Ghostface Killah is critically acclaimed for his loud, fast-paced flow, and his stream-of-consciousness narratives containing cryptic slang and non-sequiturs.
Ghostface Killah was raised in the Stapleton housing projects in Staten Island, New York. In his autobiographical song "All That I Got Is You", Ghost tells the story of his childhood. He raps about how he grew up in a three bedroom apartment without his father, who left him at the age of six. Apparently, his mother had nine children.
His stage name was taken from one of the characters in the 1979 kung fu film Mystery of Chessboxing.
He was also a close friend of the three founding members of Wu-tang clan
Mama
Ghostface Killah Lyrics
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[Intro: Ghostface Killah (Keyshia Cole)]
Damn, this is for all my women that's been going through the struggle
On welfare, living the rough life (oh I cried, but see I'm thankful)
It's gone be alright, that's right (Thankful for the trouble
For holding me down, every day, oh yeah..)
This is how we gone do it, I want you to explain your story
(Uh, can't ask for any more.. more...)
Tell 'em Keyshia..
[Chorus: Keyshia Cole]
Momma, where did you go wrong
Because I need to know
You got me living the life you were living
When you were young...
And I'm heading down the same path, uh
But the difference between me and you
Is, oh, hey, hey, hey
[Ghostface Killah]
There's not a difference, boo, it's real life..
It's not ya momma fault, it's ya fathers fault
It's your fathers fault your mother is an alcoholic
Confusin the brain from the booze and the pain
And plus he cheated on her, beated on her, smack dead in the rain
She Lost her first child in 74
And that lead to nervous breakdowns bicardi dark she downin it raw
She can't take it she constantly cryin fallin down on her knees
Like help me lord please I'm ready to leave
All she needed was somebody to rub her feet
Give her a nice hug and rescue her from off these streets, come on
[Chorus]
[Ghostface Killah]
There's not a difference, boo, it's only an 8-figure, back me up
I been sent by an angel to snatch you up
Take you way above the clouds and back you up
At night you can lay in my arms feel the heart beatin
Don status in the sheets I'm keepin you warm
Ain't no nigga gone do what I do
Imah take care of you and ya kids
Take the bent and go handle ya biz
The bills is paid,the cable back on
I quote you know the seeds want they nickleodeon on
I'm not ashamed to sport you
Floss you or gloss you out
Fat, skinny out of shape I'll dior you out
[Chorus]
[Ghostface Killah]
Wipe ya eyes..
Yo in the hood there's a struggle
My girls is in trouble
She lackin guidance in the mind she's blinded and puzzled
Her pops never showed her the ropes
Her moms raised mad kids on her own
She never had a strong man in her home
[Keyshia Cole w/ Ghost ad-libs]
Stay stroooooooooong
Oh, hey, said we're gonna stay strong
No matter what
Yeah.. we're still here to see, hey... (that's my baby, that's my baby)
[Chorus]
[Outro: Keyshia Cole]
Gotta keep the hood up through all the struggle
No matter what, you know what I'm saying?
Keep your heart in the right place
The song "Mama" by Ghostface Killah featuring Keyshia Cole is a tribute to all the women that have gone through struggle while raising children. The lyrics start with acknowledging the rough life that they have gone through and the singer's own personal gratitude for the pain that has made them stronger. Keyshia Cole asks her mother where she went wrong, as she sees herself heading down the same path, and Ghostface responds that it is not the mother's fault, but rather the father's. He blames the father for being an alcoholic, making her mother also become one, and being abusive towards her. He also references a nervous breakdown that her mother experienced after losing her first child in 1974.
Ghostface then offers himself to be the strong man that these women never had in their life. He offers to take care of them and their kids, pay the bills and take them away from the struggle. He ends the song by encouraging these women to stay strong and keep their heart in the right place. Overall, the song celebrates the strength of women who have gone through difficult times but have still managed to keep their children and themselves going.
Line by Line Meaning
Damn, this is for all my women that's been going through the struggle
This song is for all the women who have faced struggles and hardships.
On welfare, living the rough life (oh I cried, but see I'm thankful)
Some women have been on welfare, living rough lives, and though it's been hard, they're still thankful for what they have.
It's gone be alright, that's right (Thankful for the trouble
Things will be okay, but women are still grateful for the lessons learned through adversity.
For holding me down, every day, oh yeah..)
Women have people in their lives who support them and stay with them through all the ups and downs.
This is how we gone do it, I want you to explain your story
Ghostface wants women to share their stories of hardship so that he can understand their struggles better.
Then I'mah tell you mine, tell 'em
Ghostface is willing to share his own story in exchange for theirs.
(Uh, can't ask for any more.. more...)
He feels that he's doing what he can to relate to and support women.
Tell 'em Keyshia..
Keyshia is also going to share her story.
Momma, where did you go wrong
Keyshia wants to know where her mother made mistakes so that she can avoid them in her own life.
Because I need to know
She needs to understand her mother's experiences to understand the impact they've had on her life.
You got me living the life you were living
Keyshia feels like she's living the same life as her mother.
When you were young...
Keyshia's mother went through similar struggles as she is now when she was young.
And I'm heading down the same path, uh
Keyshia feels like she's repeating her mother's mistakes and heading down the same path.
But the difference between me and you
There is a difference between Keyshia and her mother.
Is, oh, hey, hey, hey
She's about to reveal what she thinks that difference is.
There's not a difference, boo, it's real life..
Ghostface doesn't think there's a significant difference between Keyshia's situation and her mother's situation since they both face similar struggles in life.
It's not ya momma fault, it's ya fathers fault
He thinks that Keyshia's father is to blame for her mother's issues.
It's your fathers fault your mother is an alcoholic
Keyshia's father is responsible for her mother's addiction to alcohol.
Confusin the brain from the booze and the pain
The alcohol has been a factor in her mother's confusion and hurt.
And plus he cheated on her, beated on her, smack dead in the rain
In addition to the alcoholism, Keyshia's father physically abused and mistreated her mother, which only made things worse.
She Lost her first child in 74
Keyshia's mother has also experienced significant loss in her life.
And that lead to nervous breakdowns bicardi dark she downin it raw
The pain of losing a child pushed Keyshia's mother to drink more heavily and experience mental health issues.
She can't take it she constantly cryin fallin down on her knees
Her mother is overwhelmed by her struggles and can't seem to catch a break.
Like help me lord please I'm ready to leave
She has reached the point of desperation and is asking for help to leave her situation.
All she needed was somebody to rub her feet
Her mother needs someone to take care of her and show her kindness.
Give her a nice hug and rescue her from off these streets, come on
She needs to be rescued from her situation and shown love and affection.
There's not a difference, boo, it's only an 8-figure, back me up
Ghostface is saying that the only difference between Keyshia and her mother is the amount of money she has.
I been sent by an angel to snatch you up
Ghostface believes that he has been sent to save her.
Take you way above the clouds and back you up
He will take her out of the darkness and above the clouds to show her the light.
At night you can lay in my arms feel the heart beatin
He will take care of her and hold her to help her feel safe and loved.
Don status in the sheets I'm keepin you warm
Ghostface will make sure that she's taken care of in every way possible.
Ain't no nigga gone do what I do
He's the only one who can truly take care of her and her children in this way.
Imah take care of you and ya kids
Ghostface is not only going to take care of Keyshia but her children as well.
Take the bent and go handle ya biz
He will provide for them and make sure that they're taken care of.
The bills is paid,the cable back on
He will make sure that they have everything they need and won't have to worry about financial issues anymore.
I quote you know the seeds want they nickleodeon on
He understands that the children want to watch Nickelodeon and will make sure they can.
I'm not ashamed to sport you
He's proud to be with Keyshia and will show her off to the world.
Floss you or gloss you out
He will take care of her in every way possible, making her feel beautiful and loved.
Fat, skinny out of shape I'll dior you out
He will help her feel and look her best, no matter what her physical appearance is.
Yo in the hood there's a struggle
Ghostface is acknowledging the reality of life in the hood and the struggles that come with it.
My girls is in trouble
Women in the hood are facing hardships and need support.
She lackin guidance in the mind she's blinded and puzzled
Women in the hood often lack guidance and support, leading to confusion and problems.
Her pops never showed her the ropes
These women often don't have positive male role models to guide them.
Her moms raised mad kids on her own
These women's mothers often had to raise them on their own, without a partner to rely on.
She never had a strong man in her home
These women have not had many positive male figures in their lives to guide them and support them.
Stay stroooooooooong
Keyshia and other women in the hood need to stay strong and persevere through their struggles.
Oh, hey, said we're gonna stay strong
Ghostface is encouraging Keyshia to stay strong and optimistic.
No matter what
They need to keep going, no matter what challenges they face.
Keep your heart in the right place
They need to stay true to themselves and their values.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JERRY HERMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind