Family Business
Fugees Lyrics

Where I was born, nothing is promised
The place I come from doesn't offer much certainty or guarantee of a better life

My life is filled with less hope than the prophecies of Nostradamus
I have very little optimism for the future, just like the seemingly bleak predictions of Nostradamus

Omega marks the ending of predictability, birth of agility
The end of predictable situations gives rise to adaptability and quick thinking

Who will it be to test me and expose their futility
Who will dare to challenge me and reveal their own uselessness

Iron like a lion from Zion stop tryin' so hard
I'm as strong and unwavering as a lion from Zion, so stop putting in so much effort to bring me down

I think I smell your brain cells fryin'
I can sense your intellectual defeat

The family's behind you if you're worthy
My family supports and stands by me if I prove myself deserving

Philosophies developed deep in the back streets of dirty Jersey
We have developed our principles and beliefs in the rough neighborhoods of New Jersey

Troops with scully hats and Timberland boots
We are a group of soldiers wearing scully hats and Timberland boots

No more break-dancing for loot
We no longer engage in illegal activities like break-dancing for money

Niggas hustle and shoot
We work hard and are ready to defend ourselves if necessary

In the Garden State, it grows stink weeds and criminals
In New Jersey, there is a prevalence of negative influences and criminal activities

Government funds are minimal
There is a lack of financial support from the government

Oppression's subliminal
Oppression is subtle and difficult to recognize

These days its hard for we to find peace of mind
In these times, it is challenging for us to find inner peace

Between insanity and sanity there lies a thin line
There is a very fine distinction between being insane and being sane

Some dwell in hotels with Jezebels
Some people live in hotels with promiscuous women

A stone age and fall a victim to the Plague
They live in a primitive state and are easily affected by negative influences

Unclean bad dreams of Wyclef being a fiend
They have impure, troubling dreams about Wyclef Jean being a drug addict

One last kiss from my sweet serpentine
Before I face death, I share one final intimate moment with my deceitful partner

Eliminate then break
I get rid of my enemies and then move on to the next challenge

Navigate to rejuvenate thoughts of suicide with my nickel plate
I find my way out of dark thoughts by reminding myself that I have a gun to protect myself

Reconciliation came from my enemy-friend
I made peace with someone who was once my enemy but later became a friend

Who said family don't bend
This friend taught me that family will always be there for you

We stay silent till the end
We remain loyal and quiet until the very end

Now who would think that your best friend
It's unexpected that your closest friend

Would be your worst enemy and your enemy your best friend
Can turn into your worst enemy while your previous enemy becomes your closest ally

Stare into the air inspiration from the atmosphere
I find inspiration by staring into space and absorbing the energy around me

I think of old ghosts, that ain't even here
I reminisce about past memories and people who are no longer with us

Like Alex Haley take notes on this Biography
Just like Alex Haley, I carefully document my life story and experiences

My family tree consists of street refugees
The people in my family come from the streets and have had to overcome hardships

A ghetto land, where we talk slang
We come from a rough neighborhood where we speak in street language

Stolen cars bang, like my chitty bang-bang sh-bang
We drive stolen cars that make a loud noise, like the sound of a gun

For the heads, we ain't sellin' cocaine today
For those who know, we aren't involved in drug dealing today

So refrain and let my family reign okay
So hold back and allow my family to lead and be successful, alright?

Just walkin' the streets death can take you away
Just by simply being out on the streets, you can fall victim to death

It's never guaranteed that you'll see the next day
We can never be certain if we will live to see tomorrow

At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play
During the night, the wicked forces of darkness are active and dangerous

So defend the family that's the code to obey
We must protect and support our family, it is our duty

But if I fall asleep and death takes me away
If I happen to die in my sleep

Don't be surprised son, I wasn't put here to stay
Don't be shocked, I was never meant to stay in this world permanently

At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play
During the night, the wicked forces of darkness remain active

So the family sticks together and we never betray
Therefore, we stay united as a family and never betray each other

Nah fuck that
No, forget about that

Fifty-two pick up, no cops around
We engage in illegal activities when there are no law enforcement officers present

Fifty-two thousand in cash, I don't want no savings bonds
I prefer having fifty-two thousand dollars in cash rather than investing in savings bonds

Have the money ready, I smell something fishy
Make sure you have the money prepared because something suspicious is happening

Your wife's in my custody
I have taken your wife as my hostage

One false move and you'll find her body in the sea
If you make a mistake, I will dispose of your wife's body in the ocean

That's the voice of the kid, that's the kidnapper
I am the one speaking, I am the person who has kidnapped someone

I do my work and then I catch my ticket to Jamaica
After completing my task, I will escape to Jamaica

Meet me in the alley, make sure you bring the money
Let's meet in a secluded place and make sure you have the money with you

This ain't the seventies I'm far from a jive turkey
This is not the 1970s, I am not a foolish and naive person

My circle it can't be broken
My group of people cannot be divided or defeated

Open, cut-throatin', provokin'
We are open-minded, ruthless, and provocative

Record promotin, tokens chokin' on they words like smoke and
We promote our music while others struggle to find the right words to speak

Cause we soft spoken, doesn't mean that we've forgotten
Just because we speak softly doesn't mean we have forgotten or are weak

Your bootie smells rotten and one day you will be gotten
You are acting deceitfully, and one day you will face consequences

See joker's is scatter-brained, their focus is unrestrained
Those individuals are disorganized and lack focus

My army is trained, you never find us beefin' in vain
My team is disciplined, and we never engage in pointless disputes

Cause I've seen fire and I've seen rain
I have experienced both intense struggles and moments of relief

You claim fame, while modest niggas remain
You seek recognition, while humble individuals are overlooked

I can judge a character like Ito judge a verdict
I have the ability to accurately assess one's character, just like Judge Ito pronounces a verdict

And if you bringin' threats I give you sex if I ain't heard it
If you threaten me, I will respond with violence if nothing else works

See poppin' shit's about your attitude and how you word it
Talking aggressively depends on your attitude and choice of words

I've seen the biggest niggas on the block get murdered
I have witnessed the most influential individuals in the neighborhood being killed

And they deserved it
And they had it coming

Or so the beast said when they served it
That's what the villain claimed when they carried out the act

That shit is nervous
That situation is unnerving

So what's my purpose?
So, what is my reason for being here?

Family, we must preserve it
As a family, we must protect and maintain our unity

Your number's retired
Your time is up

I hope you like the hell fires
I hope you enjoy the punishment that awaits you in hell

You'll be screamin' Murder she Wrote like Chaka Demus and Pliers
You will be screaming for help like in the song 'Murder she Wrote' by Chaka Demus and Pliers

We used to jump rope
We used to play games like jump rope

But now we gun hope
But now we resort to violence and carrying guns

Bustin' shots off of project roof tops
We shoot firearms from the top of project buildings

Sending signals with the blunt smoke
We communicate messages by smoking marijuana

Ock, don't talk a lot if you can't hold it in lock
Don't speak too much if you can't keep a secret

If you think lips sink ships
If you believe that talking can cause problems

Imagine full glock clips
Just imagine what a fully loaded gun can do

I hold a glass of Remy Martin
I hold a glass filled with Remy Martin, a type of cognac

Gettin' milks by the carton
I am making a lot of money

Extortin' the light weights for thinkin' they important
I take advantage of weak individuals who think highly of themselves

The night pays and heavenly ways
Engaging in illegal activities at night results in financial gain

Ain't nothin' free ah
Nothing comes for free

Knowledge of your family and steppin' to your B.I.
Understanding and valuing your family while fiercely defending your own personal interests

You see I, stay on top of shit like a fly
I always stay aware and in control of my surroundings

My niggas reach when they got beef
My friends are quick to retaliate when they have a conflict

Then jet down to South Beach
Then we swiftly escape to South Beach, a neighborhood in Miami

Yo mouthpiece is yappin'
You talk too much

I hear it in your rap and
I can hear it in your music lyrics

My family is thick so that bullshit could never happen
My family is strong and united, so we won't tolerate any nonsense