Street Corner
Masta Killa feat. Inspectah Deck & GZA Lyrics

Looking on various street corners
Observing different areas of the city

I'm sure you've seen it yourself
You've likely witnessed it before

Standing on the corner, is an alleged brother
A person standing on the street corner

Dressed in blue, or green, red and black
Wearing clothing of various colors

And, starting the news, that the revolution is coming
Spreading information about an upcoming revolution

And you better get ready, sort of like (I feel you son)
You need to prepare yourself for what's to come

The end of the world is coming, unfortunetly (I got you, though)
There may be bleak times ahead, but I will support you

The world is just gonna drag on and on (I know how it is)
The world will continue on its current path

And we have a poem that we've written particularly (I said I know how it is)
A poem specifically crafted for those on the street corner

For the brothers on the street corners
This poem is for the individuals on the street corner

When the revolution come, you can see me on the front line
I will be at the forefront of the revolution

Firing my gun, standing right beside my son
Taking action alongside my child

If I go, it's understood that I stood for something
My actions will reflect my beliefs

When my whole life, they told me, I was good for nothing
My life has been filled with people telling me I couldn't succeed

I was raised by the stray dogs, blazed off, layed off
I was raised in difficult circumstances without much stability

Breaking laws, graveyard shifting every day war
Engaging in illegal activities and working difficult jobs

Focus now, notice how, things change, soldier
Pay attention to how things shift and adapt, remain vigilant

I remain the same, I'm older now, I embrace the pain
I stay true to myself but recognize the hardships that come with aging

I blame the struggle, nearly drove me insane
The difficulties I faced nearly caused me to lose my mind

Thought I lost my head, til my brethren told me the same
I believed I was the only person struggling until my peers shared their struggles as well

No tears for the reaper, I've buried bout a thousand
I have lost many friends and acquaintances to violence/death

In graffiti, "rest in peace" sprayed off throughout the housing
Memorials to the deceased are present throughout the city

I tried to stay civilized, the hood's a prison inside
I made an effort to maintain my composure, but the community can feel like a jail

The only difference is the doors don't slide
There is no physical barrier between the community and the outside world

Still we trapped in the animal cage, cuz we got animal ways
We are stuck in a cycle of violence because of the habits we've formed

So we react, with the animal rage
When confronted with conflict, our initial response is often aggressive

And my sex is real, weapons peel, cheddar's the deal
I am a true warrior, my weapons are at the ready, money is important

Seen the depths of hell, now I stare, death in the grill
I have experienced the worst of humanity, and I now face death head-on

From the slave ships, to today's bricks, same shit
The struggle for African Americans has persisted since the time of slavery

I'm awake, to the wickedness, and one, with the pavement
I am aware of the injustices around me and connected to my surroundings

The all great mind stays divine, my hands remain deadly
I maintain a strong focus while simultaneously possessing lethal combat skills

We shine without the hung jewelry, produce light
We can succeed without material possessions, our talents and skills are enough to make us shine

That'll travel through mics, now as the time riping
Our message is being spread through music, and it's time for it to be heard

We took words that we nourishing, encouriging
Our lyrics are filled with positivity and encouragement

A nation to awaken, those who were sleeping
Our hope is to wake up a nation who has been inactive or complacent

Can you conceive the thought? Transatlantic import
Have you ever thought about the historical events that have impacted our community?

Slave and bought, cheaper relations between blacks & jews
Black people and Jewish people have had a relationship rooted in both oppression and commerce

Might set a fuse off in the head, many dead
This history can spark emotions and potentially cause conflict

Lynch hung, swung from trees
A reference to the lynching of Black Americans throughout history

Brothers in the struggle together, eat from one pot
We all face similar struggles and support one another

Fast money and chicks, did it to the best of flicks
We have engaged in materialistic and illicit behavior for the sake of entertainment

It's sickening... huh
It's disheartening to think about

It's me and you son, forever in the struggle
We are in this together, always fighting against the injustices we face

No doubt, we hustle, survival is the motto
We work hard to survive and make it through difficult times

Will you soon follow, a better tomorrow... for a better tomorrow
Will you join us in creating a better future for all?

I catch a few flashbacks about, going through the struggle
I occasionally recall my past experiences with struggle

How we used to make dollars, from all the snow we shoveled
We used to make money by selling drugs

In a broke neighborhood, where the kids often dream
A place where financial hardship is common and children have dreams of a brighter future

About a laverage life, that is mostly seen in the screen
Most people only see a comfortable life on TV or in movies

Where some dreams are quickly cut short, due to gang violence
Gang violence can bring an abrupt end to someone's aspirations

From loud guns, that kept witnesses, in deep silence
The sound of gunshots can intimidate people into not speaking up

Was it bad timing, jealousy from too much shining?
Was this violence caused by jealousy, or was it just bad timing?

Or a set up, from a girl that he wined, kept dining
The violence may have been the result of a girlfriend betraying her partner

It's a known fact, they will attack, cuz it's like that
Violence is common and expected in certain communities

And depending on the, kind of impact, that strike back
The severity of the retaliation depends on the gravity of the initial attack

In a town where the talk is cheap and, beef is brief
Rumors fly quickly and conflicts are resolved quickly

A mother sobs uncontrollably, and exhibit the grief
A mother mourns the loss of her child

Large holes in the front door, of a housing tenement
Bullet holes from gun violence riddle the front doors of many buildings in the area

Allows room to retaliate, so conflict is imminent
This creates an environment in which retaliation is likely, and more violence may be expected

This hate in the brain, destroys the cells like cancer
The anger and hate held by many individuals can harm them mentally as well as physically

Even experts are stuck with more questions than answers
There are still many unanswered questions about how to solve the issues that plague certain communities