Mistah F.A.B. was born and raised in North Oakland and raised by his grandmother and his mother, who sometimes worked four jobs to support him while his father was incarcerated. When F.A.B. was 12, his father died of complications of AIDS. Around that time, F.A.B. started writing and rapping. In high school F.A.B. competed in freestyle rap.
Oakland
Mistah F.A.B. Lyrics
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On the porch of his parent's home
Bullets not meant for animals, much less men
The spotlight shines as the winds kick up
And the trees exhale the crows
Tonight gracious living is put on hold
The stretcher carried Julian
Shallow breathes, yes, but no contest to behold
The hangman gets paid holidays
To legitimize his role
Tonight gracious living is put on hold
The police gunned down Oscar Grant
A man I'd never known
Holdin' him down like dogs
Though strength can't be dethroned
By simpletons with cowboy pins
By marksmen who miss their mark
Tonight the bright side of The Bay is dark
But the boys in black keep pushing me
To burn it to the ground
When I just want to process
What's been goin' down
And raise my glass to good men
Taken far too young
By pensioners and perverts
Who draw their strength from furnished guns
Although we did not speak
And although the end is here
Hey Julian, we finally got that beer
Hey Julian, we finally...
Oakland and Anaheim ain't divided by the 5
Tonight
, we see Mistah F.A.B. using his talent and platform to express his frustration and anger towards the systemic racism and police brutality that have plagued Oakland for years. The verses mention the deaths of Julian and Oscar Grant, both unarmed black men who were racially profiled and killed by the police. Mistah F.A.B. uses his lyrics to paint a picture of the pain and suffering that the families of these men have had to endure as a result of these senseless killings. He acknowledges the hypocrisy of the justice system, where the hangman who carries out the death penalty is given a paid holiday as if it is a job well done. Mistah F.A.B. seems to be saying that although these events are shocking and heartbreaking, they are not isolated incidents, and the society has grown accustomed to it.
The final verse is particularly poignant, as Mistah F.A.B. talks about how the boys in black keep pushing him to burn it to the ground, but he just wants to process and raise his glass to good men taken too young. The anger and frustration are palpable, yet Mistah F.A.B. manages to convey a sense of mourning and loss. He ends the song with a tribute to Julian, saying "although we did not speak, and although the end is here, hey Julian, we finally got that beer." This final line shows how Mistah F.A.B. is trying to find some solace in the midst of all the chaos by honoring the memory of those who have lost their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
The police gunned down Julian
Julian was killed by the police.
On the porch of his parent's home
He was shot while he was on his parent's porch.
Bullets not meant for animals, much less men
The bullets used were not meant for killing animals, let alone people.
The spotlight shines as the winds kick up
The scene was highlighted and made more dramatic by the weather conditions.
And the trees exhale the crows
The surroundings were eerie and unsettling, with crows making noise.
Tonight gracious living is put on hold
The events of the night have stopped and overshadowed any plans for enjoyment and luxury.
The stretcher carried Julian
Julian's body was taken to the morgue on a stretcher.
From ambulance to morgue
He was moved from the ambulance to the morgue after being killed.
Shallow breathes, yes, but no contest to behold
Julian's breathing was shallow, but there was no contest to witness.
The hangman gets paid holidays
The people responsible for these deaths are compensated for their actions with holidays.
To legitimize his role
They try to justify their actions as part of their job.
The police gunned down Oscar Grant
Oscar Grant was also killed by the police.
A man I'd never known
The singer did not personally know Oscar Grant.
Holdin' him down like dogs
The police used excessive force to hold him down, similar to how dogs are held down when necessary.
Though strength can't be dethroned
Despite their strength, people can still fall to violence.
By simpletons with cowboy pins
Some of the people in power are not the brightest or most competent.
By marksmen who miss their mark
Even trained marksmen can miss their intended target.
Tonight the bright side of The Bay is dark
The usual positivity and brightness of the area is currently absent.
But the boys in black keep pushing me
There are people inciting violence and destruction, referred to as 'boys in black.'
To burn it to the ground
They want to destroy everything in sight.
When I just want to process
The artist wants to process what has happened.
What's been goin' down
They want to understand the situation.
And raise my glass to good men
They want to pay tribute to the men who have been unjustly killed.
Taken far too young
The men were taken from this world at a young age.
By pensioners and perverts
The people responsible were either old or held perverse beliefs.
Who draw their strength from furnished guns
Their power and strength come from the weapons they are provided with.
Although we did not speak
The singer did not have the chance to talk to Julian before he passed.
And although the end is here
The situation is over and done with.
Hey Julian, we finally got that beer
The artist is paying tribute to Julian by raising a glass in his honor.
Oakland and Anaheim ain't divided by the 5
The two cities are connected in their struggle, despite physical distance.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Ryan Parks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Timeless classic
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