The title of this song is a clever inversion of an existing phrase, “Dead on Arrival.” As in, the victim was taken to the hospital but there was nothing we could do for him, because he was dead on arrival. He was dead before we even processed him.

In this song, the narrator is alive on arrival. Which implies… they should have been able to help him. But they didn’t. The title is an implied criticism of the medical system, particularly its racism.

It samples David Bowie’s song “Fame”

The storytelling in this song is particularly vivid, and it stands out even among Cube’s already long list of vivid story tracks. Just check the résumé:

• “Once Upon A Time In The Projects”
• “A Gangsta’s Fairytale”
• “Gangsta’s Fairytale, pt. 2”
• “My Summer Vacation”
• “It Was A Good Day”
• “Who Got The Camera?”
• “Extradition”