Crack Music
Kanye West Lyrics

That's that crack music nigga
This music represents the destructive nature of crack cocaine on the black community

That real black music nigga (la la la la la la la la, la la la la la la)
This is not just any music, it's music that represents the true black experience

How we stop the Black Panthers?
This line refers to how the government dismantled the Black Panthers organization

Ronald Reagan cooked up an answer
Ronald Reagan's administration created policies that contributed to the destruction of black communities

What Gil Scott was hearing
The artist Gil Scott-Heron spoke out against social injustice and inspired artists like Kanye West

When our heroes and heroines got hooked on heroin
The black community has been plagued by drug addiction for decades, with little support or help

Crack raised the murder rate in DC and Maryland
The crack epidemic led to violent crime sprees in major cities, particularly in the East Coast

We invested in that it's like we got Merrill lynched
The black community invested in the drug trade, which led to negative consequences and a form of self-destruction

And we been hanging from the same tree ever since
The black community has been oppressed for centuries and continues to suffer the same struggles

Sometimes I feel the music is the only medicine
Music is a source of comfort and healing for many people, particularly in difficult times

So we cook it, cut it, measure it, bag it, sell it
Drug dealers go through a process of preparing and packaging drugs for sale

The fiends cop it
Drug addicts purchase the drugs

Nowadays they can't tell if that's that good shit
The quality of drugs on the market is unreliable and often laced with other harmful substances

We ain't sure man
Drug dealers themselves are uncertain about the quality of their product

Put the CD on your tongue yeah, that's pure man
This line suggests that the purity and authenticity of music is undeniable and cannot be tampered with

From the place where the fathers gone
This line speaks to the absence of fathers in many black families due to systemic oppression and racism

The mothers is hardly home
Mothers are forced to work long hours and often aren't home to provide for their families

And the maricons lock us up in the Audy Home
The prison-industrial complex disproportionately affects people of color, leading to a cycle of incarceration and oppression

How the Mexicans say we just trying to party homes
This line suggests that marginalized communities are often unjustly accused of wrongdoing and criminal behavior

They want to pack us all in a box like Styrofoam
Black individuals are often dehumanized and treated as expendable and disposable

Who gave Saddam anthrax?
This line questions the United States' role in providing weapons to Saddam Hussein

George Bush got the answers
The Bush administration was responsible for the Iraq War and the deaths of many innocent individuals

Back in the hood it's a different type of chemical
The drug trade is a form of chemical warfare in impoverished communities

Arm and Hammer baking soda raised they own quota
This line refers to the process of using baking soda to create crack cocaine and the mass production and sale of the drug

Right when our soldiers ran for the stove 'cause
This line suggests that people turn to drug dealing as a means of survival to escape poverty and unemployment

'Cause dreams of being Hova went from being a broke man to a being a dope man
Individuals turn to drug dealing in hopes of achieving financial success and status

To being a president look there's hope man
The 'dream' of becoming a president is held by many and represents a glimmer of hope for a better future

This that inspiration for the Moes and the Folks man
This line speaks to the idea that music is a form of inspiration and motivation for those in impoverished communities

Shorty come and see his mama straight overdosing
Drug addiction affects entire families, leading to tragic and preventable deaths

And this is the soundtrack
This music represents the harsh realities facing the black community

This the type of music you make when you 'round that
This music is created while surrounded by the harsh realities of the drug trade and its impact on the community

God-how could you let this happen, happen, happen, happen, happen, happen?
This line questions the role of a higher power in the suffering and oppression of marginalized communities

Our father, give us this day our daily bread
This line is a reference to the Lord's Prayer, asking for basic necessities to survive

Before the feds give us these days and take our daily bread
The government has the power to take away basic necessities through oppressive policies and practices

See I done did all this old bullshit
The artist has experienced and learned from past mistakes and failures

And to atone I throw a little something, something on the pulpit
This line is a reference to making amends for past behavior and using music as a form of repentance

We took that shit, measured it and then cooked that shit
The artist speaks to the process of creating music and refining their craft

And what we gave back was crack music
This music represents the harsh realities and struggles of the black community

And now we ooze it through they nooks and crannies
This music is spread throughout society, penetrating even the smallest of spaces

So our mammas ain't got to be they cooks and nannies
This music represents a form of hope and progress for the black community, allowing for more opportunities and choices

And we gonna repo everything they ever took from granny
This music represents a form of reparations for the harm and destruction inflicted upon the black community

Now the former slaves trade hooks for Grammy's
This line speaks to the idea that black individuals have turned to the music industry as a means of reclaiming their voice and finding success

This dark dixon has become America's addiction
The drug trade and its impact on the black community has become ingrained in America's history and culture

Those who ain't even Black use it
Other individuals and races have appropriated and profited off of black culture and music

We gon' keep baggin' up this here crack music
This music represents a form of resistance and empowerment for the black community, despite its painful subject matter