Nothing To Lose
K'naan Lyrics

Uh, someone called the cops on him
Someone called the police on him

Someone told his pops on him
Someone snitched on him to his father

He was talking crooked and he had some rocks on him
He was speaking in code language and had illegal drugs on him

Tucked, tucked in his socks’ corner
He had the drugs hidden in his socks

Chucks, chucks and the Charlotte Hornet
He was wearing Converse sneakers and a Charlotte Hornets basketball jersey

Cap, when he flowed then they all surprised on him
People were amazed when he rapped

Yes, he's a fugee but he go all Nas on ‘em
Although he is a refugee, he can rap like Nas

Well, can’t go pras on ‘em
He can't rap like Pras from the Fugees

And he got that crossover
He has the ability to appeal to different audiences with his music

But he from the streets you don’t cross over
Despite his crossover appeal, he remains true to his roots and the streets he came from

Hut, hut to the block soldiers
He salutes the street soldiers

Buck, buck to the cop vultures
He disses the police who prey on the streets like vultures

Nope, no I don’t know pilots
He doesn't know any pilots

Nigga I know pirates
He knows people who engage in illegal activities like pirates

Violence the islands
Violence is rampant in some places like islands

Shout out to my idrens
He sends a shout out to his friends

Put your hands up like it’s a mother fuckin’ siren
He asks people to put their hands up in a gesture of protest or defiance

Well, I paid all my dues
He has paid his dues in life

Shone a million shoes
He has worked hard in low-paying jobs like shining shoes

‘Cause when you got nothing left
When you have lost everything

You got nothing to lose
You have nothing more to lose

I used to stand on Vernon and ten
He used to hang out on a street corner

Burnin’ a spliff burner on hip
He used to smoke marijuana on his hip

Wishing to flip a bird, yac burning my chest
He wished to flip off the police while alcohol burned in his chest

Black certainly I’m dressed
He is dressed in all black

Strictly that army shit
He wears clothes resembling army attire

Finish my shift
He finished his work shift

Pack gone before the dawn hit
He left the area before sunrise

Anything I could earn on the strip
He earned money on the street

Turn it and flip
He invested and reinvested his earnings

Watching my back
He was vigilant and alert

Cooking the pot
He was cooking drugs to sell

Making it stretch
He was making the drugs last longer to maximize profit

Discussing with’ my clique
He talked and shared ideas with his group of friends

Should we duct tape the connect
They discussed whether or not to kidnap someone who owed them money

It’s rough and K’naan knows
Life is tough and he understands that

He had the same woes
He faced the same struggles as others on the street

I’m voicing my opinions
He speaks his mind

I forgot y’all was there
He got lost in his thoughts and forgot he was being listened to

I ain’t know y’all was still listenin’
He didn't know people were still paying attention

Be honest I ain’t care
To be honest, he didn't care what others thought

Y’all don’t get my innuendos my interests
He thinks people don't understand his hidden messages and what he is passionate about

Y’all on some simple shit
He thinks people have a simplistic understanding

Thinking I’m preachy
People think he is trying to lecture them

Yeah my church is the world
He considers the world as his church

Christians sip a cup of this holy water
He mocks Christians who drink holy water

Stuck at this phony border
He is stuck at a border that he thinks is fake or meaningless

It’s custom to enter the main stream
It is customary to enter the mainstream music industry

You must front and record
You have to create an image or persona and record songs that appeal to mainstream audiences

A poorer oratory
A lower standard of speech skills

Your life story corny
Your life story is not interesting or unique

Yo, my Somali niggas know what war be
His fellow Somalians understand what war is like

We fam'
We are like family

Remember when niggas said Nas was Somalian
People used to think Nas was from Somalia

Baseball caps had the tags, like a yardie and
The baseball caps had tags on them like Jamaican Yardies

It was written just came out, I was gnarly then
Nas' album 'It Was Written' had just been released and he was a big fan

Niggas dreaded seein’ me like a Rastafarian
People feared him like they would a Rastafarian with dreadlocks

We didn’t know the dress code though we was bargainers
Even though they were negotiators, they didn't know what to wear

The knock off Filas, with the pumps and cheap cardigans
They wore fake Fila sneakers, pumps and cheap cardigans

Niggas looked corny I admit, we was foreigners
They looked uncool and like foreigners

But this corny kid, quick to send you to the coroners
Despite his uncool appearance, he was dangerous and could kill

Y’all know my war story, I won’t repeat it
He has already shared his story of survival and doesn't want to repeat it

It’s just injury, my victory’s undefeated
Although he has been wounded, he remains undefeated and victorious

Thought you knew me well, go back and delete it
People who thought they knew him are mistaken and should forget what they thought

I’m in every joint this year, Orthopedic
He is in every club or venue this year and has caused a lot of hype

And yes the AK’s are instruments we do drum ‘em
He uses AK-47 rifles as instruments to make music

I’m somewhere between killa and king Solomon
He is somewhere between a murderer and King Solomon, known for his wisdom

And the shades take half the face we over stun ‘em
His sunglasses cover half his face and make him look cool

And treat obstacles like ass we overcome ‘em
They overcome obstacles with ease and treat them as unimportant

Man, they really made me do this
He is doing something he didn't want to do

I was peaceful like a Buddhist
He was peaceful like someone who practices Buddhism

But then niggas came and screwed it up like Judas
Other people caused chaos and betrayed him like Judas in the Bible

Now I’m suited up with Lugers
He is dressed up and armed with Luger pistols

Rugers suddenly intruders
The Ruger pistols have become intruders or unwanted guests

Turn around like hoola hoopers
He turns quickly like someone playing with a hula hoop

Fucking losers
He thinks his opponents are losers

This one’s for the world
The song is a tribute to the world

This one’s for your girl
The song is for your girlfriend

This one’s for your mama
The song is for your mother

This one’s for your nana
The song is for your grandmother