Gangsta
tUnE-yArDs Lyrics

What's a boy to do if he'll never be a gangsta
He questions his identity and purpose, feeling impotent without violence as his means

Anger in his heart, but he'll never be a gangsta
His anger has no outlet, unfulfilled by his inability to fit the stereotypical image

If you move into his neighborhood, he'll never make a sound
He's too powerless to defend his turf, knowing he can't back up his image with action

What's a boy to do if he'll never be a rasta
He wonders if there's a non-violent way to define himself and express his inner thoughts

Singin' from his heart, but he'll never be a rasta
He feels the need to express himself, but longs for an identity that suits him better

If you move into his neighborhood, he'll never make a sound
He's not satisfied with who is, but his lack of confidence prevents him from asserting himself

Bang bang bang oh
The constant threat of violence is always present

Ain't never move to my hood
Don't come here, you'll regret it

Cause danger is crawling out the wood
The danger is imminent, inescapable, and hard to detect

What's a girl to do if she'll never be a rasta
She faces similar identity struggles, feeling disconnected from her true self without the cultural context

Singin' from her heart, but she'll never be a rasta
Her sincerity is undermined by not living up to the required image

If you move into her neighborhood, she'll never make a sound
She feels powerless and helpless, not wanting to call any attention to herself

If you move into her neighborhood, she'll never make a
She doesn't want to be seen as someone to mess with, so she won't act out

Hey
An attention-grabber, possibly an interruption in the narrative

(You're going to put that on tape for the sake of posterity)
Even the mundane and trivial things in life have a value

(You're ruining the tape)
A humorous jab at the importance of preserving history in the form of audio recordings

Life in the city (the city)
A setup for a commentary on urban life

Makes more sense when Jesus comes
Urban anomie can only be overcome by a spiritual presence

Ain't never move to
An urging caution to stay away

Bang Bang Bang
A warning or threat, indicative of imminent violence