Battle Scars
by Lupe Fiasco (featuring Guy Sebastian)

Album: Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 (2012)
Charted: 71
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Lupe teamed up with Australian singer-songwriter Guy Sebastian for this R&B/rock hybrid. Sebastian was the first winner of Australian Idol in 2003 and has gone on to become one of the most successful recording artists of the 21st century in his home country. This was his sixth #1 single in Australia - no other Australian male artist has ever achieved as many.
  • Speaking with Australian radio network Nova, Sebastian explained the song's meaning. "It's about your own personal battle scars," he said, "and for every individual those are different; some might be words or labels... it might be relationship scars. When I wrote this song, and when Lupe wrote his bits, we just really wanted it to be something that just inspired people to, sort of, confront those things, and also maybe try and work to think about burying and ripping up those labels; throwing them away."
  • Fiasco came to Sebastian's Sydney studio to record his rap. He arrived with two versions of it already written, and after listening to his first war-orientated one, Sebastian decided it portrayed the emotion of the track so well that he didn't even need to listen to his second rhyme.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

AC/DC

AC/DCFact or Fiction

Does Angus really drink himself silly? Did their name come from a sewing machine? See if you can spot the real stories about AC/DC.

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.