Victim
GZA feat. Njeri Lyrics

Just another victim of the...victim of the ghetto
Living in the ghetto brings one nothing but misfortune, thus turning one into an unfortunate victim of circumstances.

Just another victim, that's how it goes, ooh
The sad reality is that life in the ghetto yields no positive outcomes, rendering all its inhabitants rather helpless victims.

Heavy foot traffic jam the hallway all day
Due to the high population density, the hallways are inundated with people, making it hard to navigate through.

Adolescence workin' for small pay
Young people are forced to take on low-income jobs at an early age to sustain themselves or their families.

World so little, he could never leave his block
Life in the ghetto is so restrictive that residents are often limited to their small area and can't explore beyond it.

His home full of riddle, so he always need his glock
Given the constant danger that comes with living in the ghetto, it's not surprising that one feels the need to always have a firearm handy for self-protection.

He coast with his eye open, keep his metal smokin'
Despite the danger, one remains vigilant and ready for battle to win survival.

Young wasted minds, fiendin' on dimes, cokin'
Young people forced to live in the ghetto often turn to drugs and other vices as an escape from their reality.

Forgot kids quick to break rules, and known to make fools
Children growing up in the ghetto tend to bend the rules quickly and often get into trouble, only making them a laughing stock.

Out of many, down the streets be more safe than school
Ironically, the dangers within the school are not worthwhile compared to the safety of the streets.

There's no diploma, that can break him from the coma
Without any formal education or qualifications, it is hard to escape the ghetto mentality and uplift oneself from poverty.

A bloody war in the country, the youth hungry
There is a mindset of war and violence within the ghetto, and young people suffer hunger and deprivation.

On the corner, hyenas amongst me
The ghetto is a place where one has to watch out for threats lurking around every corner.

Yabbin' 'bout the stories, they be hearin', always swearin'
People in the ghetto often repeat stories of other people's illusions of getting out of poverty for themselves, often trying to convince themselves that it can happen to them too.

Can't even spell the shit that he be wearin'
People in the ghetto are often deprived of even the basic skill of reading and writing; hence the reason for being unable to spell what they wear.

Caught up in the silk web of material
Many people in the ghetto become obsessed with material things as a means of achieving fulfillment and feeling accepted.

Superficial stains ya brain tissue, that's the issue
The obsession with material possessions takes over the mind and causes people to lose focus on what's truly important in life.

The young is lost at their own cost, dreamin'
Young people in the ghetto are heavily burdened with dreams that they can hardly achieve, leaving them in a state of confusion and lostness.

Screamin' how we never hold positions, that's the meanin'
People from the ghetto often scream for equal opportunities and better socio-economic status.

Brothers of murder victims share the same grief
People in the ghetto experience a common sense of grief and loss when they lose family or friends to senseless acts of violence.

The elderly shake their head in disbelief
The older generation can't believe how the ghetto has become a hotbed of violence and chaos.

And no relief came till I aimed
No peace or relief can come to the ghetto dwellers until they decide to take a stand and change their destiny, which often means taking up arms.

And blast one shot and left my name
Making oneself heard often means using violence to intimidate others and gain some semblance of power.

My residence is a city where army veterans smoke rocks
The ghetto is a place where even war veterans fall prey to addiction and are unable to rebuild their lives.

On torn down blocks, drug spots set out their shops
Drug dealing is rampant, with sellers setting up shop anywhere they can find.

And cops watch, innocent niggaz roam in flocks
The police seem only interested in watching as innocent people wander around the ghetto aimlessly, with no intention of arresting criminals.

Romanism in tops, papers and knots
People in the ghetto find solace in religion and small investments, but always hope for a way out.

Churches and liquor stores on every corner, plot to get money not
One can find a church or a liquor store in every corner of the ghetto; however, both involve only money-making schemes rather than genuine care for their patrons.

Some funny niggaz act like they could pop glocks and those who can't cop
Some people in the ghetto have a habit of showing off and pretending they are armed to make themselves feel more powerful.

Sisters givin' up ass a lot, brothers givin' up cash a lot
Women in the ghetto are often forced to sell their bodies as a means of survival, while men often have to resort to giving away their hard-earned money.

They be strugglin' to become someone because their parents not
People in the ghetto feel the overwhelming pressure to succeed and break free from their parents' unsuccessful legacy.

Just another victim of the ghetto, where lost minds settle
It is the norm to fall victim to the dangerous environment and settle for less while living in the ghetto.

When the devil uncivils society and die free
Living in the ghetto is like a curse; it creates a deeply uncivilized society where people die without ever knowing true freedom.

With double 'W' followed by J-D around the necks
People in the ghetto usually wear gold chains pendants and jewels that signify their social status and financial power.

And wrists the God is now a dog, the earth is called a bitch
God has become nonexistent in the ghetto, and the earth is deemed a 'bitch,' meaning it doesn't matter how one treats it.

And all my people wish to get rich in this wilderness
People in the ghetto desire to escape from their dire situations by becoming rich, even in the unforgiving streets filled with despair.

To push a Lexus, ice on everythin' from rings and bracelets to the necklaces
People in the ghetto tend to have a superficial attitude towards material possessions, creating an unhealthy desire for nice cars and expensive jewelry.

Children molested within these pest infested buildings
Sexual abuse is alarmingly high in the ghetto, often happening within filthy buildings and other neglected dwellings.

Thieves uneducated in these schools, paint on the ceilings
Education is hardly a priority in the ghetto, and thieves are often the most active members of the community, as evident by graffiti on walls and ceilings.

Peelin' off, but all I see is lost black babies callin'
People in the ghetto seem to have given up and become a lost cause and are just children yearning for help as a mother would call to her children.

"Please somebody save me, please somebody save me"
The cry for help among the people in the ghetto is a plea for someone to rescue them from its dire conditions.

Just another...just another...victim of the ghetto
A person's fate in the ghetto is often predetermined, and they are doomed to become just another statistic - another victim of the ghetto.