Their first album, Breaking Atoms, featured conscious MC tracks such as "Looking at the Front Door", "A Friendly Game of Baseball" and "Watch Roger Do His Thing". The album also has the first on-record appearance of Nas on "Live at the Barbeque", which also featured Joe Fatal and Akinyele. The group broke up before their second album, tentatively entitled The Science, could be released. However, Sir Scratch and K-Cut released a second album under the Main Source name, entitled Fuck What You Think, with new recruit Mikey D on vocals. However, the album was shelved due to inner conflicts between the record label and group management.
Large Professor has gone on to be an instrumental producer for hip-hop stars such as Eric B. & Rakim, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Nas, and Diamond D. He has released a Solo LP entitled First Class, and his shelved The LP has been widely bootlegged.
Just A Friendly Game of Baseball
Main Source Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[blam] Aww shit, another young brother hit
I better go over my man's crib and get the pump
Cause to the cops, shootin brothers is like playin baseball
And they're never in a slump
I guess when they shoot up a crew, it's a grand slam
And when it's one, it's a home run
My finger got a bad twitch, plus I'm on the switch --
-- side, and step up to the batter's box
Fuck red and white, I got on Black Sox
But let him shoot a person from the White Sox
What's the call? Foul ball!
Babe Ruth woulda made a good cop, but he didn't
Instead he was a bigot, dig it
My life is valuable and I protect it like a gem
Instead of cops gettin me I'm goin out gettin them
And let em cough up blood like phlegm
It's grim [blam blam] but dead is my antonym
And legally they can't take a fall
Yo check it out it's just a friendly game of baseball
Verse Two:
R.B.I. -- real bad injury
But don't get happy you're in jail for a century
Just as bad as bein shot in the groin
To see who'll shoot ya, they'll flip a coin
And watch him run for the stretch
But you don't know the man is at home waitin to make the catch
So the outfielder guns you down
You're out, off to the dugout, underground
I know a cop that's savage, his pockets stay green like cabbage
Cause he has a good batting average
No questions, just pulls out the flamer
[blam] And his excuses get lamer
Once a brother tried to take a leave
But they shot him in his face sayin he was tryin to steal a base
And people watch the news for coverage on the game
Hmm, and got the nerve to complain
They need to get themselves a front row seat
Or sink a baseline for a beat
Cause television just ain't designed for precision y'all
It's just a friendly game of baseball
Verse Three:
A kid caught on, but I don't know where the brother went
The umpires are the government
I guess they took him out the game, and replace him
with a pinch-hitter, in the scam he was a quitter
So the cops usually torment, I mean tournament
Win em I was sayin
You can't let the umpires, hear ya speak and battle
like the other kid you won't be playin
Cause they'll beat you til your ass drop
A walking gun with a shell in his hand is their mascot
And when they walk around let it be known to step lightly
The bases are loaded
My man got out from three strikes
In the skull but the knife he was carrying was dull
Instead of innings, we have endings
What a fine way to win things
And hot-dog vendors have fun
Sellin you the cat rat and dog on a bun
And when you ask what is all of this called?
It's just a friendly game of baseball
The song "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball" by Main Source is a social commentary on the rampant police brutality against African Americans in the United States. The first verse of the song compares the shooting of black individuals by the police to a game of baseball, where the police are always hitting home runs, and the victims are never safe. The singer of the song decides to take matters into his own hands and protect himself, stating that he values his life too much to let the police take it. He cleverly uses baseball metaphors to describe his plan to fight back.
The second verse talks about how the police officers who commit these acts of violence are not held accountable for their actions. The reference to a "good batting average" suggests that these officers have a history of violence but are never punished for their behavior. The singer expresses his disappointment with the media and how they cover up these issues.
The third verse emphasizes the corrupt nature of the government and the legal system. The government is compared to umpires, who make questionable decisions that harm black individuals. It is suggested that if a black person speaks out against the system, they will be punished severely. The song ends with a dark humor as the singer talks about the hot dog vendors and the cat, rat, and dog meat they sell, as if to say that nothing is real or trustworthy anymore, even the food we eat.
Line by Line Meaning
Aww shit, another young brother hit
Another young black man has been shot
I better go over my man's crib and get the pump
I need to go buy a gun to protect myself
Cause to the cops, shootin brothers is like playin baseball
Police treat shooting black men as casually as playing a game of baseball
And they're never in a slump
Police brutality is a systemic issue that never stops
I guess when they shoot up a crew, it's a grand slam
When police shoot multiple people, it's considered a victory
And when it's one, it's a home run
When police shoot one person, it's still a win for them
But I'ma be ready with a wild pitch
I'm preparing for the unexpected
My finger got a bad twitch, plus I'm on the switch --
I'm nervous and unpredictable
side, and step up to the batter's box
I'm ready to face any challenge head on
Fuck red and white, I got on Black Sox
I don't care about the colors, I'm focused on myself and my team
What's the call? Foul ball!
That was an unfair move
Babe Ruth woulda made a good cop, but he didn't
A famous baseball player could have been a good cop, but chose not to
Instead he was a bigot, dig it
He held prejudiced beliefs
My life is valuable and I protect it like a gem
My life is precious and I will do anything to preserve it
Instead of cops gettin me I'm goin out gettin them
I will take matters into my own hands and fight back against police brutality
And let em cough up blood like phlegm
I want them to suffer the way they have made us suffer
It's grim [blam blam] but dead is my antonym
It's a tough situation, but I will do everything I can to survive
And legally they can't take a fall
Police are protected by the law and often escape punishment
Yo check it out it's just a friendly game of baseball
I'm being sarcastic, as if police brutality is just a game
R.B.I. -- real bad injury
Being hurt by police is a serious and life-changing event
But don't get happy you're in jail for a century
Even if the cop gets punished, it won't bring back what they took from you
Just as bad as bein shot in the groin
Being arrested and going to jail is just as bad as getting shot
To see who'll shoot ya, they'll flip a coin
Police often decide to shoot or not shoot based on a whim
And watch him run for the stretch
Watch as the suspect tries to get away
But you don't know the man is at home waitin to make the catch
You never know who is waiting for you or what their intentions are
So the outfielder guns you down
The police shoot and kill the suspect
You're out, off to the dugout, underground
The suspect is dead and is now buried
I know a cop that's savage, his pockets stay green like cabbage
I know a cop who is corrupt and rich
Cause he has a good batting average
He frequently participates in police brutality and gets away with it
No questions, just pulls out the flamer
The cop uses excessive force without hesitation
[blam] And his excuses get lamer
He justifies his actions with weak excuses
Once a brother tried to take a leave
Someone tried to run away from the police
But they shot him in his face sayin he was tryin to steal a base
The police shot him in the face and claimed that he was resisting arrest
And people watch the news for coverage on the game
People are obsessed with crime news
Hmm, and got the nerve to complain
People complain about police brutality but do nothing about it
They need to get themselves a front row seat
People need to take action and fight against police brutality
Or sink a baseline for a beat
People need to act, not just watch from the sidelines
Cause television just ain't designed for precision y'all
The media doesn't accurately portray the reality of police brutality
A kid caught on, but I don't know where the brother went
Someone realized the danger of the police, but their whereabouts are unknown
The umpires are the government
The government is in control and makes the rules
I guess they took him out the game, and replace him
The government removed someone who threatened them and replaced them with someone more compliant
with a pinch-hitter, in the scam he was a quitter
The new person was actually working with the government all along
So the cops usually torment, I mean tournament
The police often harass and torture people
Win em I was sayin
The government always wins
You can't let the umpires, hear ya speak and battle
You can't openly challenge the government and expect to win
like the other kid you won't be playin
If you don't follow the rules, you'll be silenced
Cause they'll beat you til your ass drop
The government will use whatever means necessary to silence you
A walking gun with a shell in his hand is their mascot
The government is often associated with violence and weaponry
And when they walk around let it be known to step lightly
Be careful not to anger or upset those in power
The bases are loaded
The situation is tense
My man got out from three strikes
Someone made a mistake and was punished for it
In the skull but the knife he was carrying was dull
He was hit in the head, but the weapon he had wasn't lethal
Instead of innings, we have endings
Instead of playing baseball, we're talking about the end of someone's life
What a fine way to win things
Police brutality is not a victory, it's a tragedy
And hot-dog vendors have fun
Even amidst tragedy, people continue to make money and have fun
Sellin you the cat rat and dog on a bun
Selling you low-quality food that may not be what they claim it to be
And when you ask what is all of this called?
When you question this system of violence and oppression
It's just a friendly game of baseball
You're told to accept that violence and oppression are just a natural part of society and cannot be changed
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KEVIN HAROLD MC KENZIE, PAUL MITCHELL, SHAWN MC KENZIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind