Bullet
Citizen Cope & Rhymefest Lyrics

Straight outta high school he didn't know what to do
Upon finishing high school he was uncertain of what path to take in life.

Wanted to go to college but no money was nothin' new
He desired to attend college, but the lack of funds was a recurring setback.

Wanted to get away go see the world and do somethin' new
He yearned to venture out into the world and experience new things.

He got approached in the mall by the army recruit
While at the mall, a recruiter from the army approached him.

Told him "If you wanna go to school we got money too
The recruiter informed him that the army also offers financial assistance for education.

Sign up at eighteen you be you when you twenty-two"
The recruiter persuaded him to enlist at the age of 18, promising that by the age of 22 he will have grown as a person.

He joined the army airborne got his uniform went to boot camp got some Discipline Iraq is where they shipped him
He enlisted in the airborne division and received military training. He was then deployed to Iraq where they sent him for his first mission.

He's in the mission where bullets flyin' and missin' him
He was stationed in a combat mission where bullets were being fired and missed him.

Wishin' he was a kid again with his family in Michigan
He wished he could go back in time to his childhood with his family in Michigan.

In the midst of fightin' militiamen, one round took down six of them
While fighting against militiamen, one of his bullets killed six of them with a single round.

He ain't really a killa though, takin' a lotta risks
Despite taking a lot of risks, he didn't consider himself to be a killer.

This is what a poor person do for a scholarship
He realised that joining the army and fighting was a way for him, as a poor person, to pay for his education.

He turned around and got a face full of hollow-tips
He suddenly got shot in the face with hollow-tipped rounds.

But don't be mad, he died for the flag
Though he sacrificed his life in the military, he died helping to protect the country's flag.

[Chorus:] Now what you've done here, is put yourself between a bullet and a target And it won't be long before, you're pullin' yourself away
The chorus denotes how the actions one takes can position them dangerously between a bullet and a target, and how at some point, they'll have to extricate themselves.

Papa was a playa, knew just what to say ta' Get the women back to his lair, and lay her
The singer raps about his father being a womanizer, who was adept at choosing the right words to lure women and engage in sexual encounters with them.

If sex had a trophy he's the Hiesman touchdown Hittin' models and be-chicks in Buzztown
The singer compares his father's prowess in the bedroom to that of a star athlete. He brags about his father having sex with models and beautiful women in the trendy neighbourhood of Buzztown.

He got the women with crazy stares with his lady there Thay ain't care they like "Ooh look at his baby hair"
The singer reveals how women didn't mind his father's infidelity, even when he was with his partner. They were so drawn to his looks and charisma that they overlooked his relationship status.

He took 'em all put 'em in a line hit five new chickens He though they was fine Got head from five dope fiends smokin' a dime And did it all raw dog, and dog I ain't lyin' Til' he woke up one season with legions
The singer narrates how his father slept with five new women while high on drugs, without using protection. He brags about the women's beauty, but the flipside is that he eventually contracted a sexually transmitted disease called legions.

He went to the doctor asked him what was the reason The test read positive he couldn't believe it He tried to blame God askin' why did he leave him Pleadin' please let the disease leave him From women that he conquered, he caught the monster
The singer further narrates his father's saga and how he had to visit the doctor when he realised he was experiencing symptoms. The doctor informed him that it was an STD that he had contracted from the women he slept with. The singer mentions how his father is pleading with God to heal him from the disease as a result of his promiscuous life.

[Chorus:]
The chorus denotes how the actions one takes can position them dangerously between a bullet and a target, and how at some point, they'll have to extricate themselves.

Now when the sun goes down, north side of town On the other side of the block, when cops ain't around On the same side of the street that 'Pac hit the ground Not in Vegas, cause every nigga got 'Pac in him now
The singer references the death of Tupac Shakur and how on the north side of town, away from the view of police, people have adopted the rapper's persona because of the cultural impact of his death.

When my guys hit the block, and we provin' we thugs
The singer's associates and himself are out on the streets trying to prove their toughness.

I ain't on no swim team but you see pools of blood
The singer isn't involved in swimming, but with the violence and encounters he witnesses, he creates the image of pools of blood on the street.

Skip Judy when you die, she ain't whose the judge
The singer advises listeners not to be concerned about judgement from someone like Judy, as it isn’t her place to judge.

If you married to game then prove your love
If you’re part of the violent 'game' of the streets, the only way to prove your loyalty is by showing how deep this loyalty goes.

Here's a strap shorty, shoot it do it then do it This ain't a game this a organized movement
One of his associates provides a firearm and urges to use it when necessary as he reminds them that this is not a game, but part of an organised movement.

My hurt, my love, my pain, my stress My strife, my wife, my life, my test We made for more, we die for less When you starvin' in the ghetto I'ma right the rest
The singer reflects on his personal experiences, lifestyle, and the environment he grew up in, as he reminds listeners that they are capable of much more despite the struggles they face. He also pledges to fight on behalf of his community.

See my girl think I'm hard, and my Momma think I'm hard But when I'm all up in the dark I just fall on my knees
The singer mentions that even though his loved ones see him as tough, when he's alone and vulnerable, the only thing he can do is pray.

[Chorus:]
The chorus denoting how the actions one takes can position them dangerously between a bullet and a target, and how at some point, they'll have to extricate themselves.