Ghetto Hell
Afu-Ra Lyrics

Cradled in the womb of the metropolis, dodging hell swarm
Growing up in the city, avoiding dangerous situations

Vision of going to heaven, nothing can stop this
Determined to succeed and make a better life for oneself

Although I'm optimistic, balance it with being realistic
Maintaining hope while being practical about the challenges ahead

Is paradise is part of the plan or scribbled in some book and shit
Wondering if a better life is achievable or just a fantasy

It all goes down as rain drops on my neighborhood
The negative impact of poverty and crime is evident in the community

Love my hood and motherfucker this ain't good
Caring for one's community while acknowledging its flaws

Crack heads selling dope to dope heads
The vicious cycle of drug use and dealing in the area

On blocks that's rented by house niggaz
Property owners profiting from the struggles of others

That's all getting rich off of the bloodshed
Exploiting the suffering and violence in the community for financial gain

And as I experience, none the lesser
Directly witnessing the negative effects of poverty and crime

And it's high and it's high as I got off of the reefers
Using drugs to cope with the harsh reality of life

The balance levels of horror, yo, ain't never disappear
The pervasive nature of hardship and struggle, which never seems to go away

I put the pedal to the metal, heavy metal in the ghetto
Trying to make a change and succeed despite the challenges of the community

I ain't got to raise it, cause hell is the grimy ghetto
The difficult circumstances of living in a poor, dangerous neighborhood

I guess that's the catalyst for so many fantasies
The desire to escape the struggles of the ghetto through dreams and fantasies

We can fantasize and happen to be surrounded by misery
Focusing on hopes and dreams while still being oppressed by poverty and crime

The daughters and sisters, the little bitties
The young girls in the community

Princess inside ya beautiful
These girls have potential and deserve to be treated with respect

But mommy can't afford the sparkles and dresses
Lack of financial resources prevent these girls from enjoying a normal childhood

As a matter of fact, kids around here
The children in the community

Need to be walking with a vest on
The violence in the area puts these kids in danger

Cause the quietest streets around here, can be a war zone
Even peaceful areas can become deadly in the midst of poverty and crime

And I'm in such disgust, 'cause the police
Disgusted by the actions of law enforcement in the community

Instead of protectin' and serving, they serving us
Police are more interested in their own interests than helping the community

They brutalizin' and battering, as a matter of fact
Police use excessive force against residents

They play ghetto, officers, I see them laughing
Police mock and disrespect the people they are supposed to protect

Trynna pick up girls in uniform
Police use their uniform and power to manipulate and prey on vulnerable people

Hanging out them college dorms, we need some inform
Police officers lack the education and empathy required for their job

Why is he a ghetto? 'Cause society divided by nothing but money, hello
The root cause of poverty and crime is the unequal distribution of wealth in society

From city to city, all over the globe
The issue of poverty and crime is present in many places around the world

So many poverty stricken lives, the facts'll make ya heads explode
The overwhelming number of people living in poverty is shocking

Cities and families, all over, global overload
The burden of poverty and crime affects entire communities and families

From Brownsville to Russia, through Somalia, through Croatia
Poverty and crime are universal issues that affect people from many different backgrounds

Lyrics are live, fight to survive, it's a horror ride
The pain and struggle of living in poverty is captured in the emotional lyrics

Demons coming for your hide but there's no where to run
Residents are trapped in poverty and unable to escape from their circumstances

Straight up, and there's no where to hide
There is no safe haven or escape from the harsh realities of poverty

Guess what, 'cause negative situation is winning by a landslide
The overwhelming impact of poverty and crime on the community is impossible to ignore

And if you living this life, there's the worst schools
The education system in poor neighborhoods is inadequate and underfunded

And the worst doctors, guess what? Society got ya
Lack of access to quality healthcare contributes to the cycle of poverty and illness

Mothers are crying in the ghetto
The emotional toll of poverty and struggle on families is devastating

Babies is dying in the ghetto
The high rates of infant mortality in poor neighborhoods is a tragic reality

It's like we livin' in hell in the ghetto
The harsh circumstances of poverty and crime make life feel like a constant struggle