Hatchet Job
Armand Hammer Lyrics

These the beats they play for ghost detainees
The music played during the torture of detainees in secret prisons.

Weeks with no sleep I'm living the dream
Sleep deprivation is used as a torture tactic on prisoners.

Crabs/hit em with the Old Bay Chesapeake
Crabs cooked with Old Bay seasoning, a staple of Chesapeake Bay cuisine.

Steam
To cook seafood by steaming it, also a metaphor for the violence and pressure involved in drug dealing.

At high heat/repeat/red, gold and green
Cooking drugs at high heat, repeating the process to increase potency, red, gold and green referring to the Rastafari colors, which are associated with the use of marijuana.

Marcus Garvey/crumbled fronta/Jamaican Rizla
References to Jamaican icons Marcus Garvey and Rizla rolling papers used to smoke marijuana.

Spanishtown/back to basics, the Spanish Prisoner
Spanishtown, Jamaica, known for its drug trade. The Spanish Prisoner scam is a con where a person is tricked into giving money in order to get a larger sum of money, used as a metaphor for the drug trade.

Kicking kitchen spanish looking like Sizzla
Someone cooking drugs while speaking Spanish, comparing them to the Jamaican artist Sizzla Kalonji, who often sings about political and social issues.

London Blitz airhorns
The Blitz was a bombing campaign by the German air force during World War II, airhorns referring to the sound of bombs dropping.

He spit that Stalin vs Hitler
Comparing the violence of the drug trade to historical regimes that committed atrocities.

So goth i was born black
A reference to feeling like an outsider from birth.

Son trapped within a crux that endorsed crack
Born into a cycle of poverty and drug addiction.

Dirt nap before 21 be the forecast
Early death is expected in this violent environment.

Flown flag half mast
A symbol of mourning for the loss of lives in the community.

Crass paths ventured
Taking risky actions to survive.

Lucky if you just got stabbed
Violence is common and being stabbed is considered lucky compared to being killed.

Limp ginger, flesh wounds still tender
Suffering from injuries sustained in a violent altercation.

Picking scabs
Obsessing over previous traumas and reliving the pain.

Block too hot, triage care intensive
The police are cracking down on crime in the area, making it harder to operate.

Post grad, head of my class expensive
Success is possible, but comes at a high cost.

Sessions extended
Drug deals taking longer than expected.

Reality bites butjakes pinching
Despite the risks, it's difficult to escape the drug trade due to a lack of better opportunities.

Old co defendant, new solo mission
Going solo after leaving the drug ring.

Head spinning
Feeling overwhelmed and confused by the situation.

Short glimpses
Only seeing small parts of the bigger picture.

All city
Known and respected throughout the area.

Staged shooting/Praise God they missed me
Violence is staged for show, but there is still a sense of relief when it doesn't hit close to home.

Unsolved mysteries/started from the upper middle
The origin of certain deals are unclear, but they started from a relatively comfortable position.

Closed the gap quickly
Quickly transitioning from a comfortable lifestyle to a risky one.

Sold soul to the devil replete with hidden fees
Making a deal with the devil in order to get ahead, only to later realize the cost.

You fucking with a gypsy
Not to be underestimated. A gypsy is a nomadic group known for being untrustworthy outsiders.

White man handshake/twinkle in eye
A deceptive and manipulative interaction, where the white man appears friendly but has ulterior motives.

You caught a bad break
Taken advantage of in a situation outside of your control.

Two half-truths but not one lie
Being misleading without technically lying.

The new guy got my spidey sense in overdrive
Feeling uneasy and suspicious of a newcomer.

Dog, in the grand scheme I was just a cog
Despite feeling important in previous dealings, you were ultimately replaceable and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Lawyer said forget about getting off
The legal system is not on your side.

It's about damage control/ so hot he stop drop & roll
After something goes wrong, the focus is on minimizing the repercussions.

Yet the pack was sold before he copped
The product was already sold before any legal action could be taken.

King of All Blacks/the new Pac
Comparing themselves to famous Black icons.

Had to cut ‘em off, I ain't have no option
Ending a relationship with someone in order to prevent further harm to oneself.

They the type to come back with the choppers choppin'
The people you left behind are willing to use violence against you.

From apprentice to kingpin
Starting as a novice and rising to a position of power within the drug game.

Basshead pipe dreams fenced in
Drug addiction affecting the ability to aspire to bigger things.

Pinched tims, ends scampi, barely noon reek of cheap brandy
A description of a cheap and rough lifestyle, highlighting the desperation and lack of quality ingredients.

Baggy suit church food pantry
Receiving charity and being in need despite outward appearances.

Assembly line, hand to hand
The drug trade involves a fast and efficient exchange of product, similar to a factory assembly line.

Worst fears, out here a grown man selling candy
Being stuck and unable to escape a situation you never wanted to be in, with no other options.

Teddy grahams
A reference to the snack food eaten by children, highlighting the immaturity and lack of sophistication in the drug business.

Rubber band reup
A common way to hold a large amount of cash from drug sales.

Astronomical scale flipper
Dealing drugs on a large and profitable scale.

Make that fetti fan
Gain money and success in the drug trade.

Fifty fluttered fitters
Having a lot of cash in smaller denominations due to drug sales.

Fuck a fair one
Doing what is necessary to get ahead, even if it is not fair or ethical.

Full frontal flared
Preparing for an all-out attack or confrontation.

Banned from tv scanned discreetly
Working outside of polite society and keeping a low profile.

Unseemly means, justified extremes
Being in a situation where breaking the law and acting in extreme ways is justified.

Nosy neighbors/Rear Window
Dealing with prying and suspicious neighbors, referencing the movie Rear Window where a character spies on their neighbors.

Rodney Little played by Delroy Lindo
A reference to the character in the movie Clockers played by actor Delroy Lindo, who portrays a drug lord.

Memories fade like Memento
Being in a high stakes and dangerous environment where memory can't always be relied on.

When someone threatening your kinfolk
Reacting strongly to threats against family and loved ones.

Played out/ Super Nintendo
The Super Nintendo is outdated and no longer relevant, suggesting that old methods of drug dealing are no longer effective.

Shylock how he weighed out the super endo
Shylock is a character in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice who is highly associated with money and lending. Weighing out drugs with similar precision and obsession as Shylock would weigh out money.

Keep it 100 like loosies
Being completely honest and transparent about drug deals and finances, like selling individual cigarettes (loosies) rather than packs.

Fishscale raw/ Bolivian sushi
High-quality cocaine, compared to raw sushi from Bolivia where the drug is synthesized.

Bargains driven harder than hoopties
Negotiating deals more aggressively than a person would when trying to buy a cheap car (hoopdie).

Pillar of the community/Kente cloth on the kufi
Despite being a drug dealer, being seen as a respected and important member of the community, displaying African cultural symbols of respect and pride.

Liberal white friend played by Donald Sutherland in the movie
Having a white friend who is part of a liberal demographic, similar to the character played by Donald Sutherland in the movie JFK.

Hit Cannes with tanned groupie
Going to the Cannes Film Festival with someone who is only interested in being with a successful person.

Palme d'Or!
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, celebrating success and prestige.

Exuberant applause
Great praise and recognition for a job well done.

But I still came back for my money like Mookie
Despite success in other ventures, the drug trade is still important in order to make a living and provide for oneself.