration of true love is really a statement of dedication to the ‘hood life’ (from the perspective of an affluent white suburbanite). Notice how at the end of the chorus, LOP’s ‘Robb’ is clearly stating to the female interest (of the moment) in his song that he would do anything for her (via riding n dying), but quickly, and in parenthesis, ‘Game’ is there to remind him that regardless of what is stated, he’s still on ‘that Gangsta tip’.
Just as Shakespeare broke the fourth wall to have his characters speak directly to the audience and expose their inner thoughts/intentions, ‘Game’ is there to let the listener in on ‘the secret’.

I’m not a gangsta (O RLY? TEE HEE! PSSSST…. I’M IN ON IT!!!!)
But I would ride for you
And if it came down to it I would die for you
I’m not a gangsta
But I’d get high with you (I TOLD YOU!!!! OMG!!!! I WAS SOOO RIGHT!!!!)
I would throw away my whole freakin’ life for you (AWWWWWWWWW!!!)
I’m not a Gangsta (But I be on that Gangsta tip) (UH OH!!!!)
I’m not a Gangsta (But I be on that Gangsta tip)

To lend some additional ‘street cred’ to their track, if the above hasn’t already convinced you of how ‘Gangsta’ ‘Robb’ is, ‘Game’ lends a hand to bolster their credibility. A tried and true ‘real-life gangster’ that rose to fame as part of the ‘G-Unit’ as well as modeling for Sean Diddy Puffy Comb’s ‘Sean John’ clothing line and the unforgettable collaboration with Kanye West and Ludacris (via Boost Mobile endorsement http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4ko9Ogh75o). You can’t get much more REAL than that!

(‘Game’)
Stop
Hold up
Tell her I’m back and
Tell her I’m not Who she think I am (UH OH! DID HE GET CAUGHT IN HIS LIE!?!?!)
Tell her we can take a ride down south beach MIA (OMG THIS SONG HAS THE BEST BEACHES!!!!)
Get lost in my lamb (LAMB???? OOOOOOoooo… LAMBORGHINI!!!! I GET IT!!!! THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE CARS!!! WISH I HAD ONE!!!!! SO CLEVER!!!!)
God damn she fine I ain’t used to this
I’m used to leaning back in the hood
rolling back boys back to the wall with my hoodie on
Now she got me in the 9021
Oh get you one,
Peace to my old girl, got me a new one
She’s so hood yeah she’s so me
Our love is like a drug and we O.D
Because I got me a winner
Charlie Sheen invited us over for dinner (OMFGROFLOLZ! I LOVE CHARLIE SHEEN!!!! WINNING! THIS IS SO FUNNY! AND SO RIGHT NOW!!!!)
Then we both went in her (MOM! IT’S JUST A SONG!!!!)
Then we both went our own separate ways (SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GANGSTA!!!!)
And Charlie had this to say

CHORUS

By the end of ‘Game’s’ contribution, this song has already solidified itself in the annals of music/pop/rock/rap history. Not only do we get an accurate portrayal of what ‘Game’s’ life is like, from coast to coast, we also touch upon the playful nature of LOP, referencing contemporary ‘bad boy’, Charlie Sheen. A move, on the pulse of contemporary American pop culture, because in order to break the billboard charts, you’ve got to not only have something to say, you’ve got to be current/relevant. Mark another staple of the GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN action-item list off the checklist ‘Robb’! Great job!

The last verse… might be a tad too insinuating for the middle-American ‘smart shopping’ public, BUT it shouldn’t keep it off the store shelves at your local Super Wal-Mart. The icing on top is that it both encapsulates and reinforces the prior verses and, if you haven’t ‘Gotten’ it’ by now, clues you into what being a ‘Gangsta’ in ‘modern society’ is all about!

Underneath the boardwalk baby
Or in your parents bed
And even while I’m driving baby
You always give me (UH OH!!!! MOM!!! OMG COVER YOUR EARS!!!!! OH WAIT!!! HE DIDN’T SAY ‘HEAD’!!!! THANKS FOR MAKING THIS ‘MOM SAFE’ ‘ROBB’!!! NOW I CAN TOTALLY LISTEN TO THIS IN MY ROOM!!!!)
You always get me
Underneath the boardwalk baby
Or in your parents bed (OMG *BLUSH*!!!!!)
And even while I’m driving baby (OMGOMGOMG!!!!!! MOM DOESN’T KNOW! BUT I DO!!!!!!!! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GANGSTA!!!!!)
When you’re finished this is what I said

CHORUS CHORUS CHORUS

And thus… THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN has been unleashed onto the world.
But alas, what do our dear Plaid readers think?
Do you agree with my opinion?
Does it juxtapose with your own interpretations?
Dare I even ask the question… is this truly THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN?????