http://www.commonmarketmusic.com
Entering the hip-hop arena in an almost-forgotten fashion, the MC-and-the-DJ tag team Common Market has been pegged as leaders of Seattle's new-school rap movement. MC RA Scion and DJ Sabzi have received rave reviews locally, landing in the Seattle Times' artists-to-watch list in 2006, appearing on the front cover of Sound Seattle magazine's September 2006 issue, and obtaining the personal endorsement of hip-hop pioneer KRS-One as an exceptional up-and-coming group. Sabzi, a classically trained pianist and member of Seattle rap group Blue Scholars, and RA Scion came to meet each other in 2004 because of their identical ambitions to make Seattle a hotbed for hip-hop and their similar beliefs as worshipers of the Baha'i Faith. After Sabzi lent production help to RA Scion's solo album, Live and Learn, the two formed Common Market in 2005. Their self-titled debut album was first released in 2005 but then released nationally in early 2006. ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi
Escaping Arkham
Common Market Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Any place for a man of faith's appropriate
When, knowing no comfort
Wanna want for the opiate
I, Hunted by scent
Not cents(sense?)
Hundreds spent, poor things
Storied hunter falling to predatory lending
Will they still be if ever forced to walk the path of Cassius
River City made me
Incidentally, maybe I'll be champion type two, pray for me
'Cause where I'm currently at's against the rope
And our odds amidst the vermin and rats then smoke on the water
If I bury this axe, friend or foe where you fall
Workin' to cash it back in then went and stole it all
And I'll recoup but I ain't ready yet
Besides all they've takin' is a lie
This is petty theft
Left with the better me
That flesh and treasury was too heavy to carry anyhow
Heaven so many miles (miles, miles)
Far away is the place I'm from, place I'm from
Waiting on a day that may not come, may not come (may not come)
Crazed and drunk they made you afraid of something
You may be stunned to find the bravest one
Don't run away chasing the sun
Dig it
Already missing you
Whisper miserable, my memory visceral
Yell as I'm held, suspended animation
Float over time and space
And the scent of sanitation
Over the smoke and the smoldering waste
My holding pattern scattered for miles above annihilation
Spin off as I fend off the provocation
Wishin' I had a minute more to pin the observation
What I could leave to be the legacy
Never presented itself 'til I was sick of myself
Handful of my face, plagued with a case of leprosy
Moment of consolation came in this levitation
But I ain't one to speak of regrets
I make commitments I unyieldingly kept
F-U see the rest K, I'ma sleep in a second
'cause when I make the introduction
You ain't never late for meetings with death (death, uh)
Far away is the place I'm from, the place I'm from
Waiting on a day that may not come, it may not come
Crazed and drunk they made you afraid of something
You may be stunned to find the bravest one
Don't run away chasing the sun
Far away is the place I'm from, the place I'm from
Waiting on a day that may not come, it may not come
Crazed and drunk they made you afraid of something
You may be stunned to find the bravest one
Don't run away chasing the sun
The lyrics to Common Market's song Escaping Arkham describe the struggles of an individual who is trying to escape their current situation. The person is seeking comfort from their faith and desires an escape from their pain by using opiates. Despite being hunted by their own weaknesses, including predatory lending, the person remains passionate and refuses to give up. They are willing to fight all the vermin and rats in order to make their way back to a place of normalcy. The person also reminisces about their past, their old home, and their desperation to leave their current situation. They firmly believe that they are the bravest person, despite all the craziness and fear that surrounds them. The song is a powerful portrayal of a person's struggle to find hope when surrounded by negativity.
Overall, the song Escaping Arkham is about personal struggles, perseverance, hope, and faith. The lyrics delve into the idea of escaping a situation that is suffocating, and the seemingly impossible task of striving to return to a place of peace. By using metaphors surrounding predation and hunting, the song also emphasizes the intense survivalist mindset that people can adopt when facing adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
(Get it, you right)
Acknowledgement of understanding
Any place for a man of faith's appropriate
There is a suitable place for a person with strong beliefs
When, knowing no comfort
Despite the discomfort
Wanna want for the opiate
Desire for relief
I, Hunted by scent
Pursued by an overpowering scent
Not cents(sense?)
Not sense, but rather money
Hundreds spent, poor things
A lot of money spent with little gain
Storied hunter falling to predatory lending
Someone with a history of hunting, now succumbing to exploitative loans
Creditors unforgiving of trespassers
Lenders are not lenient with those who fall behind on payments
Will they still be if ever forced to walk the path of Cassius
Are lenders able to remain unforgiving if they were to experience the same situation
River City made me
The city shaped who I am
Incidentally, maybe I'll be champion type two, pray for me
I hope to become something great, please support me
'Cause where I'm currently at's against the rope
I am backed into a corner
And our odds amidst the vermin and rats then smoke on the water
Our chances of success are low in this harsh environment
If I bury this axe, friend or foe where you fall
If I give up my weapon, anyone in my way will face the consequences
Workin' to cash it back in then went and stole it all
Working hard to regain lost money, only to lose it again through theft
And I'll recoup but I ain't ready yet
I will recover, but it will take time
Besides all they've takin' is a lie
What they took was not the truth
This is petty theft
This is insignificant stealing
Left with the better me
I am better off without the parts of myself that were holding me back
That flesh and treasury was too heavy to carry anyhow
The weight of my physical body and material possessions were too much for me
Heaven so many miles (miles, miles)
The afterlife is far away
Far away is the place I'm from, place I'm from
The place where I come from is distant
Waiting on a day that may not come, may not come (may not come)
Hoping for a future that may never arrive
Crazed and drunk they made you afraid of something
They deliberately made you afraid
You may be stunned to find the bravest one
The person you least expect to be brave may surprise you
Don't run away chasing the sun
Do not give up or lose hope
Already missing you
I miss you, even though you're still here
Whisper miserable, my memory visceral
I remember something painful and vividly
Yell as I'm held, suspended animation
I am screaming while being held still
Float over time and space
Moving through time and space without resistance
And the scent of sanitation
The smell of cleanliness
Over the smoke and the smoldering waste
Above the debris and burning trash
My holding pattern scattered for miles above annihilation
I am hovering aimlessly over a destroyed area
Spin off as I fend off the provocation
I am pushed away as I defend myself
Wishin' I had a minute more to pin the observation
I regret not having enough time to fully analyze the situation
What I could leave to be the legacy
What I can do to create a lasting impact
Never presented itself 'til I was sick of myself
I did not realize what was important until I was disgusted with my own behavior
Handful of my face, plagued with a case of leprosy
I am touching my face, suffering from a severe illness
Moment of consolation came in this levitation
I found peace in being suspended in mid-air
But I ain't one to speak of regrets
I do not like to dwell on past mistakes
I make commitments I unyieldingly kept
I am dedicated to fulfilling my promises
F-U see the rest K, I'ma sleep in a second
I do not care what others think, I am about to go to sleep
'cause when I make the introduction
When I present myself
You ain't never late for meetings with death (death, uh)
Death is always punctual, and you cannot avoid it
Contributed by Andrew J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@JamiePerkins
this song never gets old, I love all your stuff. Always have to hit the share button when I watch your videos. you deserve to be better known than you are. Hope you can tour australia one day!
@InbredTaco
It sucks these guys didn't receive the distinction they deserved. They deserved to reap the reward of providing real and honest music to the world. Thank you Common Market.
@roman111117
They do reap the benefits, but like another mc I like says,"underground rap has a salary cap" any gifted mc knows this and persists, that makes it all that much more beautiful to me(:
@purplefreak222
Dear Common Market..
Hip Hop needs you.
@iandalrymple7255
The Illustrated One
And dear hip hop,
You desperately need common market, and grouch and eligh and zion1
@RARutan
This!...... I am coming to you 3 years later! They are coming back!
@a.k.mydude7198
@@RARutan wait are u saying Common Market is getting back together? How sure are you? That would literally make my year i miss this gift so much!!!!!!!
@RARutan
@@a.k.mydude7198 yeah man!!!! Check out common markets facebook. If not RA Scions. It's happening!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭
@a.k.mydude7198
@@RARutan OMFG!!!!! Dude thank you so so much for posting that comment in the 1st place or i might not have found out 4 a while & this news really makes my year im so stoked!!! Listening to the original Common Market self titled album & Tobacco Road when they both came out were the soundtracks for the best years of my life i miss it so much im so excited to 1ce again be blessed with C.M. music!!!!
@RealityyBytes
The emotions felt when listening to Common Market is inexplicable. If you know, then you know. It's in the soul. Thank you so much RA & Sabzi.