Colors
Ice T Lyrics

I am a nightmare walking, psychopath talking
I am an intimidating and dangerous individual

King of my jungle just a gangster stalking
I am the dominant presence in my neighborhood, always on the lookout for trouble

Living life like a firecracker quick is my fuse
I live life with a short temper and explosive tendencies

Then dead as a deathpack the colors I choose
I am willing to kill or die for the gang colors I represent

Red or Blue, 'cause or Blood, it just don't matter
Whether it's representing the Bloods or the Crips, it doesn't make a difference

Sucker die for your life when my shotgun scatters
Those who oppose me will pay the ultimate price when I use my shotgun

We gangs of L.A. will never die - just multiply
The gang presence in Los Angeles will continue to grow and thrive

You see they hit us then we hit them
Retaliation is a constant cycle of violence

Then we hit them and they hit us, man
The conflict between gangs escalates with each retaliatory attack

It's like a war, ya know what I'm sayin'
The gang rivalry is akin to a full-blown war

People don't even understand
Most people fail to grasp the true extent of this reality

They don't even know what they dealing with
They are oblivious to the severity of the situation

You want to get rid of the gangs it's gonna take a lotta work
Eliminating gang culture requires significant effort

But people don't understand the size of this
The magnitude of the issue is greatly underestimated

This is no joke man, this is real
This is a serious, genuine problem with dire consequences

You don't know me, fool
You are ignorant about who I truly am

You disown me, cool
You reject and distance yourself from me, which is fine

I don't need your assistance, social persistence
I don't require your help or constant social interaction

Any problem I got I just put my fist in
I rely on physical violence to solve my issues

My life is violent but violent is life
Violence is an integral part of my existence

Peace is a dream, reality is a knife
The idea of peace is idealistic, while the reality is filled with danger

My colors, my honor, my colors, my all
The gang colors I represent are everything to me, a matter of pride and loyalty

With my colors upon me one soldier stands tall
Wearing my gang colors, I feel strong and powerful

Tell me what have you left me, what have I got
What is there for me when all I have known is violence and loss

Last night in cold blood my young brother got shot
Recently, my younger sibling was violently killed

My home got jacked
My house was burglarized

My mother's on crack
My mother is addicted to crack cocaine

My sister can't work cause her arms show trax
My sister's drug addiction has left her unable to find employment due to track marks on her arms

Madness insanity live in profanity
Craziness and insanity are prevalent in a life filled with vulgar and offensive behavior

Then some punk claimin' they understandin' me
Some inexperienced individual trying to claim they comprehend my experiences

Give me a break, what world do you live in
Stop pretending to understand when you clearly live in a completely different reality

Death is my sect, guess my religion
Death and violence are the core principles of my lifestyle, akin to a religious belief system

My brother was a gang banger
My sibling was involved in gang activities

And all my homeboys bang
All of my close friends are also involved in gang life

I don't know why I do it man, I just do it
I engage in this lifestyle without fully understanding why, it's just a part of who I am

I never had much of nuffin man
I have never had much in life

Look at you man, you've got everything going for yourself
Compared to me, you are privileged and have many advantages

And I ain't got nuffin man, I've got nuffin
I possess very little and have little to offer

I'm living in the ghetto man
I reside in a deprived, impoverished neighborhood

Just look at me man, look at me
Take a close look at me and my current situation

My pants are saggin' braided hair
I wear loose-fitting pants and have hair styled in braids, indicative of my gang affiliation

Suckers stare but I don't care
I am unbothered by the negative attention and judgment of others

My game ain't knowledge my game's fear
I don't rely on intelligence or knowledge, my power comes from instilling fear

I've no remorse so squares beware
I feel no guilt or regret, so those who are unfamiliar with this lifestyle should be cautious

But my true mission is just revenge
My ultimate purpose is seeking vengeance

You ain't in my sect, you ain't my friend
If you don't belong to my gang, you are not considered a friend

Wear the wrong color your life could end
If you wear the colors associated with a rival gang, it could result in your death

Homicides my favorite revenge
I derive satisfaction from taking someone's life as a form of retaliation

Listen to me man
Pay attention to what I'm saying

No matter whatcha do don't ever join a gang
I strongly advise against becoming part of a gang

You don't want to be in it man
Being involved in a gang is something you should avoid

You're just gonna end up in a mix of dead friends and time in jail
Being part of a gang will likely lead to losing friends through violence and serving prison sentences

I know, if I had a chance like you, I would never be in a gang man
Given the opportunity, I would choose a different path and never be associated with a gang

But I didn't have a chance, you know I wish I did
Unfortunately, circumstances did not provide me with the options to avoid this lifestyle

I'll just walk like a giant police defiant
I will confidently and fearlessly move through the streets, disregarding authorities

You'll say to stop but I'll say that I can't
If you ask me to cease my behavior, I will refuse and claim an inability to do so

My gangs my family its all that I have
The gang I belong to is like my family and represents my entire support system

I'm a star, on the walls is my autograph
I am revered and leave my mark on the walls as a symbol of my presence

You don't like it, so you know where you can go
If you disapprove, you are free to go elsewhere

'Cause the streets are my stage and terror's my show
The streets are where I perform, showcasing fear and intimidation

Psycho-analyze tried diagnosing me wise
Attempts to analyze and understand me only result in misguided judgments

It wasn't your brother that brutally died
You can't comprehend the pain of losing a loved one in a violent manner

But it was mine, so let me define
The tragedy of losing a family member to violence is personal and shapes my perspective

My territory don't cross the line
Do not intrude into the area I consider mine, or face the consequences

Don't try to act crazy
Do not attempt to seem unpredictable or deranged

'Cause the bitch don't thank me
Even though I engage in violent acts, I receive no gratitude

You can be read like a punk
You are easily understood and can be taken advantage of

It wouldn't made me
I wouldn't hesitate to harm or exploit you

'Cause my colors death
The colors I represent are associated with a deadly lifestyle

Thou we all want peace
Despite our desire for peace, it eludes us

But our war won't end
The conflict and battle between gangs will persist indefinitely

They'll always see
Society will always witness the violence and destruction caused by gangs

The wars of the street gangs will always get to me man
The constant wars fought between street gangs deeply affect me emotionally

But I don't want to be down with this situation man
I don't desire to be involved in this dangerous reality

But I'm in here, if I had something betta to do I think I'd do it but
However, as of now, I am stuck in this lifestyle with limited alternatives

Right, now I'm just down here boye
Currently, I am living in a state of despair and hopelessness

I'm trying to get money 'cause I'm smart
I am using my intelligence to try and earn money by any means necessary

I'm gunna get paid while I'm out here
I am determined to make money during my time in the streets

I'm gunna get that paper, ya know what I'm saying
I am committed to acquiring financial success, you understand?

If I had a chance like you, maybe I would be in school
If my circumstances were different, I might have pursued education

But I'm not, I'm out here living day to day surviving
Unfortunately, I am stuck living day-to-day, focused on mere survival

And I'm willing to die for my colors
I am prepared to sacrifice my life in defense of the gang colors I represent

Yo'll please stop, 'cause I want ya all to live
I implore you to cease engaging in violence, as I genuinely desire everyone to survive

This is Ice-T, Peace
This is a message delivered by Ice-T, promoting peace and tranquility