For Sale? - Interlude

“For Sale? - Interlude“ offers a deeper insight into the previously introduced figure of Lucy (a character representing Lucifer).

As the song goes on, it is understood that Lucy is short for Lucifer, hence the lines about temptation and signing contracts. The name makes the song work in tandem with “For Free?.” Both songs relate to his value as a musician, and how that transcends into his value as a person. In “For Free?” he criticizes the culture that breeds a belief that musicians and famous people must “floss” or be showy with their money. Here, he juxtaposes that criticism with the seductive nature of the hip-hop lifestyle, namely the bling culture, and the idea that once an artist signs a deal and receives their advance, all their dreams will come true.

Lucy is shorthand for the Devil (Lucifer), who Kendrick personifies here as a woman attempting to lure him away from God and virtue with promises of wealth.

According to Songfacts, Kendrick gave some details about the definition of Lucy in an interview for The Guardian:

"That’s some scary s–t. It’s like looking at a bullet inside of a gun, knowing you can kill yourself with it, but you’re still picking it up and playing with it.

Everything that we glorified in the hood – smoking, drinking, women, violence – was at my feet times 10. All of it’s there. In the neighborhood we wanted to have power and with success comes power. That is temptation at its highest."

Kendrick uses the voice to showcase his inner thoughts in both verses. This isn’t the first time he used accents in his verses, he used them in "M.A.A.D City" and for the single version of "i". He also used the accents later on during the record with "You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said)". The accents themselves are very much influenced by André 3000.