OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American MC/Beatmaker - born in Saudi Arabia, rai… Read Full Bio ↴OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American MC/Beatmaker - born in Saudi Arabia, raised in Washington DC, and living in Los Angeles. He started his musical career off as 1/2 of The N.O.M.A.D.S., co-produced the critically-acclaimed "FREE-THE-P" Mixtape, participated in "The Arab Summit" project, co-authored the "Brooklyn Beats 2 Beirut Streets" performance-lecture, & was featured on several major news outlets (BBC/ Yahoo/ ABC News/ Aljazeera/ Reuters). He has helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF/ Islamic Relief/ ANERA/ Kinder) & toured the world (Damascus/ Beirut/ Amman/ Bahrain/ Dubai/ New York/ DC/ Philly/ Detroit/ Chicago/ New Orleans/ Vancouver/ San Francisco/ LA/ San Diego) to perform his ground-breaking music. Offendum is currently hard at work on his upcoming solo release - affectionately dubbed "Syriana-americanA" ... For Booking, email: cosherink@gmail.com

Straight Street
Omar Offendum Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight
it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight

i took a stroll down the straight called str8
met a medicine man about 1/3 of the way
predecessor to the pusherman

with somethin to say
about an apple a day
keepin the sickness away
i valued his advice at face
at first
till he enlightened me to how precise nature worked
givin us citrus fruits in winter time for vitamin c
just met each other but im already invited for tea
(sub7an allah)
as fate would have it
he & i turned out to be related
a small world's even smaller when you're arab - aint it?
made it a point to soak in all his information
bout regenerative meditations
& preventitive medication
like a modern Ibn Sina
with a pretty calm demeanor
& a remedy for everything
that plagued the arab nations
yet when asked of how to cope with our impossible fate
he just said follow the middle path
to a Street Called Straight

it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight
it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight
it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight
that's where we cease all hate
& pray to 3ish peace all day

i took a stroll down the street called str8
met a spiritual teacher about 2/3 of the way
predecessor to the preacherman
with somethin to say
about a prayer a day
keepin the satan's at bey
he spoke of angels on our shoulders
and the angles of our solar
systematic self-destruction
metaphysical corruption
with a danger to our polar
ice caps
till it's out of our control
& in the hands of our beholder
we philosophized for over
20 minutes like that
taught me lessons
any questions he would
give em right back
said the answers were within us
& i didnt like that
but i realized later why he did it like that
i had so much more to learn
clock was ticking - couldnt stall
committed his words to my memory
his wisdom was enthrallin
yet when askin him what was the most important to recall
he just said follow the middle path
Straight Street & that is all

it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight
it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight
it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight
that's where we cease all hate
& pray to 3ish peace all day

i took a stroll down the street called str8
met a carpenter hard at work at the end of the way
predecessor to the architect with somethin to say
about not doin tomorrow
what should be finished today
he manipulated wood & metal till it followed function
building all through Via Recta
& Cardo Maximus junction
somethin told me he was wise beyond his years
i had a feelin
from the way that he'd exposed the beams
& ornamented ceilings
with an ambidextrous half
nonchalantly jest & laugh
sayin that my western education
made it hard to grasp
his connection to the past
deep-rooted in his craft
but was more than willing to share with me
the tools he knew i lacked
and for that i would be grateful
learnin how to build the monumental for the playful
& the humble for the faithful
yet when asked of how we'd stack against our impossible odds
he just said follow the middle path
Straight Street to the Gods

it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight
it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight
it's just what we call fate
llivin on a Street Called Straight

that's where we cease all hate
& pray to 3ish peace all day

Overall Meaning

The song "Straight Street" by Omar Offendum is an introspective look at the different encounters the artist has had on a street called "Straight." The song is inspired by Omar's visit to Syria and the conversations he had with people he met on the street. The street called "Straight" referred to in the song is a real street that exists in Damascus, Syria, and it is known in Arabic as "Tarīq al-Mustaqīm." In the first verse, the artist meets a medicine man who advises him about the importance of nature in preventative medication. Omar reflects on the interconnectivity of life when he discovers that he and the medicine man are related. In verse two, he talks about meeting a spiritual teacher who reminds him that the answers to life's questions are already within him. Finally, in verse three, Omar meets a carpenter who shares with him the importance of hard work and finishing what you started.

The song is steeped in religious connotations, with references to the Quran and the prophet. The street called "Straight" is mentioned in the Bible and the Quran, representing a path of righteousness. The middle path that is mentioned throughout the song is a reference to the Islamic concept of moderation. The song's message is about finding meaning and direction in life by following the path of balance and discovering the answers within oneself. It's about finding a sense of purpose in life and learning from those who have wisdom to share.

Line by Line Meaning

it's just what we call fate
The circumstances of life that lead us to live on Straight Street are simply a result of fate.

llivin on a Street Called Straight
The singer lives on Straight Street, a historical and significant street in Damascus.

i took a stroll down the straight called str8
The singer walked down Straight Street and had three encounters that would shape their perspective.

met a medicine man about 1/3 of the way
The artist met a medicine man who offered valuable advice about preventative and regenerative medicine.

predecessor to the pusherman, with something to say
The medicine man served as a precursor to drug dealers, but had positive intentions and valuable knowledge to share.

about an apple a day, keepin the sickness away
The medicine man shares the importance of a healthy diet that includes fruits like apples to prevent illness.

till he enlightened me to how precise nature worked
The medicine man taught the singer about the intricacies of how nature works in harmony to maintain health and balance.

like a modern Ibn Sina, with a pretty calm demeanor
The medicine man resembled the medieval philosopher and physician, Ibn Sina, and had a peaceful demeanor.

yet when asked of how to cope with our impossible fate, he just said follow the middle path to a Street Called Straight
When asked how to handle difficulties in life, the medicine man advised the artist to follow the middle path, which would lead them to Straight Street.

i took a stroll down the street called str8
The artist continues to walk down Straight Street and encounters a spiritual teacher.

predecessor to the preacherman, with somethin to say
The spiritual teacher serves as a precursor to preachers and has valuable teachings to share.

about a prayer a day, keepin the satan's at bey
The spiritual teacher shares the importance of prayer to prevent negative influences and thoughts from taking over.

he spoke of angels on our shoulders and the angles of our solar
The spiritual teacher talks about how we each have angels watching over us and the angles at which celestial bodies interact with us.

with a danger to our polar ice caps till it's out of our control
The spiritual teacher warns about the risk to our environment, particularly the polar ice caps, if we don't take control of our actions now.

yet when askin him what was the most important to recall, he just said follow the middle path Straight Street & that is all
When asked what to remember, the spiritual teacher advises the singer to follow the middle path and find their way to Straight Street.

i took a stroll down the street called str8
The artist continues down Straight Street and meets a carpenter.

predecessor to the architect with somethin to say
The carpenter is a predecessor to architects and has valuable knowledge about building and design.

about not doin tomorrow what should be finished today
The carpenter advises against procrastination and stresses the importance of completing tasks in a timely manner.

he manipulated wood & metal till it followed function
The carpenter has a keen eye for design and functional purposes, making sure to use materials that serve a purpose.

yet when asked of how we'd stack against our impossible odds, he just said follow the middle path Straight Street to the Gods
When asked how to overcome the odds, the carpenter advises the artist to follow the middle path and make their way to Straight Street, leading to a higher power.

that's where we cease all hate & pray to 3ish peace all day
When we arrive on Straight Street, we are able to find peace, end hatred, and pray for peace.

it's just what we call fate
The repeated line emphasizes the idea that fate led the artist to live on Straight Street and find valuable teachings.

llivin on a Street Called Straight
The repeated line reiterates the importance of living on Straight Street and the significance it holds.

Contributed by Scarlett L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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