What Do You Do When You're Branded
Busta Rhymes Lyrics

Branded, scorned is the one who ran
Being marked as an outcast or rejected is the consequence for those who flee from a difficult situation.

What do you do when your branded? And you know you're a man.
When faced with being marked a pariah, how do you handle it and still maintain your dignity as a man?

Wherever you go, for the rest of your life
The effects of being ostracized follow you beyond the moment in which it happens, and continue throughout your life.

You must prove, you're a man
As a man, when faced with adversity, it's important to show strength and resilience, in order to prove yourself as a respectable individual.

See now I'm back wit the force, read about the kid
Having made a comeback, Busta Rhymes uses his powerful voice to boast of his success and how prominent he remains within the industry.

From the front to the back of The Source
His influence stretches from the beginning of The Source, to the end, showing his mark throughout the rap community.

You see me back on the course
Having regained his footing, he is back on track, pursuing his goals with vigor and determination.

Scream on every beat until my voice get crackled and horse
He is so passionate about his music that he puts his all into each performance, which sometimes damages his vocal chords.

Front seat niggas never sit in the back wit a boss
Those who are important or high ranking will never be seen as inferior, and will always be given priority treatment.

Fuck the fact that it cost, the price tag of the Porsche
Money is no object when it comes to luxury items like sports cars, despite their high cost.

Will cost ya life, have ya mother feel an immaculate loss
The cost of a luxury lifestyle can be too high, and cause unimaginable pain and loss to those closest to you.

But of course, come and speak to the best
Busta Rhymes is confident in his abilities, and is willing to share his wisdom with those who seek it.

And watch me spit a jewel sharper to carve the meat of your flesh
His words of wisdom are potent, and can cut to the core of a person's being, leaving a lasting impact.

You looking weak in the chest, you see the street is a test
Those who lack courage or resilience will not survive the harsh realities of street life.

Women on the stoop smoking holding a seed to they breast
Mothers are often caught in the struggle to provide for their children, even if it means sacrificing their own health and well-being.

You see the street is a mess
Street life is filled with chaos, danger, and hardship.

Struggling holding a couple pounds of weed then the rest
Drug dealing is a hazardous career choice, but one that may provide temporary relief from financial struggles.

Now I proceed to the rest of my niggas keeping it fresh,
Busta Rhymes continues to work hard and remain current in his music, while staying connected with his close friends and collaborators.

Though we must stay on the grind I supersceded the stress,
Despite the difficulties that come with success, he has learned to manage his stress and continue to work hard.

We always seem to finesse from the East to the West,
His skills and influence stretch across the entire United States, from the East Coast to the West Coast.

You Know we w-w-we keep the teflon from the street to the vest
He and his associates manage to stay safe despite the dangers of the street, thanks to their protective measures.

Kill that nigga slow like how you get defeated in chess
In street warfare, it's better to eliminate your enemy slowly and painfully, just as one would with a game of chess.

Got you under pressure, hairline receded effects
He has his opponents' pressure and anxiety under control, evidenced by their receding hairlines.

Hot air niggas I only feel the heat from your breath,
He is impervious to the insults and taunts of his enemies, and only feels the hotness of their breath from their shouting matches.

Rap niggas beef in they album probably needed the press
Some rappers may start unnecessary conflicts with others to garner more attention and publicity.

And as a man I never found the slightest need to impress
He is confident in his own abilities and accomplishments, and doesn't feel the need to prove himself to others.

Another man because I'm proud and I believe that I'm blessed
He has immense pride and self-confidence, knowing that his success is the result of his talent and hard work.

But yo I always found the need to address these weaker niggas,
He feels compelled to call out weaker individuals who talk a big game, but lack the skills and strength to back up their bravado.

That speak to the street always keeping the people abreast
He keeps his ear to the ground and remains informed on the latest developments in street life, in order to stay ahead of the game.

Higher science and I'm changing the crime in,
Busta Rhymes takes crime to a new level with his impressive skills and insights.

Watch my son 'cause you'd be fucking wit the child of a Giant
He's warning others to be cautious when addressing his son, as they're dealing with the offspring of a formidable giant.

I'm in a place stuck between being loving and violent,
He struggles between wanting to be peaceful and wanting to exhibit his strength and aggressiveness.

Becoming more of a threat when I move subtle and silent,
His quiet moves are delivering the most impact, and presenting him as a threat to those around him.

Then set it off to be the only one to quiet the riot
He takes charge in ending all chaos with his leadership and power, and he does it alone.

My destiny's the only thing between the sky and the pilot,
His fate is held in his own hands, and he is the only person who can determine his future.

Relate, it's like busting a 3-8
It's a metaphor for dominance and strength, like winning at the game of basketball by hitting a 3-point shot.

Be late, I be taking most of the brick leaving a pile outta shape
He's always in control, prioritizing and handling his tasks to completion before anyone else has a chance to intervene or interfere.

I never quit watching these niggas try to hide they mistake,
He's always observing those around him, and catching them in their mistakes or lies.

Taking a shit watching they body floating by in the lake
He's not afraid to take drastic measures when necessary, even if it means disposing of a body.

Make it quick you weak niggas better try to escape,
He's giving fair warning to his enemies to run away while they still have a chance.

And create the quickest way to reach the fire escape.
His enemies should find a quick escape route before he comes after them with all his fury.

Snitch niggas always quick to go and lie on a tape,
People who are quick to betray others will often try to cover their tracks by lying about the situation on a recording.

But it's o-k 'cause Super Hero niggas die wit a cape,
Even the strongest and bravest people eventually face their demise, and pass from this world to the next.

It's so great to watch them finally break, stand aside from the fake
It's a satisfying feeling to see those who are pretending or lying finally crumble and show their true colors.

Street niggas gotta slide for the take
In the criminal world, it's common knowledge that one must fight tooth and nail to come out on top.

Being broke and not being able to buy me a steak
There is nothing more humiliating and frustrating than being unable to afford basic necessities like food and shelter.

Stacking my paper so see now I can buy an estate,
By working hard and building wealth, he's now able to afford luxuries like owning his own estate.

So I rely on the love and I reply to the hate
He trusts in those who support and love him, and responds to any negativity or animosity with unwavering strength and poise.

So much pain in the struggle my whole body'll ache, come on,
The difficulties and hardships he's encountered in life have taken a physical toll on his body, yet he continues to push forward.

From the gates, so awake that was the plan of my fate
He was destined to be successful, and he's always been highly aware and alert in order to seize every opportunity that comes his way.

Now I'm straight, got me my own knife and fork on my plate
He's achieved total independence and financial freedom, and can now enjoy the kind of luxuries that come with success.

Want to scorch a debate, wait, do me a favor nigga just remember the date, cause you been
He's ready to engage in any conflict or debate, but warns his opponents that they will never forget the day they crossed him.