As an interesting side note, the album cover shows the World Trade Center on fire only one year after the 1993 bombing of the North Tower. The album featured Jeru's signature conscious lyrics, however he was criticized by The Fugees for his explicit lyrics particularly, in the song "Da Bichez". Fugees member Pras lightly mentioned Jeru on the track "Zealots", from the group's landmark 1996 album The Score, with the line "No matter who you damage, you're still a false prophet", referencing Jeru's single "You Can't Stop the Prophet". Jeru lightly responded in the intro to the track "Me or The Papes".
Jeru followed up in 1996 with his sophomore album Wrath of the Math again produced solely by DJ Premier. The album was also widely acclaimed, though not on the same level as his debut. Like on his first album, Jeru was accusatory of commercial hip hop artists and record labels (Death Row, Bad Boy), who he criticized on the concept track "One Day". After the release of Wrath of the Math, Jeru had a falling out with DJ Premier and Guru, and was missing from the scene until 1999, when he released his third album, Heroz4hire, released together with Mizmarvel. Heroz was his first album without production from DJ Premier and also his first under his then newly created KnowSavage Records. It featured the single "99.9 Pa Cent", which was a verbal attack on his former affiliates Gang Starr. Heroz4hire was less critically acclaimed, due mostly to Premier's absence. His latest album, Divine Design, released in 2003, was the first album under his new record label, Ashenafi Records. The album received little attention and mixed reviews. A new Jeru album, tentatively titled Still Rising was released in 2007.
Invasion
Jeru the Damaja Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Police all on my dick like I shot somebody
Cause of these big ass lips and I rock my locks knotty
Life is getting hectic Tupac got shot in the nuts
You saw cops was corrupt when Rodney King got fucked up
With friends like these who needs enemies
Constantly harassing, filling up my nuts like a Klansman
So I guess I'm the motherfucking villain
Under pressure they got me under pressure
What's your name your address and phone number
Your occupation come down to the station
There's been a robbery they claim a nigga fit the description
It can't be, so I slides out on em
In ninety-five you gotta catch a nigga, if you want him
One to three, and five to ten
Bullies in blue suits Son with automatic weapons
I'm stressed, ready to blow up somethin
The beast keep frontin, invasion
Verse Two:
I was forced into a life of crime
Career criminal, now my career is crime
My mind is in a fucked up state
A brainwashed state, is the black man's fate, in the ground
or locked down upstate, when I was young I used to shoot for the stars
but got shot down by demons in patrol cars
Stars good cop, bad cop, stick up the crack spot
The ave won't get hot til one of their crew gets shot
Ask, Larry Davis, how much they took
Cops and crooks, but who's the crooks?
Take a nigga to jail, make bail, guilty or innocent
The system gets ten percent
Frontin like you're doin somethin
But you ain't sayin nothin, invasion
Verse Three:
Come up in my cipher best believe I'ma dip on that ass
Beast-boy I'm professional heart of the ghetto
raised, in the ways of thugs
Dodgin slugs, takin slugs, driving stolen automobiles
skills fantastical
Living life on the edge it's dramatic, mad drama
I'm a fanatic, adrenalin addict
Getaway car, stick shit or automatic
Where's my crew at, you got your crew scopin
for a nigga up and down the Ave, it makes me laugh
Eat my nuts, eat my dust
I won't spend the night locked up or in handcuffs
'cause in the conrete jungle, I got the right stuff
Smooth operator, pilot and navigator
Break out from oppression, my mission to escape
The, invasion
Jeru the Damaja's song Invasion is a commentary on the ways that black people are treated unfairly by law enforcement. The first verse describes the experience of being racially profiled by the police. Jeru describes how he is constantly harassed and searched, despite not doing anything wrong. He talks about how the police assume that he is a criminal because of the way he looks, with big lips and dreadlocks. The verse also references the Rodney King beating and Tupac's shooting to highlight the systemic corruption in law enforcement.
In the second verse, Jeru talks about how he feels forced into a life of crime because of his circumstances. He describes the plight of the black man, who is either "in the ground or locked down upstate". He also references Larry Davis, a black man who was accused of shooting six police officers in self-defense, and who was violently arrested and beaten by the police. The verse criticizes the fact that the justice system profits off of the incarceration of black people, with the system "getting ten percent".
The final verse describes Jeru's own experience as a skilled criminal who is able to evade police capture. He talks about his crew and how they work together to outsmart the police. The verse exalts the idea of being a smooth operator, pilot, and navigator, who can break free from oppression and escape the invasion.
Overall, Invasion is a powerful critique of systemic racism and police brutality, focusing on the experience of black people who are constantly targeted by law enforcement.
Line by Line Meaning
Police all on my dick like I shot somebody
Police are constantly harassing me for no reason.
Cause of these big ass lips and I rock my locks knotty
Police are harassing me because of my appearance.
Life is getting hectic Tupac got shot in the nuts
The world is becoming more dangerous, as evidenced by the recent shooting of Tupac.
You saw cops was corrupt when Rodney King got fucked up
Rodney King's beating highlighted the corruption and brutality of the police force.
With friends like these who needs enemies
The police are supposed to protect and serve, but instead they're treating me like an enemy.
Constantly harassing, filling up my nuts like a Klansman
The police are aggressively and relentlessly harassing me.
Snatching up a nigga for nuttin, I heard bad guys wear black
The police are arresting me for no reason, even though they're supposed to be the good guys.
So I guess I'm the motherfucking villain
The police are painting me as a criminal even though I haven't done anything wrong.
Under pressure they got me under pressure
The police are putting me under intense pressure and scrutiny.
What's your name your address and phone number
The police are demanding personal information from me.
Your occupation come down to the station
The police are summoning me to the station for questioning.
There's been a robbery they claim a nigga fit the description
The police are accusing me of a crime simply because I match a vague description.
It can't be, so I slides out on em
I know I didn't commit the crime, so I try to evade the police.
In ninety-five you gotta catch a nigga, if you want him
In the current state of the world, the police need to work harder to catch real criminals.
One to three, and five to ten
The sentencing guidelines for crimes are too harsh and arbitrary.
Bullies in blue suits Son with automatic weapons
The police are acting like bullies, using excessive force and weaponry.
I'm stressed, ready to blow up somethin
I'm feeling angry and frustrated with the unjust system.
The beast keep frontin, invasion
The police continue being aggressive and treating me like the enemy, leading to an impending invasion.
I was forced into a life of crime
Society pushed me towards a life of crime.
Career criminal, now my career is crime
Now that I'm a criminal, it seems that's all I can do.
My mind is in a fucked up state
My mental state is suffering due to the circumstances.
A brainwashed state, is the black man's fate, in the ground
Black men are taught to think and behave a certain way, leading to negative consequences.
or locked down upstate, when I was young I used to shoot for the stars
Either I end up dead or in prison, despite having hope and ambition when I was younger.
but got shot down by demons in patrol cars
The police are like demons, preventing me from achieving my goals and aspirations.
Stars good cop, bad cop, stick up the crack spot
There are both good and bad police officers, and the bad ones often engage in criminal activity.
The ave won't get hot til one of their crew gets shot
The area won't be considered dangerous until a police officer is hurt or killed.
Ask, Larry Davis, how much they took
Larry Davis was a man who fought back against police brutality and was sentenced harshly for it.
Cops and crooks, but who's the crooks?
The line between police and criminals is increasingly blurred.
Take a nigga to jail, make bail, guilty or innocent
The justice system is unfair and arbitrary, with people being incarcerated before they've even been proven guilty.
The system gets ten percent
The justice system makes money off of the incarceration of Black men.
Frontin like you're doin somethin
The police pretend like they're making progress in the community, but they're not.
But you ain't sayin nothin, invasion
Despite not actually accomplishing anything, the police continue to act aggressively, leading to an impending invasion.
Come up in my cipher best believe I'ma dip on that ass
If someone tries to mess with me or disrupt my circle, I'm going to leave the situation.
Beast-boy I'm professional heart of the ghetto
I'm experienced at navigating life in the ghetto.
raised, in the ways of thugs
I grew up around people and situations that were considered to be thuggish.
Dodgin slugs, takin slugs, driving stolen automobiles
I'm accustomed to experiencing and avoiding gun violence.
skills fantastical
I have incredible skills and abilities.
Living life on the edge it's dramatic, mad drama
My life is full of constant excitement and drama because of my circumstances.
I'm a fanatic, adrenalin addict
I live for the adrenaline rush and excitement of my lifestyle.
Getaway car, stick shit or automatic
When I'm in a dangerous situation, I need to be able to escape quickly or defend myself.
Where's my crew at, you got your crew scopin
I need my friends and allies to protect me in dangerous situations.
for a nigga up and down the Ave, it makes me laugh
The police's attempts to track me down are laughable and ridiculous.
Eat my nuts, eat my dust
I'm leaving the police in the dust, in pursuit of a better life.
I won't spend the night locked up or in handcuffs
I won't be caught and imprisoned by the police.
'cause in the conrete jungle, I got the right stuff
I have the skills and instincts to survive in my harsh environment.
Smooth operator, pilot and navigator
I'm skilled at navigating difficult situations and getting out of dangerous scenarios.
Break out from oppression, my mission to escape
My main goal is to escape the oppressive system that's holding me back.
The, invasion
The impending invasion by the police and other oppressive forces.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KENDRICK J DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER E MARTIN, CURTIS L MAYFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Israel
Nick W "..Come up in my cipher best believe I'ma dip on that ass
Beast-boy I'm professional heart of the ghetto
raised, in the ways of thugs
Dodgin slugs, takin slugs, driving stolen automobiles
skills fantastical
Living life on the edge it's traumatic, mad drama
I'm a fanatic, adrenalin addict
Getaway car, stick shit or automatic
Where's my crew at, you got your crew scopin
for a nigga up and down the Ave, it makes me laugh
Eat my nuts, eat my dust
I won't spend the night locked up or in handcuffs
'cause in the conrete jungle, I got the right stuff.." That whole verse had my fucking head twirling back in '96. This track was light years ahead of NWA's Fuck Da Police. Poetic, lyrical and just a monster.
Chris
I was forced into a life of crime
Career criminal,
now my career is crime
My mind is in a fucked up state
A brainwashed state,
is the black man's fate,
in the ground
or locked down upstate,
when I was young I used to shoot for the stars
but got shot down by demons in patrol cars
D4V3
What a track.preemo and Jeru together were absolute🔥
Whatever Man
"make bail guilty or innocent..the system gets 10%"
one of my favorite lines from any song ever
Israel
Nick W "..Come up in my cipher best believe I'ma dip on that ass
Beast-boy I'm professional heart of the ghetto
raised, in the ways of thugs
Dodgin slugs, takin slugs, driving stolen automobiles
skills fantastical
Living life on the edge it's traumatic, mad drama
I'm a fanatic, adrenalin addict
Getaway car, stick shit or automatic
Where's my crew at, you got your crew scopin
for a nigga up and down the Ave, it makes me laugh
Eat my nuts, eat my dust
I won't spend the night locked up or in handcuffs
'cause in the conrete jungle, I got the right stuff.." That whole verse had my fucking head twirling back in '96. This track was light years ahead of NWA's Fuck Da Police. Poetic, lyrical and just a monster.
5burowz
They get much more than 10%. It's a multi-billion dollar industry and I'm not even including the drug trafficking.
lifestraight
@Israel Love this verse. Always have. So much truth in this. But I think he said "Kung Fu jungle"
Israel
@lifestraight pretty sure it's concrete jungle. That was a common term in 80s/90s NYC.
lifestraight
@Israel True. But listen to it again. Say "concrete" the same time he says it. It doesnt fit.
Jeneral J.U.-ICE
Hands down one of the illest beats by Primo! When I bought "Wrath of the Math" in '96 on cd this was my favorite track. The lyrics by Jeru in this track are dope but Primo really shined on this one because of the beat. What stood out to me then and now is the way he scratched and cut Nas' sample in three different ways every time the "invasion" hook came in...it's never the same way Primo scratched and cut from the first time he did it. That shit is dope! Primo, Pete Rock, Large Pro (the Trinity) Diamond D, Ali Shaheed Mohammed, Lord Finesse, Organized Noize, RZA and Q-Tip some of the illest producers in the history of hip-hop music during the 90's!
chuckback73
Jeneral J.U.-ICE Facts!
Spy Dirty
It was first on the NJ Drive soundtrack