This is the second time Black Thought and Conway have appeared on a track together, as they were both featured on the late DJ Kay Slayโs song โRolling 110 Deepโ, alongside 108 other rappers.
Black Thought has also worked with the other core members of Griselda, including Westside Gunn on โIshkabibbleโsโ and Benny the Butcher on โCrowns For Kingsโ and โMomentumโ.
This is the first time anyone from Griselda has worked with Danger Mouse.
Saltwater
Danger Mouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That come up hard as a youth and knew no peace
You hit that lick and switched to a new motif
In a whip with two low seats and new gold teeth
You say you wanna live fast, gettin' paid in cash
Puffin' the most gas and dyin' of car crash
You never learned math in school, you cut class
So you can't count what's in the clip, you just blast
And all you tryna see is someplace with less sufferin'
Or make a lot of big blue faces just hustlin'
What could I say that you would embrace? I guess nothin'
This isn't in attempts to reach you and your hitters
The last thing you do is bullshit a bullshitter
The streets is a bitch, you up in the club with her
You should cease and desist, but you too in love with her, yeah
We're past the baton like a drum major at Howard
We transfer the power for salt water and flower
My pen packs a dawah, Akira Kurosawa
My ideas is gunpower, secure the tower
That overlooks a graveyard full of cancelled niggas
Who paid ransoms when they made handsome figures
Guilt and bad business'll make a man religious
I'm the difference of where Sanford and Sanford Biggers
Save the revelry if you tryna lower level me
I be over seventy, flippin' the script regularly
Know the L holder 'bout to be you instead of me
Why? 'Cause you a dickhead, I'm a Dick Gregory
Sendin' every opponent disciplinary notice
Ulterior motives begin pure as a lotus
Even if uncertain, I bet you I never showed
If you checkin' for me to choke, I suggest you adjust your focus (yeah)
Look, they heard me rhymin', they wanna know where they find me at
The grimy cat from the main street trenches, insomniac
Three in the mornin', lurkin' in that Pontiac
Where I'm from, you gotta take your pole even when you go to the laundromat (keep it on you)
Niggas tried to line me, but I had time to react
We spin the same day, and the day after, we slidin' back
Empty the mop in broad day and leave somebody whacked
He tried to run, three or four shots hit him inside his back (brrt)
And that go for anybody that rap
That Buffalo nigga that catch the bodies back
Hold up, rewind me back (yeah)
They heard me rhymin', they wanna know where they find me at
The grimy cat from the main street trenches, insomniac
Three in the mornin', catch me inside the trap
Knockin' off a ninety pack right by the door where the MAK-90 at
After the deal, the label still wanna sign me back
The contract worth a few mill', but I ain't signin' that (hahahaha)
Yeah, nigga
In the song Saltwater, by Danger Mouse, Black Thought, and Conway The Machine, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of the harsh realities of life in the streets. The opening lines of the song criticize those who have come up from poverty but have become clichรฉ in their attempt to fit into a new, flashy lifestyle. The song highlights struggles of growing up poor, lack of education, and dealing with the tough life in the streets. The lyrics illustrate how many turn to a life of crime as a way of surviving or living "fast". However, the consequences of these actions continue to have a stranglehold on their lives.
The second verse begins as a symbol of passing the baton to the next generation. It speaks about transferring power for "salt water and flower", which could represent the ocean and beauty but also symbolize the tears and struggle that the black community goes through. The lyrics are a testament to the power of pen over violence as the rapper's lyrical prowess packs a punch. The verse also talks about the guilt and regret many feel when they sell out to survive in the streets. The rap highlights Black Thought's idea of not being one of the fallen and rising above the ashes of the past.
Overall, Saltwater is a powerful rap song with lyrics that give insight into the harsh realities of life in the streets, the importance of knowledge, and how despite the challenges, one can still rise to greatness.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, you so cliche, you're the nouveau riche
You lack originality and are only concerned with showing off newfound wealth
That come up hard as a youth and knew no peace
You faced challenges in your youth and never experienced true peace
You hit that lick and switched to a new motif
You had a breakthrough moment and changed your lifestyle
In a whip with two low seats and new gold teeth
You bought a fancy car with low seats and gold teeth as a status symbol
You say you wanna live fast, gettin' paid in cash
You want to live a fast life and make money quickly
Puffin' the most gas and dyin' of car crash
You indulge in drugs and could potentially die in a car accident
You never learned math in school, you cut class
You didn't learn basic skills in school and often skipped class
So you can't count what's in the clip, you just blast
You don't have the ability to calculate the ammunition in your gun and just shoot aimlessly
I feel your mind spinnin' in place and just bufferin'
Your mind is stuck and you're struggling to make progress
And all you tryna see is someplace with less sufferin'
You just want a life with less struggles and hardships
Or make a lot of big blue faces just hustlin'
You want to make a lot of money through illegal means
What could I say that you would embrace? I guess nothin'
There's nothing I can say to make you change your ways
We're past the baton like a drum major at Howard
We're passing the torch and transferring power
We transfer the power for salt water and flower
We exchange power for simple and important things like salt water and flowers
My pen packs a dawah, Akira Kurosawa
My writing has influence and power, like a filmmaker of the same name
My ideas is gunpower, secure the tower
My ideas have a strong impact and can help defend against attacks
That overlooks a graveyard full of cancelled niggas
From a tower, we overlook a cemetery filled with black men who were killed or silenced
Who paid ransoms when they made handsome figures
Men who paid for their success and were robbed of it
Guilt and bad business'll make a man religious
Men who feel guilty and make bad business decisions may turn to religion
I'm the difference of where Sanford and Sanford Biggers
I represent the difference between two artists with the same last name
Save the revelry if you tryna lower level me
Don't try to bring me down with nonessential distraction or celebration
I be over seventy, flippin' the script regularly
I'm always changing and evolving, even at an older age
Know the L holder 'bout to be you instead of me
You will be the one holding the loss and taking the blame instead of me
Why? 'Cause you a dickhead, I'm a Dick Gregory
You're acting foolishly, but I'm wise and clever like the comedian Dick Gregory
Sendin' every opponent disciplinary notice
I'm making sure every challenger knows they will be held accountable for their actions
Ulterior motives begin pure as a lotus
Hidden intentions start off pure like a lotus flower
Even if uncertain, I bet you I never showed
Even if unsure or unsteady, I never let it show
If you checkin' for me to choke, I suggest you adjust your focus (yeah)
If you're expecting me to fail, you should pay attention elsewhere
Look, they heard me rhymin', they wanna know where they find me at
People want to know where to find me because they enjoy my music
The grimy cat from the main street trenches, insomniac
I'm from a rough background and often struggle with sleeplessness
Three in the mornin', lurkin' in that Pontiac
I'm often up late and hiding out in my car
Where I'm from, you gotta take your pole even when you go to the laundromat (keep it on you)
In my hometown, you always have to have a weapon with you, even when doing basic tasks like doing laundry
Niggas tried to line me, but I had time to react
People have attempted to set me up, but I was able to react quickly
We spin the same day, and the day after, we slidin' back
We keep repeating the same cycle, preventing our progress
Empty the mop in broad day and leave somebody whacked
Committing murder in broad daylight and leaving the victim dead
He tried to run, three or four shots hit him inside his back (brrt)
The victim tried to run, but was shot multiple times in the back
And that go for anybody that rap
This applies to anyone who claims to be a rapper
That Buffalo nigga that catch the bodies back
A reference to a rapper from Buffalo known for committing violence
Hold up, rewind me back (yeah)
Stop and replay what I just said
They heard me rhymin', they wanna know where they find me at
People want to know where to find me because they enjoy my music
The grimy cat from the main street trenches, insomniac
I'm from a rough background and often struggle with sleeplessness
Three in the mornin', catch me inside the trap
I'm often inside a trap house at 3 AM
Knockin' off a ninety pack right by the door where the MAK-90 at
I'm quickly selling a large quantity of drugs near a powerful firearm
After the deal, the label still wanna sign me back
Even after making money without a label's help, they still want to sign me
The contract worth a few mill', but I ain't signin' that (hahahaha)
Despite the large sum of money offered, I won't sign away my independence and creative control
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brian Joseph Burton, Claudio Canali, Demond Price, Guiseppe Cossa, Tarik Trotter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@georgedevine4130
Black Thought is top 5 ever lyrically....I said what I said
@courtneydailey5250
Listening to Black Thought rap is like watching Bob Ross effortlessly and playfully painting a masterpiece in a room full of toddlers scribbling with crayons.
@Ericleeproject
You paint a vivid picture of truth.
@elevated8978
Yo!!!!!!
@zero_fux_given8840
Okaye! ๐๐ป๐๐ผ
@d.o.p.e9658
Bare truthful comment
You win the ๐ฏ ๐ today!!!
@supa-hero7184
The God mc
@the_elder
The production on this album is sick and Black Thought always delivers.
@patrickbyrne5070
For them old lads like me that are half indie half fkin mobster beats โฆ this is the beautiful stuff. Mouse been there
@SambaBamana_A_LA_1
๐ฏ Black Thought is a treasure.