Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: hip-hop
Song Meaning of “CPU” by Big Boi
Big Boi’s song ‘CPU’ is a danceable, ebullient hip-hop track about computing and the technological age in which we live. The title itself stands for Central Processing Unit—the brains of a computer—and, as such, the song is an apt metaphor for society, comparing the average person to a computer in their efficiency and power.
The lyrics of ‘CPU’ reflect this comparison, with Big Boi rapping about living life like it’s a machine, with every move pre-calculated and calculated efficiently. He keenly laments how “the world runs on codes we can’t control,” a sharp commentary on the reality of a world dictated by technology and the illusion of free will. He also makes the point that everybody is just imitating what they see, whether it be on social media or other forms of entertainment, highlighting the tired notion of meaningless repetition in a tech era.
Ultimately, ‘CPU’ is about a world that is increasingly becoming more robotic, and the people who are being controlled and manipulated by its machines. Despite its dark themes, the song is presented with celebratory, upbeat production, reminding the listener that, ultimately, life is fun, and our efforts shouldn’t be focused on our pursuit of human-like machines, but on becoming more human ourselves.