The song’s theme is based on common phrases, such as:

The loudest in the room is the weakest in the room.

or

Those who tell don’t know and those who know don’t tell.

Its title is a reference to the posthumously released 2Pac track, 1997’s “Lie To Kick It”—which also inspired Ice Cube’s “You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Ta Kick It)” in 2000; the latter of which is sampled here for good measure. Other notable interpolations include “Fly Fo Life” by Suga Free and “You’re Getting a Little Too Smart” by Detroit Emeralds.

It’s a powerful message of the figurative purgatory that rappers and entertainers can enter if they are not stratospherically successful, yet not anonymous enough to return to their hood without receiving unwanted attention. There are racial undertones here, and the use of stereotypical black imagery paints Kendrick as a hood figure; but it can be applied to other aspects in life, where you feel pressure to perform or act a certain way.

Kendrick’s rational side is warning the listener not to lie for respect or personal gain. This furthers the album’s message, as portrayed in tracks like “For Sale? (Interlude)” and “For Free? (Interlude),” where he criticizes those who think rap is inherently about money and power.