Are You... Can You... Were You?
Shabazz Palaces Lyrics

It's a feeling.
The singer is emphasizing that the following lines are conveying a strong feeling.

I woke up to it, heavy, alight with trueness
The singer woke up feeling deeply affected by the truth of the situation.

Always a way of losin', compelled to knew it
The singer always finds themselves losing in some way and is drawn towards knowing more about it.

My body traveled, my mind waits behind the music
The physical body of the artist is moving, while their mind is focused on the music.

My crime bemuses, "relax inside my shiny blueness."
The artist is amused by the mistakes they make and encourages others to embrace their own unique traits.

Time: I understand it, but I never choose it
The singer has a deep understanding of time, but cannot control it.

I cant explain it with verbs, I have to do it
The feeling being conveyed cannot simply be expressed through language and must be experienced.

The shit by-came here on advantage
The artist acknowledges that they have certain advantages that have allowed them to succeed.

We automatic, don't try to plan it
The artist believes that success can come naturally without needing to plan for it.

But shit, just when it comes, handle it
When success does come, the artist advises to handle it appropriately.

Behind the lessons, miles beneath the slick dressin'
The true meaning or lesson of a situation is often hidden beneath surface-level appearances.

Niggas is stressin'
The people around the artist are worried about things they should not be and are unsure of themselves.

'bout shit they should be sure, they're guessin'.
The people around the singer are guessing about things they should be sure of.

I twirl it cool and peer the rear view
The singer appears calm on the surface but is looking back and reflecting on past experiences.

Cause they are arrestin'.
The singer senses that there are powerful forces at play that are limiting people's freedom.

Though rich in suit and chinese slipppers,
Even those who appear wealthy and successful are not immune to the restrictive forces at play.

I'm stil impressive up on the racks
The artist still attracts attention and admiration despite their individuality.

Old school cap from way back
The singer values tradition and history.

Gave 'm my milk, cuz he now wipin' off (that's my impression.)
The singer helped someone, who is now reciprocating the favor.

He asked me, "how you float all sharp and always have a fresh one,
Someone has asked the artist how they maintain their sharp and unique style.

And seem to know the answer to the most proverbial questions?"
The artist appears to have a deep insight into life's biggest questions.

I told him, "why, I'm gonn' ask ya"
The artist deflects the question back to the person who asked it.

Swirled it in a book of sketches
The singer is reflecting on their past experiences to find the answer to the question asked earlier.

I find the diamonds underneath the subtlest inflections.
The artist is able to see the beauty and value of the small things and details.

The spicier the food: when you chew, fuck their rules.
The singer encourages breaking away from societal norms and embracing individuality.

That's, that's
The singer is drawing attention to a specific idea or phrase.

That's somethin' fresh
The singer is impressed by something new or unique.

Nonetheless, nonetheless
Regardless of what was said before, the artist is going to continue with their own ideas.

Rhymin' in the felt, in the felt
The artist is expressing themselves through music and poetry.

At a tender age we learned to turn the page
From a young age, the singer was taught to move on from things quickly and adapt.

To mind the screen and stage, to see who got the glaze
The singer was taught to pay attention to popular culture and who is successful in it.

To hustle up or fade
The artist was taught to work hard and succeed or fall behind and fail.

Either get made or play
In order to succeed, the artist was taught that they must either conform or stand out in a unique way.

Find your spot in the shade,
The artist was taught to find a place where they can go unnoticed and succeed in their own way.

And nigga get paid.
The ultimate goal of the lesson taught to the singer is to make money.

So we internalize that, but then we customize that
The artist took the lessons taught to them and molded them to fit their own unique perspective and experiences.

Ride the relationship between where our ground and our sky's at
The singer is exploring the differences between the physical and spiritual aspects of life.

I slowed it down once, everyone was goin' fast
The singer took a moment to reflect and slow down while everyone else was focused on moving ahead quickly.

So? so I sped up, cause I ain't one to reach the end last
After taking a moment to reflect, the singer decided to speed up and try to succeed quickly.

Morph
The artist is transitioning to a new idea or thought.

To where the grimy sparkles amongst the shiny talkers
The artist is exploring the contrast between those who appear successful on the outside and those who are more grounded and 'real'.

The pistol poppers that made pretty noise and get them dollars
The singer is referencing those who use violence and pain to succeed financially.

And while the world watches, we sent our street scholars
The singer is pointing out those who have been able to succeed despite their disadvantaged backgrounds and have become worthy of study.

To bust some presidents in hundred thousand dollar watches
The artist admires those who have been able to overthrow the wealthy and powerful.

Some of the feds got us some of us dead lied to us.
The artist is acknowledging that some people have been complicit in their own oppression or have died while fighting it.

Still solid, though
Despite the challenges they have faced, the artist and their community are still standing strong.

Usin' all the licks the streets taught us
The singer has used the lessons they learned from their environment to succeed in life.

And what that heat cost us, and what that loss gave us
The artist is reflecting on the pain and sacrifice they have been through, and what they have gained from it.

Fuckin' with the people it's always gonna come back around.
The singer believes that being kind and building relationships with others will ultimately lead to success.

It's bout to be big movements from below
The singer is optimistic that change is coming from the masses at the bottom of society.

The golden age lies ahead
The singer believes that a better future is on the horizon.

Struck ghost: proceed.
The artist has reached a realization and encourages others to move forward with them.

You can't lie to yourself
The artist believes that it is impossible to deceive oneself and true feelings will always surface.

To yourself, you can't lie how it felt
The singer is emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and accepting one's true feelings.

No surprise how the cards gettin' dealt,
The singer is saying that the current state of affairs is not surprising or unexpected.

That's why I won't be back for a long time.
The artist is distancing themselves from a situation that they do not want to be a part of anymore.