Have Mercy
Raekwon Ft. Beanie Sigel & Blue Raspberry Lyrics

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I've been living in this world
Not knowing where I'm going (knowing where I'm going)
This world ain't showing
That it's gonna get better, better (yeah, it's gonna be trouble again)

My days getting shorter, my nights getting longer
My cell getting smaller, my son getting taller
I exercise my mind, my body getting stronger

But my blood getting colder, heart getting harder
My chances for appeal, getting slimmer
My skin getting brighter, my hair getting thinner
See, when you stressed out, you could age fast in here (have mercy)
I done seen weak niggas not last a year, so before lights out
I write my kids every night, kiss the stamp on the kite
And say a prayer, I hope it lands safe in this flights
I pray they sleep safe through the night
Try to teach my son right, give him some jewels
But it's hard to raise my boy from this visiting room
Many cells turned to prisoner's tombs
I just pray I don't die in here, and last night I almost cried a tear
(Have mercy)

To all my gun holders, stand up, get it
Cause when the killas come around, it's on
Bullets get blown, warn 'em and they re-up fast
Say some back shit, your flagship gone
Can't play the building no more
Can't hang around by the store no more
It's really on, you a dickhead
Now you a dead man with no hand
Now you can't believe you jammed

Between my six niggas, sixty years, stay in the crispy airs
Hundreds, blunted, we up top, switching lairs
Money equal power, horror equal real when borrowed
Ratchet barrel under your ears
Mean streets in the middays, they robbers, but life's so hard
Even the cops clutter us to starve us (have mercy)
The killas is star struck, look at the cars and trucks
Rambo guns, it's hard to get luck
Whether fail or a come up, your number is up
Period, make you bleed Caesarean
Chop through your body, leave you right in the lobby
Hear me, kid? Extra holes right in your derriere
The blitzes, the rushes'll touch something, back in the cells
Two days later, yup, back in them cuffs again
Or leaning on the customers, hustlers, my hood illustrious
Marvelous raps, screw on mufflers (have mercy)

To all my gun holders, stand up, get it
Cause when the killas come around, it's on
Bullets get blown, warn 'em and they re-up fast
Say some back shit, your flagship gone
Can't play the building no more
Can't hang around by the store no more
It's really on, you a dickhead

Now you a dead man with no hand
Now you can't believe you jammed

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Have Mercy" by Raekwon featuring Beanie Sigel and Blue Raspberry tell a gripping story of life in prison and the harsh realities that come with it. The song opens with Raekwon expressing his sense of aimlessness and hopelessness in a world that doesn't offer him any solace. He raps about the physical and emotional toll that prison takes on him - how his days are getting shorter, nights are getting longer, and his heart is getting harder. He is aware that his chances for appeal are getting slimmer, and his blood is getting colder.

Despite his circumstances, Raekwon tries to stay strong and encourages his fellow prisoners to do the same. He writes letters to his kids every night and prays for their safety. He acknowledges that it's hard to raise his son from the visiting room but tries his best to teach him the right values. Raekwon also warns his listeners about the dangers of getting caught up in the life of crime and gun violence. He appeals to anyone who holds a gun to be careful and watch their back because the killers are always lurking. The lyrics paint a stark picture of the consequences of making wrong choices and how they can land you in a place that is lonely and cruel.

Overall, "Have Mercy" is a powerful song that doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of prison life and the temptations of the street life. It highlights the importance of making good choices and the consequences of not doing so.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been living in this world
I have been existing in this world

Not knowing where I'm going (knowing where I'm going)
I lack a sense of direction in my life

This world ain't showing
The world is not revealing

That it's gonna get better, better (yeah, it's gonna be trouble again)
There is no indication of improvement, only trouble ahead

My days getting shorter, my nights getting longer
The days are passing by quickly, while the nights are becoming longer

My cell getting smaller, my son getting taller
The confined space I inhabit is shrinking, but my son is growing up

I exercise my mind, my body getting stronger
I work on improving myself mentally, which results in physical strength

But my blood getting colder, heart getting harder
However, I feel emotionally numb and detached

My chances for appeal, getting slimmer
My odds of legal recourse are diminishing

My skin getting brighter, my hair getting thinner
My skin is paling, and my hair is thinning due to stress

See, when you stressed out, you could age fast in here (have mercy)
Stress accelerates aging in this environment

I done seen weak niggas not last a year, so before lights out
I have witnessed frail individuals perish quickly, so I take precautionary measures

I write my kids every night, kiss the stamp on the kite
Every night, I correspond with my children and kiss the envelope before sending it

And say a prayer, I hope it lands safe in this flights
I pray for the safe delivery of my letters

I pray they sleep safe through the night
I also pray for the sound sleep of my loved ones

Try to teach my son right, give him some jewels
I try to instill valuable life lessons in my son

But it's hard to raise my boy from this visiting room
It is difficult to be a present father to my son from behind bars

Many cells turned to prisoner's tombs
Many of these cells have become the final resting places for inmates

I just pray I don't die in here, and last night I almost cried a tear
I worry about dying in prison and was close to shedding a tear last night

(Have mercy)
(Please show mercy)

To all my gun holders, stand up, get it
Attention all gun owners, please prepare

Cause when the killas come around, it's on
When the murderers arrive, it is time to fight

Bullets get blown, warn 'em and they re-up fast
Gunshots are fired, and opponents quickly retaliate

Say some back shit, your flagship gone
If you say something offensive, you will lose your authority

Can't play the building no more
It is no longer safe to loiter in this area

Can't hang around by the store no more
It is no longer safe to stay near the store

It's really on, you a dickhead
It is a serious situation, and someone acting foolishly is seen as such

Now you a dead man with no hand
You are now a deceased person with nothing left

Now you can't believe you jammed
You cannot believe that you became trapped in this situation

Between my six niggas, sixty years, stay in the crispy airs
My six associates are collectively sentenced to a total of sixty years in prison

Hundreds, blunted, we up top, switching lairs
We have access to large quantities of marijuana and move around various stations

Money equal power, horror equal real when borrowed
Money equals influence, and debt causes fear

Ratchet barrel under your ears
We have firearms pointed at your head

Mean streets in the middays, they robbers, but life's so hard
The streets are treacherous during the day, and economic hardship is pervasive

Even the cops clutter us to starve us (have mercy)
The authorities oppress us to deprive us of resources (please be merciful)

The killas is star struck, look at the cars and trucks
The murderers are enamored with the extravagant vehicles

Rambo guns, it's hard to get luck
Our weapons are powerful, making it difficult to evade danger

Whether fail or a come up, your number is up
Whether you succeed or fail, your fate is sealed

Period, make you bleed Caesarean
Permanently harm you, perhaps even killing you

Chop through your body, leave you right in the lobby
Eviscerate you and leave your body in plain view

Hear me, kid? Extra holes right in your derriere
Do you understand? We will shoot you in the backside multiple times

The blitzes, the rushes'll touch something, back in the cells
The offensive assault will likely result in injury and return us to jail

Two days later, yup, back in them cuffs again
After two days, we will again be restrained in handcuffs

Or leaning on the customers, hustlers, my hood illustrious
Alternatively, we can rely on spending or selling drugs to sustain ourselves in this vibrant neighborhood

Marvelous raps, screw on mufflers (have mercy)
We have exceptional rhymes and use silencers (please have mercy)

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: COREY WOODS, D. GRANT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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