NOTHING TO LOSE
K.NAAN Lyrics

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

Someone told his pops on him
Someone informed his father

He was talking crooked and he had some rocks on him
He spoke incoherently and he had drugs on him

Tucked, tucked in his socks’ corner
He secretively carried drugs in his socks

Chucks, chucks and the Charlotte Hornet
He wore Chuck Taylor sneakers and a Charlotte Hornets jersey

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

Yes, he's a fugee but he go all Nas on ‘em
Though he is an immigrant, he raps like Nas

Well, can’t go pras on ‘em
He cannot rap like Pras

And he got that crossover
He has versatile skills

But he from the streets you don’t cross over
Despite his talent, he remains connected to his roots

Hut, hut to the block soldiers
He speaks of urban military-like structures on the street

Buck, buck to the cop vultures
He speaks of retaliation against police brutality

Nope, no I don’t know pilots
He does not know airline pilots

Nigga I know pirates
He knows people who engage in piracy

Violence the islands
The islands he knows are associated with violence

Shout out to my idrens
He greets his friends

Put your hands up like it’s a mother fuckin’ siren
He asks his audience to raise their hands like a siren

Well, I paid all my dues
He has overcome all obstacles

Shone a million shoes
He achieved success through hard work

‘Cause when you got nothing left
When you lose everything

You got nothing to lose
You have no fear of losing

I used to stand on Vernon and ten
He references a location in his community

Burnin’ a spliff burner on hip
He smoked marijuana openly

Wishing to flip a bird, yac burning my chest
He hoped to make a hand signal and drank alcohol while dealing with stress

Black certainly I’m dressed
He wears black clothing

Strictly that army shit
He associates with the military

Finish my shift
He worked a job

Pack gone before the dawn hit
He left home early in the morning

Anything I could earn on the strip
He sought income on the streets

Turn it and flip
He buys and sells for profit

Watching my back
He looks out for danger

Cooking the pot
He prepares drugs for sale

Making it stretch
He maximizes profits

Discussing with’ my clique
He talks with his friends

Should we duct tape the connect
He contemplates kidnapping someone

It’s rough and K’naan knows
He remarks on the harshness of life

He had the same woes
He has undergone similar struggles

I’m voicing my opinions
He expresses his views

I forgot y’all was there
He speaks as if he forgot his audience was present

I ain’t know y’all was still listenin’
He did not realize they were still interested

Be honest I ain’t care
He acknowledges his indifference

Y’all don’t get my innuendos my interests
He believes his message is misunderstood

Y’all on some simple shit
He thinks his audience lacks depth

Thinking I’m preachy
He believes he is accused of being sanctimonious

Yeah my church is the world
He means his message applies to everyone

Christians sip a cup of this holy water
He refers to Christian communion rituals as a metaphor

Stuck at this phony border
He refers to geographic borders as artificial

It’s custom to enter the main stream
He speaks of the music industry

You must front and record
He implies artists must pretend and produce music

A poorer oratory
He judges poor quality lyrics

Your life story corny
He dislikes trite life stories in songs

Yo, my Somali niggas know what war be
His fellow Somalians understand the reality of war

We fam'
He declares his community as family

Remember when niggas said Nas was Somalian
He refers to a rumor about Nas's ethnicity

Baseball caps had the tags, like a yardie and
He refers to fashion among the black community

It was written just came out, I was gnarly then
He refers to a moment in his past when he was cool

Niggas dreaded seein’ me like a Rastafarian
He creates a pun involving Rastafarian dreadlocks

We didn’t know the dress code though we was bargainers
He admits to a lack of fashion sense

The knock off Filas, with the pumps and cheap cardigans
He describes a specific type of clothing

Niggas looked corny I admit, we was foreigners
He acknowledges that he and his friends looked foolish

But this corny kid, quick to send you to the coroners
He implies that he was more dangerous than he looked

Y’all know my war story, I won’t repeat it
He refers to previous lyrics and hints at a difficult past

It’s just injury, my victory’s undefeated
Despite personal setbacks, he remains undefeated

Thought you knew me well, go back and delete it
He suggests people's impressions of him are wrong

I’m in every joint this year, Orthopedic
He refers to his frequent presence in clubs and bars

And yes the AK’s are instruments we do drum ‘em
He refers to the use of guns in his community

I’m somewhere between killa and king Solomon
He describes his dual nature as violent and wise

And the shades take half the face we over stun ‘em
He implies that his sunglasses add to his intimidating appearance

And treat obstacles like ass we overcome ‘em
He believes he can overcome any obstacle

Man, they really made me do this
He suggests he is not responsible for certain actions

I was peaceful like a Buddhist
He presents himself as peaceful

But then niggas came and screwed it up like Judas
Others' actions caused him to lose his peace

Now I’m suited up with Lugers
He is armed with a type of pistol

Rugers suddenly intruders
He refers to a different type of pistol

Turn around like hoola hoopers
He implies he can easily deal with opposition

Fucking losers
He insults his opponents

This one’s for the world
This song has a universal message

This one’s for your girl
The song is dedicated to women

This one’s for your mama
The song is dedicated to mothers

This one’s for your nana
The song is dedicated to grandmothers