Respiration
Black Star Feat. Mos Def & Common Lyrics

Escúchela la ciudad respirando
Listen to the city breathing

The new moon rode high in the crown of the metropolis
The shining new moon was a symbol of the city's power and influence

Shining, like who on top of this?
Shining bright, like someone at the top of their game

People was tussling, arguing and bustling
People were fighting, arguing, and moving around hurriedly

Gangstas of Gotham hardcore hustling
Gangsters in New York City hustling and living a dangerous lifestyle

I'm wrestling with words and ideas
I'm struggling with expressing my thoughts and ideas

My ears is pricked, seeking what will transmit
I'm paying close attention, seeking what will be heard and understood

The scribes can apply to transcript, yo
The writers can apply the words to a written record, you know

This ain't no time where the usual is suitable
This is not a normal time when usual things are appropriate

Tonight alive, let's describe the inscrutable
Tonight, being alive, let's attempt to describe what is mysterious and difficult to understand

The indisputable, we New York the narcotic
The undeniable truth is that New York City is addictive

Draped in metal and fiber optics
Covered in tall buildings and advanced technology

Where mercenaries is paid to trade hot stock tips
Where people are paid to share insider information about the stock market

For profits, thirsty criminals take pockets
Criminals who are desperate for money steal from unsuspecting people

Hard knuckles on the second hands of working class watches
People who work hard for a living have calloused hands from their labor

Skyscrapers is colossus, the cost of living is preposterous
Tall buildings are gigantic, and the cost of living is ridiculously high

Stay alive, you play or die, no options, no Batman and Robin
In order to survive, you have to fight or die, with no help or heroes to save you

Can't tell between the cops and the robbers, they both partners, they all heartless
It's hard to distinguish between the police and the criminals, as they are often working together and lack compassion

With no conscience, back streets stay darkened
Without any moral compass, the back streets remain dangerous and hidden

Where unbeliever hearts stay hardened
In this city, those who don't believe or trust easily become cynical and guarded

My eagle talons stay sharpened, like city lights stay throbbing
I remain sharp and alert, like the constant pulsating city lights

You either make a way or stay sobbing
You have to find a path to success, or you'll be left feeling miserable

The shiny Apple is bruised but sweet and if you choose to eat
New York City may have its flaws, but it is still appealing and attractive

You could lose your teeth, many crews retreat
If you take a bite, you may face consequences and many groups will back down

Nightly news repeat, who got shot down and locked down
Every night, the news reports on who was shot and imprisoned

Spotlight to savages, NASDAQ averages
The media focuses on the violence and the stock market trends

My narrative rose to explain this existence
My story and perspective emerged to explain this way of life

Amidst the harbor lights which remain in the distance
Amongst the bright lights of the city's harbor that are still far away

So much on my mind that I can't recline
I have so many thoughts that I can't relax

Blastin holes in the night til she bled sunshine
Creating openings and destruction in the darkness until the sun rises

Breathe in, inhale vapors from bright stars that shine
Take in the energy and inspiration from successful and influential people

Breathe out, weed smoke retrace the skyline
Exhale a cloud of marijuana smoke that mirrors the outline of the city's skyline

Heard the bass ride out like an ancient mating call
Listen to the powerful bass sounds that reverberate like a primal call

I can't take it y'all, I can feel the city breathing
I can't handle it, I can sense the city's life and energy

Chest heaving, against the flesh of the evening
Feeling the city's vibrancy against the darkness of the night

Sigh before we die like the last train leaving
Taking a deep breath before we face our inevitable death, like the final train leaving

Breathin in deep city breaths, sittin on shitty steps
Inhaling the essence of the city while sitting on dirty and unpleasant steps

We stoop to new lows, hell froze the night the city slept
We lower ourselves to new depths of immorality, while the city remains unaware

The beast crept through concrete jungles
The dangerous and destructive force moved silently through the urban landscape

Communicatin with one another
Connecting and coordinating their actions

And ghetto birds where waters fall
Watching over the neighborhoods where poverty and crime are prevalent

From the hydrants to the gutters
From the open fire hydrants to the dirty streets

The beast walk the beats, but the beats we be makin
The dangerous individuals patrol the neighborhoods, while we create the music and rhythms

You on the wrong side of the track, lookin visibly shaken
You are in the wrong place, looking visibly scared

Taken them plungers, plungin to death that's painted by the numbers
Using hypodermic needles to inject drugs, leading to a slow death that is predictable

With Krylon applied pressure, cats is playin God
Using spray paint to mark territory and assert dominance, pretending to be all-powerful

By havin children by a lesser baby mother but fuck it
By having children with someone of lower status, but not caring about the consequences

We played against each other like puppets, swearin you got pull
We competed against each other like manipulated puppets, thinking we have control

When the only pull you got is the wool over your eyes
When the only influence you have is the deception that clouds your judgment

Gettin knowledge in jail like a blessing in disguise
Gaining wisdom and education while incarcerated, which ironically becomes a valuable asset

Look in the skies for God, what you see besides the smog
Searching for a higher power, but only seeing pollution in the sky

Is broken dreams flying away on the wings of the obscene
Witnessing shattered hopes and aspirations being carried away by the immoral and offensive

Thoughts that people put in the air
Ideas and beliefs that people express

Places where you could get murdered over a glare
Locations where a simple look can result in a deadly encounter

But everything is fair
But in this city, fairness is non-existent

It's a paradox we call reality
It's a contradiction that we consider the truth of our existence

So keepin it real will make you casualty of abnormal normality
Being authentic will cause you to become a victim of the abnormal way of life that is considered normal

Killers Born Naturally like, Mickey and Mallory
People with a natural inclination towards violence and killing, like the characters Mickey and Mallory from the movie 'Natural Born Killers'

Not knowing the ways'll get you capped like an NBA salary
Being ignorant of the unwritten rules and norms can lead to your demise, just like NBA players who get their contracts terminated

Some cats be emceeing to illustrate what we be seeing
Some rappers use their music to portray the reality we witness

Hard to be a spiritual being when shit is shakin what you believe in
It's difficult to maintain one's spiritual belief when everything around is chaotic and unstable

For trees to grow in Brooklyn, seeds need to be planted
In order for progress and change to happen, we need to start from the beginning

I'm asking if y'all feel me and the crowd left me stranded
I'm questioning if you understand and relate to my message, while feeling abandoned by the audience

My blood pressure boiled and rose, cause New York niggas
I became angry and frustrated because of the people in New York City

Actin spoiled at shows, to the winners the spoils go
Behaving arrogantly and entitled at events, believing that winners deserve all the rewards

I take the L, transfer to the 2, head to the gates
I take the subway train L, transfer to the 2, and go towards the exits

New York life type trife the Roman Empire state
The lifestyle in New York City is challenging and similar to the corrupt and powerful Roman Empire

Yo, on The Amen, Corner I stood lookin at my former hood
On the corner named The Amen, I stood and looked at my old neighborhood

Felt the spirit in the wind, knew my friend was gone for good
I sensed my friend's presence in the wind, knowing that they were permanently gone

Threw dirt on the casket, the hurt, I couldn't mask it
I symbolically mourned my friend's death by throwing dirt on their casket, and I couldn't hide my pain

Mixin down emotions, struggle I hadn't mastered
Suppressing and dealing with intense emotions, which I hadn't fully learned how to handle

I choreograph seven steps to heaven
I create a carefully planned path to reach a state of peace and happiness

In hell, waiting to exhale and make the bread leaven
In a difficult and challenging situation, waiting to release my stress and make progress

Veteran of a cold war It's Chica-I-go for
Experienced in a long-standing conflict, it's my turn to take action

What I know or, what's known
What I understand or what is commonly understood

So some days I take the bus home, just to touch home
Sometimes I take the bus back to my old neighborhood, just to feel a sense of familiarity

From the crib I spend months gone
I'm away from home for long periods of time

Sat by the window with a clutched dome listenin to shorties cuss long
Sat by the window, deep in thought, listening to young people swearing and talking excessively

Young girls with weak minds, but they bust strong
Young girls who may lack intelligence, but have strong sexual appeal

Tried to call, or at least beep the Lord, but didn't have a touch-tone
Tried to reach out to God, but didn't have a way to communicate with Him

It's a dog-eat-dog world, you gotta mush on
It's a competitive and ruthless world, you have to keep pushing forward

Some of this land I must own
I must own some of the land in this city

Outta the city, they want us gone
They want us to leave and get out of the city

Tearin down the 'jects creatin plush homes
Tearing down the public housing projects to build luxury homes

My circumstance is between Cabrini and Love Jones
My situation falls somewhere between poverty and romantic pursuits

Surrounded by hate, yet I love home
Despite the presence of hate and negativity, I still love my city

Ask my guy how he thought traveling the world sound
Ask my friend about his thoughts on experiencing different cultures

Found it hard to imagine he hadn't been past downtown
I found it difficult to believe that he had never ventured beyond the city center

It's deep, I heard the city breathe in its sleep
It's profound, I heard the city's presence even when it was silent

A reality I touch, but for me it's hard to keep
A reality that I experience, but find difficult to maintain

Yo, on The Amen, Corner I stood lookin at my former hood
On the corner named The Amen, I stood and looked at my old neighborhood

Felt the spirit in the wind, knew my friend was gone for good
I sensed my friend's presence in the wind, knowing that they were permanently gone

Threw dirt on the casket, the hurt, I couldn't mask it
I symbolically mourned my friend's death by throwing dirt on their casket, and I couldn't hide my pain

Mixin down emotions, struggle I hadn't mastered
Suppressing and dealing with intense emotions, which I hadn't fully learned how to handle

I choreograph seven steps to heaven
I create a carefully planned path to reach a state of peace and happiness

In hell, waiting to exhale and make the bread leaven
In a difficult and challenging situation, waiting to release my stress and make progress

Veteran of a cold war It's Chica-I-go for
Experienced in a long-standing conflict, it's my turn to take action

What I know or, what's known
What I understand or what is commonly understood

So some days I take the bus home, just to touch home
Sometimes I take the bus back to my old neighborhood, just to feel a sense of familiarity

From the crib I spend months gone
I'm away from home for long periods of time

Sat by the window with a clutched dome listenin to shorties cuss long
Sat by the window, deep in thought, listening to young people swearing and talking excessively

Young girls with weak minds, but they bust strong
Young girls who may lack intelligence, but have strong sexual appeal

Tried to call, or at least beep the Lord, but didn't have a touch-tone
Tried to reach out to God, but didn't have a way to communicate with Him

It's a dog-eat-dog world, you gotta mush on
It's a competitive and ruthless world, you have to keep pushing forward

Some of this land I must own
I must own some of the land in this city

Outta the city, they want us gone
They want us to leave and get out of the city

Tearin down the 'jects creatin plush homes
Tearing down the public housing projects to build luxury homes

My circumstance is between Cabrini and Love Jones
My situation falls somewhere between poverty and romantic pursuits

Surrounded by hate, yet I love home
Despite the presence of hate and negativity, I still love my city

Ask my guy how he thought traveling the world sound
Ask my friend about his thoughts on experiencing different cultures

Found it hard to imagine he hadn't been past downtown
I found it difficult to believe that he had never ventured beyond the city center

It's deep, I heard the city breathe in its sleep
It's profound, I heard the city's presence even when it was silent

A reality I touch, but for me it's hard to keep
A reality that I experience, but find difficult to maintain