Tricky
Jelani Blackman Lyrics

Sometimes I condone violence
At times, I approve of using force to deal with a situation

You′re a liar if you say that you don't
If you deny ever justifying violence, you're being untruthful

You vote for people that send out soldiers
You support politicians who deploy the army into conflict zones

You just don′t like violence you don't own
You don't have a monopoly on disliking violence either

Seen so many wars in my postcode
In my neighborhood, there have been numerous conflicts

Mandem like orphans on the cold roads
Groups of young men roam the chilly streets like they're abandoned

When I'm on my ridgeback feds are slo mo
The police take their sweet time when they see me riding my mountain bike

When they go past that′s why my heart is a stone
The cold attitude of law enforcement officers makes me feel emotionally numb

People fear that that they don′t know
Individuals are afraid of what they're ignorant of

But they pop up like meerkats for the photos
Despite this fear, they suddenly show up like meerkats just to have a photo taken with us

Like yo that's my g that′s my don that's my drag
They then refer to me as someone they know intimately

Then they stroll straight back to their 4 floor homes
After the photo-op, they go back home to their comfortable lives

Them man are lucky them a lucky that I′ve grown
Those group of people are fortunate that I've matured beyond being impulsive

Articulate so you know in your bones
I'm eloquent enough for you to understand this clearly

I went to school in the square of the sloanes
I attended a school located in Sloane Square

South kids north kids east and grove
My school had pupils from all over South, North, East, and West London

Locals made us know that we weren't welcome
We felt unwelcome in the local community

State school on a 1% road
I went to a non-fee paying school on a street mostly inhabited by wealthy people

But even then knew it looked good to live like them
Despite feeling unwelcome, we still desired to live like the wealthy locals

And they′re more corrupted than most
Ironically, the wealthy locals were more corrupt than most

Yeah it's a tricky one still
Yes, it's still a complicated situation

My life's been a sticky one still
My life has been difficult and challenging thus far

Whole world on them Mickey Mouse pills
The world is obsessed with superficial love and false happiness

But Ima smile when they give me one mill
Despite this, I'll be happy when I receive a million dollars

It′s a weird world out there
The world is a strange and bizarre place

Childhood asking to touch my hair
I received many curious requests to touch my hair when I was a child

Mmm they don′t say stuff but they stare
People stare at me without voicing what they're thinking

Or actually act like you're just not there
Some individuals act as if I don't exist or don't matter

That′s must be them ones that don't see colour
This behavior could be attributed to those who claim not to see color/race

But see that black guy that′s my brother
Yet, they'll comment about how familiar I look because I'm Black

You know that we don't have the same mother
Even though we're both Black, we're not related by blood

But we still feel the same ′cause we're other
We have a sense of shared experience because we both belong to a marginalized group

I've kept my feelings so undercover
I've kept my thoughts and emotions hidden for so long

′Cause this convos like burning rubber
These conversations are analogous to burning rubber because it's uncomfortable and dangerous

It′s makes most ppl turn up theirs noses
These conversations make most people turn up their noses in disgust

But the roses ain't sweet that you smother
Situations can be made worse by attempting to mask the unpleasantness with something seemingly pleasant

It's mad 'cause I′m that guy in private
It's insane because I'm entirely different when alone

Words spin your head like silly Simons
My words can make your mind spin like a spinning top

Just can't be everyone′s teacher
I can't teach everyone or make them understand

You can't reach going sleep to the sirens
It's impossible to understand anything when you're sleeping through the sound of police sirens

Why why why
Why, why, why?

Who what where when why
Who, what, where, when, why?

Oi nah I′m taking the piss
I'm being sarcastic and not actually asking those questions

But I got questions
But I do have questions

How long do i have to say we're tryna make it better for our kids
How long do I have to say that we're working to make the world a better place for our children?

We′ve done generations
We've been doing this for generations

Mistakes keep on mistaking
We're making mistakes again and again

Ozone's done penetrating
The ozone layer has been severely depleted

Like your girlfriend when you were locked up
Just like your girlfriend who moved on when you were incarcerated

′Cause you know she's done with the waiting
Because you know she's moved on and no longer wants to wait

I will not stay in my station stay in my lane
I won't limit myself or stay within the boundaries set for me by society

I′m f*ckjng amazing
I'm incredible and awesome at what I do

Say that with your chest to the pagans
Say that confidently to those who might oppose or mock you

If they say no manna start raging
If they refuse, I'll become enraged

If I held a knife to your throat and you felt it
If I threatened you with a weapon and you knew it was real

Would you call your next action selfish
Would you consider your response to be selfish?

Or would you be defending you future
Or would you see it as defending your future?

See how quickly your ego melted
Your self-importance would immediately wane

It's a Tricky one still
It's still a complicated situation

My life's been a Sticky one still
My life has been difficult and challenging thus far

Whole world on them Mickey Mouse pills
The world is obsessed with superficial love and false happiness

But Ima smile when they give me one mill
Despite this, I'll be happy when I receive a million dollars