Hurricane
Common & Mos Def Lyrics

Same story, same target, different time
People facing similar struggles and oppression throughout history, but in different eras.

Cyclical reaction from the prisoners of the blind
Repeating patterns of resistance and defiance from those who are oppressed and marginalized.

Trying to fight time, it's a battle of the mind
The struggle to overcome the constraints and limitations imposed by society and time itself.

Waiting for redemption, surviving in a bind
Hoping for a chance at redemption and trying to survive despite being trapped in difficult circumstances.

Yo, talk about paying the ultimate price
Acknowledging the severity of the consequences and sacrifices made.

Hurricane been incarcerated all of his life
Hurricane Carter spent his entire life in prison.

Started out at like twelve
He was incarcerated at a very young age.

Trapped in a belly of hell
Being confined in a prison that feels like a living nightmare.

Grew into a man inside of a cell
Matured and developed as a person while being imprisoned.

Yo, anger just swell up
His anger and frustration grew inside him.

At a early age that develop
His anger started at a young age and became deeply ingrained.

Hot head and now it ain't shit y'all could tell him
He became stubborn and resistant to advice or authority.

They said he's on a road to become a felon
Others predicted that he would end up as a criminal.

But instead he swung blows that'll split your melon
He fought back and became a skilled fighter, capable of knocking someone out.

He did his thing and was the king of the ring, undisputed
He excelled in the boxing ring and was considered the undefeated champion.

Started making noise but they tried to mute it
Despite his success, others tried to silence and diminish his accomplishments.

They put him through it
They subjected him to various hardships and challenges.

For him to make the system look stupid
He fought against the system in order to expose its flaws and injustices.

They rather look you in the face and shoot it
They would prefer to confront and harm someone directly instead of addressing the underlying issues.

And leave your spot looted [or what]
They would destroy and steal from you without remorse.

Or leave your whole life blank futured and caught
They would ruin your future and trap you in a cycle of despair and hopelessness.

When you scream at it and do it
When you confront the injustice and take action against it.

With sweat leaking from the outline of your solid
With determination and effort pouring out from the core of your being.

Don't understand the point that you at
Feeling lost and confused about your current situation.

Or how the hell you came to it
Questioning how you ended up in such a difficult position.

Flashback to images of that night, out in Patterson
Remembering the events that took place on a particular night in Patterson.

They pulled him over heading home from a gathering
He was stopped by the police while trying to go home after attending an event.

And when they told him the charge it kind of baffled him
He was surprised and confused by the crime he was accused of.

Murder in the first for the champ, we on that again?
They accused him of first-degree murder, questioning if they were repeating the same injustice as before.

Forever, imagine your locked down forever
Imagine being imprisoned for the rest of your life.

Could y'all stand the weather?
Could you handle the harsh conditions and circumstances?

Could you hold it together?
Could you maintain your composure and mental stability?

You tell me that you know the pain
You claim to understand the pain and struggle.

Yo, imagine if your life was like a hurricane, a hurricane
Imagine if your life was constantly chaotic and turbulent, like a hurricane.

Forever, imagine your locked down forever
Imagine being imprisoned for the rest of your life.

Could ya'll stand the weather?
Could you handle the harsh conditions and circumstances?

You built for that weather?
Are you prepared and capable of withstanding those challenges?

Yo, know what'm saying?
Do you understand what I'm saying?

You gotta fight for what you believe in
You have to stand up and defend your beliefs.

Nobody knows the troubles seen
No one truly understands the struggles and hardships experienced.

This flick left me wondering
This story or event left me deeply pondering and reflecting.

What can become of kings and young kids?
What is the potential fate and future of those with power and influence, as well as the youth?

Summer dream deferred, incident occurred, freedom blurred
A dream of freedom and liberation was delayed and overshadowed by a significant event.

A freedom that would only be retrieved again in words, later on
The freedom and expression of thoughts and experiences can only be regained through storytelling and writing later in life.

The cops, y'all know what they be on
We are all aware of the motives and actions of the police.

A nigga's life is like a field that they play upon, away and gone from
The police treat a person's life as if it were expendable and insignificant.

Natural lifer, a soul he had to fight
Hurricane had to fight against his fate of spending his entire life in prison.

Learn it himself, sleep days, stay up half the night
He educated himself, spending his days sleeping and staying awake at night to study.

Amongst dead man walking, he got afterlife exercising
He was surrounded by other prisoners who were resigned to their fate, but he remained hopeful and proactive.

Developing his knack to write
He honed his writing skills and talents.

Never leaving his cell, in this world he trapped himself
He chose to confine himself and focus on his writing, despite being physically imprisoned.

What he loved on the outside world, detached himself
He disconnected himself from the outside world and the things he used to love.

You know the cards Blacks get dealt by the system
You understand the injustices and disadvantages faced by Black people due to systemic racism.

He drew a picture of freedom with many dimensions
Through his writing, he depicted a multifaceted and complex vision of freedom.

This picture proved to be bigger than Black and White
His vision of freedom transcended racial boundaries and encompassed all people.

A young soul named Lesra brought him back to life
A young person named Lesra revitalized Hurricane and gave him a renewed sense of purpose and hope.

It's amazing to a man what a book could do
The power and impact of a book can be extraordinary and transformative.

And how certain books seem to look for you
Certain books find their way into your life when you most need them.

This is the story of a champion's fall and rise
The narrative follows the journey of a champion who falls from grace and then rises again.

The story left me wiping my eyes
The story was so emotionally powerful that it brought tears to my eyes.

Yes, I am the inescapable, the irresistible
Time is an unstoppable and irresistible force.

The unnegotiable, the unchallenged (who dat?)
Time cannot be reasoned with or defeated.

I am time
Time is a fundamental aspect of existence.

I scroll in measurements, control the elements
Time is measured and governs the passage and changes of the natural world.

I hold the evidence, I tell the story (say what?)
Time bears witness to all events and recounts the history of humanity.

I am time
Time is a fundamental aspect of existence.

I know no prejudice, I bare no sentiments
Time is impartial and does not show favoritism or emotion.

For wealth or settlement, I move forward (who you?)
Time progresses relentlessly, regardless of wealth or personal desires.

I am time
Time is a fundamental aspect of existence.

You can't recover me, conceal or smuggle me
You cannot hide, manipulate, or control time.

Retreat or run from me, crawl up or under me
You cannot escape, avoid, or evade the passage of time.

You can't do much for me besides serve
The only thing you can do with regards to time is to make the most of it and use it wisely.

Me well and have good dividends returned to you
If you utilize time effectively, you will reap the rewards and benefits.

Or attempt to kill me off and have me murder you
If you try to manipulate or control time, it will ultimately destroy you.

Many have wasted me but now they are facing me
Many people have squandered their time, but now they are confronted by its consequences and limitations.

Treated me unfaithfully and now endure me painfully
They neglected or disregarded the value of time and are now suffering the consequences.

Plaintively, I wait to see what history will shape to be
Time patiently observes the unfolding of events and the impact they will have on history.

Whos hearts will never die inside the sake of me
The individuals whose actions and influence will be remembered for eternity.

Angel's scribe the page for me
Angels record and document the passage of time.

Keep a full account of all the names for me
They record and remember the names and deeds of people throughout history.

And make a special mark for Hurricane who waited patiently
Hurricane Carter, who endured and persevered through time, deserves to be recognized and remembered.

The clouds clashed and the heaven's gave birth to star
There was a dramatic and significant event, resulting in the birth of something extraordinary.

God placed it in a man on the day he was born
God bestowed this special gift and purpose upon a man from the moment of his birth.

Convicted minutes after, a true natural disaster
Soon after his birth, he faced injustice and was condemned to a life of hardship and struggle.

Framed for manslaughter, the Hurricane Carter rising
He was falsely accused of causing someone's death and emerged as a symbol of resilience and strength.

From out the south water, like torrential rains
He emerged from a place of hardship and adversity, like a powerful storm.

In the ring no opponent escaped unscathed
As a boxer, he was formidable and left his opponents with injuries.

You can't believe the world we live in's injust
The level of injustice and unfairness in our world is difficult to comprehend.

All I see is more proof, there's no place for us
The evidence of systemic discrimination and exclusion is overwhelming, indicating that society does not welcome or accommodate certain groups of people.

They had my man Carter locked in a cage, like an animal
Hurricane Carter was unjustly imprisoned and treated as subhuman.

Drive him to the point where the mind work mechanical
The oppressive conditions and treatment made his mind function like a machine, devoid of emotion or creativity.

Or works by remote control
He was controlled and manipulated by external forces and circumstances.

It was done to all of us, they tapped directly into our soul
The oppressive system impacted and affected everyone, penetrating their very essence.

Either it's sing-sing, or it's bars around your mind
Either you are physically imprisoned or your thoughts and creativity are confined.

There's no where to run, no where to hide
There is no escape or refuge from the oppressive reality.

In a six-by-six a guilty man cries
In a small prison cell, a man who is presumed guilty laments his circumstances.

For repentance and lost is what innocence is
Innocence is lost and there is no opportunity for redemption or change.