Shallow Days

time and time, a brother asks why

the rhyme is not laced with a gangsta touch

I said "Simply because I don't live that way

still kickin' them rhymes rugged and rough"

"But that won't sell,

cause you gotta keep it real

so that we can feel

where you're coming from

Because these streets is ill so if you ain't

killing niggas in rhymes

your whole sound's just bubble gum"

I said "I won't contribute to genocide;

I'd rather try to cultivate the inner side

and try to evolve the frustrated ghetto mind

The devil and his army never been a friend of mine"

"But niggas don't wanna hear that shit" said the

brother

who was obviously totally misled and yelled out

"murder murder, kill, murder" instilled in the

influential (walks ?)

of our kids' heads

shallow days, you never wanna

let a brother be a brother

fully inner to the outer

caught up in all them hollow nights

can't escape cause everywhere that I look

people front, and it just ain't right

(repeat)

I said "Don't you know the powers that be

are using people as pawns, devouring we

until they see us all gone and outta the scene"

and as I passed the chronic, he said "look at where I be,

I tried to get a job for real,

but all the homies (hit licks?) and rob and steal

and keep fat pockets caught in a rut to catch ground

this way's in, plus who could you trust?"

I said "I'm all about protecting mine,

but neglecting minds for getting left behind.

Why don't you change your environment?"

He said "This is all I know,

plus my fam's all that I got, I can't go"

I said "You gotta make it for the fams"

"Damn," he said "I didn't make the ghetto,

The ghetto made the man"

I said "You're more than just that,"

shook his hand, said "Damn, you gotta find a way

to break the devil's master plan, peace"

shallow days, you never wanna

let a brother be a brother

fully inner to the outer

caught up in all them hollow nights

can't escape cause everywhere that I look

people front, and it just ain't right

(repeat)

The word "peace" is just an expression

used to say bye when it's time to jet

and them red black and green medallions

was all just part of the trend, I guess

Hardly ever them around brothers' necks no more

Instead of that gold (gats ?)

inspiring gangstas and macks

who at the young age of four

be seeing more drama than war veterans

instead of learning God's laws

and hip-hop is ((all the ways ?) till we enlist that ??)

to express how we be feeling about this and that

but music does reflect life

and kids look up to what you're portraying

and mimic what you act like

It's time for a new day

an era in rap, conscious styles,

makin' them aware of the happenings

but their ears seem more steered towards

self-annihilation so then they might laugh

and write this off, like I'm out here just

blowing wind, maybe label us soft or unreal,

something they just can't feel, while they yell

"murder murder murder, kill kill kill"

I just keep movin' on (moving on ...)

I just keep movin' on (moving on ...)

shallow days / hollow nights

(repeat)