If It Was Up II Me
Bun B Lyrics


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I hear we livin' in the last days
Its revelation and you best get right with god
Or else is waitin', the world is comin' to an end
Everyday is a storm or a flood, tsunamis, this shit ain't the norm
We got Katrina and Rita minds keep collapsing
With the fires and mud slides, I'm like whats happenin'
Got the kids in the school gettin' raped and molested
Under-funded, unprotected no wonder they tested
And the lowest percentage rate,
In my city damn near the lowest in the state
You can equate that to the state funds
That ain't breakin' down right,
Rich districts get more and poor ones less, and it just don't sound right
So I'm fittin' to pound right on the doors of my city hall
And kick them doors down, they killin' my city yall
We need to get my people back to where they should be
And since nobody else is gonna do it its gonna have to be me

[Chorus: Junior Reid]
If it was up to me,
No gun, no crack, or whore could of comin' in our community
If it was up to me,
You couldn't have no war between Tupac and B.I.G
If it was up to me,
They couldn't lock up Shyne and they couldn't lock up Emcee
If it was up to me,
You wouldn't have no aids and you wouldn't have no H.I.V

First of all the projects is fucked up
And it ain't just with the drugs,
We got more problems than just the dealers and thugs
They using lead based paint, and investments is killing us
We tell 'em to fix it up but they just ain't feelin' us
They rather kicks us out and tear it down to the ground
So they can put up a parking lot, a mall, or some condos
Condemn the whole place cause if you sell crack
Shit the rest ain't do nothin' wrong, what the fucks up with that
They say one rotten apple can spoil the whole bunch
But we talkin' bout some people not apples, this ain't lunch
Make me wanna punch a politician dead in his face
You say you represent my district, get your ass on the case
Development is good for the hood yeah thats what you tellin' us
But bitch you on the pay roll of the builders and developers
Fuck what you sellin' us, pipe dreams for suckers
You can take that around the corner to them other motherfuckers man

So much youth they sacrifice
Just to live in paradise
Play they tricks and tell they lies I know
Its hurting to see how they treat the poor
They have so much and still they still want more
I see my people everyday on the floor

[Chorus]

Its time to educate the people man, free school and college
So everybody cross the border can get the same knowledge
education leads to jobs and jobs kill poverty
And no more poverty means we makin' money obviously
Everybody makin' money everybody smilin'
Motherfuckers ain't eatin', them motherfuckers wildin'
Matter fact speakin' of eatin' lets feed the homeless in America
Let these motherfuckers handle their own shit
How am I gonna clean your house, and mine still dirty
How am I gonna feed your kids, and mine still thirsty
And speakin' of the kids we need to spend some more time with 'em
Cant turn 'em loose in the streets, cause they dying in 'em
And all this naked ass sex man you trippin', fuck love
Im livin life you aint gonna catch your boy slippin'
You say your boy trippin', I'm just keepin' in it G
Cause you could see how good the world would be if it was up to me

[Chorus]

So much youth they sacrifice




Just to live in paradise
Play they tricks and tell they lies I know

Overall Meaning

In "If It Was Up II Me," Bun B laments various social issues plaguing his community, urging listeners to take action to change it. He begins by acknowledging that many people believe the world is ending and advises that they must "get right with God" if they are to escape eternal damnation. He then goes on to detail the myriad problems that are prevalent in his community, such as underfunded schools, rape and molestation of minors, and the disproportionate allocation of state funds to more affluent districts.


Bun B also takes issue with the city's treatment of the housing projects, which he sees as a microcosm of larger societal issues. He points out that instead of investing in repairs, the city is quick to tear down entire buildings without considering the impact on residents. He attributes this pattern of behavior to grimy politicians, who he feels are more interested in making money than helping people.


Despite the bleakness of his situation, Bun B is not defeated. He implores listeners to take action to improve their lives, whether that means advocating for free education or feeding the homeless. Above all, he emphasizes the importance of love and community in a world that seems so determined to tear us apart.


Line by Line Meaning

I hear we livin' in the last days
The world is coming to an end, and we need to prepare for it.


Its revelation and you best get right with god
Religious salvation is the only way to prepare for the end of the world.


Or else is waitin', the world is comin' to an end
The consequences of not getting right with God before the end will be catastrophic.


Everyday is a storm or a flood, tsunamis, this shit ain't the norm
Natural disasters are happening frequently, and it's not normal nor sustainable.


We got Katrina and Rita minds keep collapsing
The aftermath of these hurricanes caused mental health issues due to trauma.


With the fires and mud slides, I'm like whats happenin'
There are many natural disasters happening all over that are causing destruction.


Got the kids in the school gettin' raped and molested
Children are being victimized and abused in the places they should feel safe.


Under-funded, unprotected no wonder they tested
Schools do not have enough resources or protection for children, and this causes them to be vulnerable and at risk.


And the lowest percentage rate,
The metric being referred to is not immediately clear.


In my city damn near the lowest in the state
There is a very low percentage rate in the artist's city regarding something unspecified.


You can equate that to the state funds
There is a connection between the rate and the funding the state receives.


That ain't breakin' down right,
It's not being distributed equitably.


Rich districts get more and poor ones less, and it just don't sound right
The distribution of resources is unequal, and it creates an unjust environment.


So I'm fittin' to pound right on the doors of my city hall
The singer is going to take action to try and get this issue addressed by the government of the city.


And kick them doors down, they killin' my city yall
The singer will be aggressive in trying to get the government to take action because the city is being destroyed by the unequal distribution of resources.


We need to get my people back to where they should be
The artist wants to address the issue and get people the resources they need to thrive.


And since nobody else is gonna do it its gonna have to be me
The artist recognizes that no one else is taking action, so they feel responsible to make a change happen themselves.


If it was up to me,
The singer is imagining a world where they have the power to make changes.


No gun, no crack or whore could of comin' in our community
The singer would like their community to be drug-free, safe, and free of violence and sex trafficking.


You couldn't have no war between Tupac and B.I.G
The artist wishes for conflicts like that between Tupac and B.I.G to not exist, especially if it can lead to violence or harm.


If it was up to me,
The artist continues the idea of a world under their control.


They couldn't lock up Shyne and they couldn't lock up Emcee
The artist is fighting against the unjust incarceration of people who they believe should not be imprisoned.


If it was up to me,
The singer reiterates their vision of what the world could be.


You wouldn't have no aids and you wouldn't have no H.I.V
The artist wants an ideal world where dangerous diseases like AIDS and HIV do not exist or pose a threat to society.


First of all, the projects are fucked up
Public housing projects are in disrepair and deteriorating.


And it ain't just with the drugs,
The issues of the housing projects extend beyond just drug use and trafficking.


We got more problems than just the dealers and thugs
There are many other problems within the housing projects besides just the drug-related issues.


They're using lead-based paint, and investments are killing us
The use of harmful materials in housing acts as a tool for the privilege to disadvantage and harms the people living in the housing projects.


We tell 'em to fix it up, but they just ain't feelin' us
The people responsible for fixing the housing projects do not care to prioritize the well-being of those living there.


They'd rather kicks us out and tear it down to the ground
Instead of fixing issues of the housing projects, those responsible would rather push people out and destroy it in order to make space for something new.


So they can put up a parking lot, a mall or some condos
Those in power want to destroy the housing projects to make way for stores, malls, or new housing complexes that will be more profitable.


Condemn the whole place 'cause if you sell crack
When drugs are sold in the housing complex, the complex is seen as the entire problem, and everything and everyone is condemned, not just the drug dealer.


Shit the rest ain't do nothin' wrong, what the fucks up with that
When one person in a community does something wrong, it isn't right to condemn everyone in that community for that one person's actions.


They say one rotten apple can spoil the whole bunch
People caution about this idea as a way to demonize entire communities because of someone's misbehavior.


But we talkin' 'bout some people, not apples, this ain't lunch
People are not fruit, deals with this issue differently and look at the individual rather than generalizing it to everyone else.


Make me wanna punch a politician dead in his face
When safe environments are not kept, politicians who are responsible for such areas are the ones with key obligations to bring forward justice and accountability.


You say you represent my district, get your ass on the case
The government officials that are responsible for overseeing specific districts should be accountable for damages and act towards actively resolving concerns.


Development is good for the hood, yeah, that's what you tellin' us
Development-driven policies should take place, but they can't harm the community members that are there, and investment should be equally distributed.


But bitch, you on the payroll of the builders and developers
Politicians, who claim to be acting in the interest of people being governed, have ulterior motives aligned with the construction company and developers who stand to gain from building new projects.


Fuck what you sellin' us, pipe dreams for suckers
Politicians may push ideas or narratives to display their interests that are damaging in reality and do not provide any immediate or long-term profit to the people being governed.


You can take that around the corner to them other motherfuckers, man
The artist suggests politicians sell their lies to someone else who might fall for them.


So much youth they sacrifice just to live in paradise
People are sacrificing the well-being of their children and their futures in exchange for immediate benefits or relief such as a fresh start or opportunities through migration lifestyle.


Play they tricks and tell they lies, I know
People are misled into believing the lies of politicians and those in power and are not aware of strategies being used against their interests.


It's hurting to see how they treat the poor
The artist recognizes the mistreatment of those living in poverty and distress


They have so much and still they still want more
Those in power have so many resources and gains but are still looking for more profits and opportunities to gain from public policies.


I see my people every day on the floor
The artist constantly witnesses people being disadvantaged by the systems in place, and they are in vulnerable and lowly positions.


It's time to educate the people, man, free school and college
The quality of education should not be limited to wealthy households but should be accessible to everyone.


So everybody cross the border can get the same knowledge
Opportunities should open up for those who want to benefit from quality education, regardless of their background or socio-economic status.


Education leads to jobs, and jobs kill poverty
Improved education opportunities set the foundation for individuals to earn better salaries and thus reduce rates of poverty.


And no more poverty means we making money obviously
Eradicating poverty can stimulate the economy and increase productivity.


Everybody makin' money, everybody smilin'
The ideal world is where all people gain legitimate economic opportunities and become contributors to the larger economic picture, and prosperity is shared.


Motherfuckers ain't eatin', them motherfuckers wildin'
When people are struggling economically, the rates already rise of living increases. At that moment, people are desperate for a relief which may not come.


Matter fact speakin' of eatin', let's feed the homeless in America
It is society's responsibility to ensure that no one goes hungry, and initiatives should be set up to address homelessness.


Let these motherfuckers handle their own shit
The people are capable of being more self-reliant, and not all support should be provided by the government.


How am I gonna clean your house and mine still dirty
The government has a responsibility to care for its citizens, their basic needs, and public facilities.


How am I gonna feed your kids and mine still thirsty
It is essential that public facilities and programs are set up to cater to everyone instead of a few communities.


And speakin' of the kids we need to spend some more time with 'em
The artist recognizes that the children of the community should be cared for and given sufficient attention.


Can't turn 'em loose in the streets, 'cause they dying in 'em
If kids are left unattended, they can be vulnerable to crime, exploitation, or danger.


And all this naked-ass sex, man, you trippin', fuck love
The singer disagrees with pop culture ideas that are misguided and possibly harmful, portraying love in a sexual context or glorifying it unfairly.


I'm livin' life, you ain't gonna catch your boy slippin'
The artist does not appreciate being unlike themselves, and it's difficult to imagine them going against their beliefs.


You say your boy trippin', I'm just keeping in it G
The singer stands by their beliefs, and even though their views may seem extreme or counter-culture, they remain truthful to themselves.


Cause you could see how good the world would be if it was up to me
The singer has a vision for the world that is more just and equitable that can serve as an ideal to strive towards.




Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management
Written by: BERNARD FREEMAN, DANNY SCHOFIELD, JUNIOR REID, WINSTON THOMAS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

CiyaDe

Very dope track. Verse 3 is insane.

Elliot Thayer

Real Trill shit, not only a great song but sending out an important message

πŸ’« Gotblessings πŸ™

Real Talk! this song is so DEEP...and is one of my favorites..

Madnan

This was my tune in 2008 and still inna 2023, rip ChadπŸ™ Bun always keeping the ugk legacy aliveπŸ‡―πŸ‡² big bumboclaat song, the lyrics still relevant today.

playaflyJOE27

This song will be on the soundtrack of revolution!!!!!!! The revolution is coming quicker than most expect. And itΒ WILL be televised! They are showing you glimpses of everything to come!!

Wodafulable

word.. big ups from poland.stay strong !Β  love for UGK

Sanchez Escobar

My favorite song on the album!

Tamara Williams

Love this song so much keep your head up bun B we love you stay safe much love to you and your family from shreveport LouisianaπŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ˜˜πŸ˜˜πŸ˜˜πŸ˜πŸ˜πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’‹πŸ’‹πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

SharifTruth1991

This a good ass album

Curtis Brown

BUN B FOR PRESIDENT

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