Beneath The Surface
GZA/Genius feat. Killah Priest & RES Lyrics


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[GZA]
On a man-made lake, there's a sheet of thin ice
Where unskilled skaters, couldn't figure-8 twice
At 16, uncut, direct from the cult
Head on assault, the result, death by the bolt
In a vote, it spoke aboat the average loss commission
That was seen by a king in a prophetic vision
Like a plane crash from a bomb blast
Special broadcast, slot time with con cash
It kept the jury quiet, and now a riot will form
While satanic man, now hang in his dorm
I swing, on you fake, radio personalities
Boost ya ratings, but hypes behind casualties
Fire shots, for low-pressure water gun play
Instantly, slap ya fire like it's Palm Sunday
I fashion the first tool, from the elements
The earth use, and built it to a complex
Network, of communications, you're up against a hopeless, situation
I screen every vehicle, through enemy observation
Swarmin' unpredictably, we spread terror
Increase the force significantly, change the error
Check my wind pattern, it's headin' west
Success is freedom, failure could mean death
Humans sweat, aim shovels
Dig up the debris and rubble
Permanent, damage caused by the double-
You, know who, cowardly urge you to merge through
And think the workers'll serve you
Signin' marvel, who just dropped the next novel
Worldwide, practically marred in marble
His accountless, amount of MC's I saved
And those same niggas want to squander those gifts I gave
[Chorus: RES sample]
Scratch underneath the surface, where does your purpose lie?
It seems our world is worthless, like we're pawns beneath the sky
Change the race by reason, and ashes just the wind
The left is so our we're breathin', keep ourself from givin' in
[Killah Priest of Sunz Of Man]
Love and hatred, home is most sacred
Both species, they lay naked in the tombs of oasis
Think back on niggas I ate with, spent the day with
Guns we played with, niggas I relate with
We broke bread, I heard through a vine niggas workin for the Feds
Sent out secretly to take my head
I lay back and meditate to the words they say
Skip town for a mutten goofy dred
Had a friend tell my family I was dead
Return at the last fall of the autumn leaves
Operate the plan accordingly, in case the Feds are recordin me
Sign all documents, usin forgery, 'cause just a near thought of me
Like Solomon, spoke bluntly
Told the word I'm black and calmly
Howls from the grave haunt me
The smell of death's upon me, I dwell in the hills like Gandhi
Been in the presence of mad peasants, and old kings
Who sold everything, on a quest for god's divine
Slept in caves to get a clear mind
Who prayed 3 times, when the moon lit and the sun rise
I met dwellers in the desert, talked to shepherds
Been in the mouth of many leopards
Felt the death kiss, of Satan's mistress
Walked the vacant districts, for 4 religions, studied Pagan scriptures
True philosophers and physicians, on a cure missions
Who harden their hearts, to ward the weak, sick and ifflicted
Candles lit, gamble with a bitch
Who made me love her, when I touch her, soft cause hide claws
Bees with sweet honey in they mouth
Have bitter stingers at they tail
Walk through the chambers of death, take a hold on to hell
Embracing her was like embracing a 3rd world
[Chorus]




[Outro: RES sample]
Scratch underneath the surface

Overall Meaning

In "Beneath The Surface," GZA collaborates with Killah Priest and RES to provide a reflection on their personal experiences and societal issues. GZA starts things off by describing an environment where people are skating on a thin layer of ice, but only the skilled ones are able to maneuver without falling. He then transitions to a story about a cult-like group that leads to fatal consequences. The king's prophetic vision of the loss commission plays into the idea of how power is used to manipulate narrative and keep the masses quiet. GZA calls out radio personalities who create false hype and indirectly cause harm. The verse closes out with GZA pushing back against the idea of being a pawn while emphasizing the importance of his contributions as an artist.


Killah Priest's verse brings forth themes of love and hatred, secrets and lies, and the quest for purpose. His storytelling style often veers towards the ominous, as he describes how someone was compelled to fake his death because he was being hunted by the Feds. Despite this, Priest remains determined to live his life on his own terms, no matter the consequences. He reflects on the varied experiences he's had throughout his life, from sleeping in caves to talking to shepherds, to studying different religious texts. Through all of this, he posits that we must scratch beneath the surface to understand the complexities of ourselves and the world around us.


Overall, "Beneath The Surface" is a song that encourages critical thinking and self-reflection. It warns against blindly accepting what we're told and instead prompts us to look deeper to find our own purposes in life.


Line by Line Meaning

On a man-made lake, there's a sheet of thin ice
The situation is risky as the foundation is fragile


Where unskilled skaters, couldn't figure-8 twice
Even doing the simplest of things becomes difficult when the foundations are weak


At 16, uncut, direct from the cult
At a young age, the singer was indoctrinated into a particular way of thinking


Head on assault, the result, death by the bolt
When one is too aggressive, the outcome can be fatal


In a vote, it spoke aboat the average loss commission
In a democratic process, there is always a winner and a loser


That was seen by a king in a prophetic vision
Leaders often have foresight and foresight can be powerful


Like a plane crash from a bomb blast
The situation is explosive and destructive


Special broadcast, slot time with con cash
Propaganda can be bought and sold


It kept the jury quiet, and now a riot will form
Oppression can lead to civil unrest


While satanic man, now hang in his dorm
Those who live in darkness will ultimately face the consequences of their actions


I swing, on you fake, radio personalities
The singer doesn't trust those who don't speak the truth


Boost ya ratings, but hypes behind casualties
Media can be sensationalized and cause harm


Fire shots, for low-pressure water gun play
The singer is willing to use excessive force over trivial matters


Instantly, slap ya fire like it's Palm Sunday
The singer will quickly extinguish any flame that threatens their power


I fashion the first tool, from the elements
Innovation comes from using the resources available


The earth use, and built it to a complex
Over time, tools become more advanced and sophisticated


Network, of communications, you're up against a hopeless, situation
A strong network can make it difficult for an individual to succeed


I screen every vehicle, through enemy observation
The singer is always on high alert and vigilant


Swarmin' unpredictably, we spread terror
The singer and their allies will instill fear in others


Increase the force significantly, change the error
Overwhelming force can change the outcome of any conflict


Check my wind pattern, it's headin' west
The artist is aware of the environment around them


Success is freedom, failure could mean death
The stakes are high and the price of failure is severe


Humans sweat, aim shovels
Success requires hard work and dedication


Dig up the debris and rubble
Sometimes progress requires tearing down what came before


Permanent, damage caused by the double-
The consequences of bad decisions can be long-lasting


You, know who, cowardly urge you to merge through
The singer warns against being influenced by weak people


And think the workers'll serve you
Those who think they can control others will ultimately fail


Signin' marvel, who just dropped the next novel
The artist is praising a talented artist or writer


Worldwide, practically marred in marble
Even the most successful can be flawed


His accountless, amount of MC's I saved
The singer helped many aspiring artists succeed


And those same n****s want to squander those gifts I gave
Many of the singer's beneficiaries have not made the most of their opportunities


Scratch underneath the surface, where does your purpose lie?
Seek deeper meaning in life and pursue your true passion


It seems our world is worthless, like we're pawns beneath the sky
Life can feel meaningless and mundane at times


Change the race by reason, and ashes just the wind
Change the world through rational and logical means


The left is so our we're breathin', keep ourself from givin' in
Don't give up in the face of opposition


Love and hatred, home is most sacred
Strong emotions are closely tied to the idea of home


Both species, they lay naked in the tombs of oasis
All are equal in death


Think back on n****s I ate with, spent the day with
The singer remembers those they once were close with


Guns we played with, n****s I relate with
The singer has faced violence and connects with those who have too


We broke bread, I heard through a vine n****s workin for the Feds
Trust is fragile and can be easily broken


Sent out secretly to take my head
The artist's enemies are willing to take extreme measures to harm them


I lay back and meditate to the words they say
The singer reflects on the actions and words of those who wish to harm them


Skip town for a mutten goofy dred
The singer will go to great lengths to avoid trouble


Had a friend tell my family I was dead
The artist went into hiding and took extreme measures to avoid being found by their enemies


Return at the last fall of the autumn leaves
The artist timed their return to avoid being caught


Operate the plan accordingly, in case the Feds are recordin me
The artist takes precautions to avoid being caught by law enforcement


Sign all documents, usin forgery, 'cause just a near thought of me
The singer has to resort to deception to protect themselves


Like Solomon, spoke bluntly
The artist has the wisdom of a great leader


Told the word I'm black and calmly
The singer is proud of their identity and heritage


Howls from the grave haunt me
The singer is haunted by the ghosts of those who have passed on


The smell of death's upon me, I dwell in the hills like Gandhi
The singer is often surrounded by death and violence, but remains peaceful


Been in the presence of mad peasants, and old kings
The artist has been among the common people and royalty alike


Who sold everything, on a quest for god's divine
Many are on a spiritual journey in search of meaning


Slept in caves to get a clear mind
The singer practiced asceticism to clear their mind


Who prayed 3 times, when the moon lit and the sun rise
The singer is pious and devout


I met dwellers in the desert, talked to shepherds
The artist has had unique experiences with people from all walks of life


Been in the mouth of many leopards
The artist has been in danger multiple times


Felt the death kiss, of Satan's mistress
The artist has encountered evil


Walked the vacant districts, for 4 religions, studied Pagan scriptures
The singer is knowledgeable about various religions and belief systems


True philosophers and physicians, on a cure missions
The artist has met great thinkers and healers


Who harden their hearts, to ward the weak, sick and ifflicted
Some are callous towards those who are vulnerable


Candles lit, gamble with a bitch
Life is full of risks and chance encounters


Who made me love her, when I touch her, soft cause hide claws
Dangerous things can still be attractive and seductive


Bees with sweet honey in they mouth
Not all that is sweet is innocent


Have bitter stingers at they tail
Even sweet things can be dangerous


Walk through the chambers of death, take a hold on to hell
The singer has had to confront death and darkness


Embracing her was like embracing a 3rd world
Dangerous things can be irresistible




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SANTI WHITE, WILLIE MITCHELL, GARY GRICE, EARL RANDLE, JASON HUNTER, YVONNE MITCHELL, LAWRENCE SEYMOUR, WALTER REED

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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