Speak Gently
Billy Woods Lyrics

See in your boys building there should be an inflatable raft
Your friend's building is so poorly constructed that there should be an emergency raft available in case something terrible happens.

Use your scab
Make use of what you have, even if it's not great. Don't be afraid to maximize your resources.

Verses came bubble wrapped in Styrofoam
The lyrics or rhymes were overly protected and too safe, packaged in such a way to prevent any risk, making them unexciting and uninteresting.

It's pretty bland
The music or rhymes are not inspiring or bold, but rather dull and unimpressive.

Homegirl sayin' everybody just doin' what they can
Someone suggests that everyone is trying their best, but Woods thinks these people are just terrible and doing the bare minimum.

I nodded, but nah, these dudes are trash (Be honest man, be honest)
Although he pretended to agree, Woods honestly believes that these guys are terrible at what they do, prompting him to ask others to be honest too.

Turn up at the scene of the crash
Appear at the site of some chaos or madness.

I'm a bad penny
He describes himself as always showing up, even though people don't want him there.

I'm the feelin' after you killed 'em and seen the safe empty
He is the feeling that arises after someone killed someone and robbed a safe, leaving the person surprised and traumatized following the realization they were robbed.

The weight lift like payday lendin'
He can shake off the weight (of life) for a little bit, meaning he feels good and unburdened like how people feel when they get the money on payday draws near.

Face twist at the memory
He distorts his face thinking about something unpleasant or disturbing.

One machine for vending
There's one machine that dispenses treats or food, and it reminds him of the small, sweet things in life that one needs to keep their sanity.

The other take empties
The other machine is for taking back empties, bottles, or something like that. It may signify that life takes away as much as it gives.

This your land of plenty
This line means ironically that life is abundant with trivial rewards, but no one is happy or satisfied because it's all for show or to distract from its inherent emptiness.

It was all I could do to speak gently, gently
Despite feeling this way, he chooses to communicate his feelings calmly and cautiously, because he knows there can be consequences for being too blunt.

I'm only rhymin', where the whores at? (Fuck that)
He's only here to rhyme and rap, not for anything else. He also thinks sexuality is used as a cheap way to get attention.

But, any port in a storm, black
He thinks desperate times call for desperate measures, so he's willing to compromise or improvise when it comes to creativity - in this case, embracing a stereotypically black manner of speaking.

Landed balls deep in the landed gentry
He is down deep and indulging in the life of the wealthy or privileged.

Port of entry, centuries
The place where people pass through, whether literally or metaphorically, throughout history.

Melt away as they're formed with candles
Generations of people silently dissolving away or melting like a candle sa it burns.

My Hasidim on Broadway a Debbie downer
People who tend to be negative about life, even when doing something fun or enjoyable, like going to a show.

Sonny Corleone on the causeway, EZPass past the cowards
A character from the 'Godfather' trilogy who famously died on a bridge, ignoring the danger and recklessly gunning for his enemies. Here, he equates the same bravery with a character using an EZPass, the tollcard for car users, that goes past cowardly driver-ed cars.

Speak gently
Talk softly and cautiously, especially in sensitive situations.

No one likes a show off
Nobody likes someone who behaves in a manner that screams for attention or tries too hard to impress others.

But my show off you just can't blow off
Despite how cringy it may get, he'll continue to make himself or his art stand out, because it's part of who he is.

I grab the microphone with one shoe off
He doesn't bother putting on all his shoes, being too impulsive to care.

My other Fluevog flew across the room when some shit kicked off
His excitement got the best of him, making him throw his shoe in a fit of euphoria or energy.

Bodies are fallin', furniture's movin'
There's chaos and destruction going on around the artist.

Burners are bein' slapped outta niggas hands (damn)
People are so angry or affected that they're knocking guns out of one another's hands.

I'm from the fellowship, talk about your hot potato (hot potato, haha)
He belongs to a group or organization, and when the situation gets hot, angry or violent, they toss around blame or responsibility for it like a game of hot potato (a childhood game where one passes around a scorching hot object, trying not to be the last to hold it).

Little sumpin' to trip off (yeah)
Something insignificant but still bothersome as to cause distress to people

Operator, gimme the ambulance
He calls for help immediately, likely because things have escalated too much.

A tambourine crash from somebody's head
A sudden violent hit to the head, softening the blow and making it sound like a tambourine ringing.

Pieces of wig, weaves, and dreads
A fight between people with different hairstyles or hair types leading to some wigs, weaves, and locks falling or coming off.

Fools catchin' Z's left and right (get that, get that mother)
People getting knocked out, or put to sleep left and right to the delight or amusement of the singer.

Bitches swingin' purses
Women fighting with handbags as weapons.

Security nursin' 'emselves like it was the fallout in Chernobyl
Guards or security people are hiding, fearing for their lives, like what happened in Chernobyl Nuclear Plant's disaster in 1986.

Jaw-jackers in the corner
People having idle conversations despite the chaos around them.

Tryna dial out but it's no signal, especially if you usin' T-Mobile (Hm)
Trying to call for help but the signal is down, signaling isolation and helplessness. The jab at T-Mobile implies that its network sucks, and even poorer people who use it can't catch a break.

Hollywood Cole yellin' "Who want that fade?" (nigga what's happenin', nigga what's-)
A reference to a rapper, J. Cole, with previously beef with other rappers. He's calling out his enemies, asking if they want to fight or rumble.

Got slid on his back pockets
Someone just got robbed, humiliated, or embarrassed badly.

Two of the homegirls giving this big bitch the business
Two girls are ganging up on a larger woman, likely beating her up or bullying her.

All villains, all grown-ups, only one few soldiers
There are only a few brave ones trying to do the right thing in a place full of corrupt or cowardly people.

Generals, mostly civilians
Those who should be leading or fighting, boasting or hiding behind their powerful positions, are more often than not just regular folks trying to survive.

But when caps start peelin', it was actually sad
When people start shooting each other, it's no longer funny or cool; it's a sad and depressing reality.

Almost like watchin' a fat guy do half a push-up
Watching someone fail at something they should be good at or their friends hype them up for is pathetic or awkward.

Scaps was pushed back when the little homies pulled up
The odds have turned when reinforcements arrive, shocking one side or the other.

Just speakin' gently, simple
When in doubt, always be polite, straightforward, and honest.

"Hey, hey, hey c'mon, hey, homie Yeah, this nigga's wanted On the real, though Ah, sh-on the real, nigga, what? Oh, shit, nigga Gimme the, gimme that shit, gimme that motherfucka' I'm fittin' to let the motherfuckas"
A representation of a chaotic moment when a group of people are trying to rob another person. It may not directly connect to the rest of the song, but the additional dialogue gives a context of potential violence, corruption, and greed.

"So we're there, just like, talking or whatever I'm explaining (whatever, whatever, how's your new place?) And so anyway I had missed the whole thing 'cause I didn't get the piece of mail, blah, blah, blah you know how it goes "You gotta get your mail forwarded, you gotta get your mail forwarded" I'm like, yo, I know I know (get organized) And you know, copping a plea, whatever But then, later, I'm sit, I'm, I'm like thinking, like Why I don't get my mail like, you don't get your mail forwarded when you're poor Let me explain to you, right I lived in this building for like, almost twenty years (just say twenty years) And almost the whole time I lived there, I got mail for Rolodon I got mail for Mr. Sahadi (I got a lot of mail, I was getting everybody's mail) (People you don't know when they even lived there) So I'm getting all these people's mail for like fifteen years I'm getting these people's mail Twenty years I'm getting these people's mail And now, I come to another spot and the mailbox full of other people mail People who don't want they mail forwarded, ya mean? And you could tell, cause you'd look at the mail, it's creditors, car insurance, it's the- It's the hospital bills, police man, ambulance, insurance, child protective services (That's why you don't get your mail forwarded. Somebody getting my mail right now) After I'm dead, they still gon' be getting my mail I'm getting your mail I'm reading it It says you're broke"
A spoken-word or rap style of monologue where the singer talks about the mundane aspects of life, such as getting mail. He ponders his misfortunes, feeling frustrated that he still gets credit from people who are no longer there. He tells a story that even after he's dead, he knows that people will still get his mail, which indicates the ultimate futility of life.