The Message
The Sugarhill Gang - Grandmaster Flash & Furious Five Lyrics

It's like a jungle sometimes
The world is chaotic and dangerous

It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
I'm amazed that I haven't succumbed to the hardships

Broken glass everywhere
There is destruction and disorder all around

People pissin' on the stairs, you know they just don't care
Individuals disrespecting public spaces and showing no concern for others

I can't take the smell, can't take the noise
The unpleasant odors and loud sounds are overwhelming

Got no money to move out, I guess I got no choice
I don't have the financial means to escape this situation

Rats in the front room, roaches in the back
There are pests infesting my living space

Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat
Drug addicts lurking in dark corners, armed with weapons

I tried to get away but I couldn't get far
I attempted to escape, but my efforts were futile

'Cause a man with a tow truck repossessed my car
My vehicle was taken away by a tow truck operator

Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
Please don't provoke me, as I'm on the brink of breaking down

I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
I'm attempting to remain composed, despite the challenges

Standin' on the front stoop, hangin' out the window
I'm standing on the porch, observing from a distance

Watchin' all the cars go by, roarin' as the breezes blow
Observing the hustle and bustle of traffic, with the wind blowing fiercely

Crazy lady, livin' in a bag
An unstable woman dwelling in a state of homelessness

Eatin' outta garbage pails, used to be a fag hag
She scavenges for food in trash cans, having formerly associated with homosexual men

Said she'll dance the tango, skip the light fandango
She claims she can perform extravagant dances with grace and elegance

A Zircon princess seemed to lost her senses
This woman presents herself as a delusional, fake royalty

Down at the peep show watchin' all the creeps
She spends time at an establishment where she observes unsavory characters

So she can tell her stories to the girls back home
She recounts her experiences to her acquaintances

She went to the city and got so-so siditty
She moved to the city and became pretentious and snobbish

She had to get a pimp, she couldn't make it on her own
She resorted to relying on a pimp for survival, unable to support herself independently

My brother's doin' bad, stole my mother's TV
My sibling is engaged in criminal behavior, stealing our own mother's television

Says she watches too much, it's just not healthy
My brother claims our mother's excessive TV consumption is detrimental to her well-being

All My Children in the daytime, Dallas at night
She spends her time watching soap operas during the day and a drama series at night

Can't even see the game or the Sugar Ray fight
We don't have the means to watch sports events or boxing matches

The bill collectors, they ring my phone
Debt collectors constantly call me

And scare my wife when I'm not home
Their persistent calls cause anxiety for my wife when I'm away

Got a bum education, double-digit inflation
I received a subpar education, coupled with high inflation rates

Can't take the train to the job, there's a strike at the station
I can't use public transportation to commute due to a strike at the train station

Neon King Kong standin' on my back
I feel burdened and overwhelmed like a giant, glowing gorilla is on my shoulders

Can't stop to turn around, broke my sacroiliac
I can't even take a moment to pause and reflect, as I've injured my lower back

A mid-range migraine, cancered membrane
I suffer from intense headaches and deteriorating mental health

Sometimes I think I'm goin' insane
At times, I believe I'm losing my sanity

I swear I might hijack a plane
I'm so desperate and frustrated that I would consider resorting to airplane hijacking

My son said, 'Daddy, I don't wanna go to school
My child expressed a lack of desire to attend school

'Cause the teacher's a jerk, he must think I'm a fool'
The teacher is disrespectful and doesn't value his intelligence

And all the kids smoke reefer, I think it'd be cheaper
His peers engage in drug use, and he believes joining them would be more affordable

If I just got a job, learned to be a street sweeper
He believes that becoming a street sweeper would be a better alternative to education and employment

Or dance to the beat, shuffle my feet
He considers pursuing a career in dance, merely going with the flow

Wear a shirt and tie and run with the creeps
He contemplates joining the ranks of shady individuals while maintaining a false appearance of professionalism

'Cause it's all about money, ain't a damn thing funny
He believes that money is everything and there is no humor in life

You got to have a con in this land of milk and honey
He thinks that in this deceptive and promising world, one must possess deceitful tactics to thrive

They pushed that girl in front of the train
Someone intentionally forced a girl onto the train tracks

Took her to the doctor, sewed her arm on again
Medical professionals had to reattach her severed arm

Stabbed that man right in his heart
A man was fatally stabbed in the heart

Gave him a transplant for a brand new start
He received an organ transplant to give him a fresh beginning

I can't walk through the park 'cause it's crazy after dark
It's unsafe for me to stroll through the park during the night

Keep my hand on my gun 'cause they got me on the run
I constantly feel threatened and carry a firearm for self-defense

I feel like a outlaw, broke my last glass jaw
I feel like a rebel, my confidence is shattered

Hear them say, 'You want some more?'
I hear individuals challenging me to endure further hardships

Livin' on a see-saw
I'm stuck in a perpetual cycle of ups and downs

A child is born with no state of mind
Upon birth, a child is innocent and lacks a developed consciousness

Blind to the ways of mankind
Unaware of the complexities and shortcomings of humanity

God is smilin' on you but he's frownin' too
God simultaneously observes one's blessings and disappointments

Because only God knows what you'll go through
The future is uncertain, and only God knows the challenges one will face

You'll grow in the ghetto livin' second-rate
You'll be raised in a disadvantaged neighborhood, experiencing a substandard lifestyle

And your eyes will sing a song called deep hate
Your perspective will be tainted with intense animosity

The places you play and where you stay
The locations where you spend your time and reside

Looks like one great big alleyway
The environment resembles a large, interconnected ghetto

You'll admire all the number-book takers
You'll idolize those involved in illegal gambling activities

Thugs, pimps and pushers and the big money-makers
You'll be impressed by criminals, exploiters, and those who accumulate wealth by any means

Drivin' big cars, spendin' twenties and tens
These individuals flaunt their wealth by driving luxurious vehicles and spending large sums of money

And you'll wanna grow up to be just like them
You'll aspire to emulate their lifestyle

Huh, smugglers, scramblers, burglars, gamblers
You'll be captivated by individuals engaged in smuggling, illicit activities, and risky behavior

Pickpocket peddlers, even panhandlers
You'll be intrigued by thieves, street vendors, and even beggars

You say I'm cool, huh, I'm no fool
You may think I'm impressive, but I'm not naive or easily deceived

But then you wind up droppin' outta high school
However, in the end, you'll likely abandon your education

Now you're unemployed, all non-void
You find yourself jobless, with no purpose or fulfillment

Walkin' round like you're Pretty Boy Floyd
You strut around as if you're a legendary gangster

Turned stick-up kid, but look what you done did
You transformed into a criminal, but is this truly an achievement?

Got sent up for a eight-year bid
You were sentenced to an eight-year prison term

Now your manhood is took and you're a Maytag
In prison, your dignity is stripped away, and you are reduced to a powerless state

Spend the next two years as an undercover fag
You spend the following years hiding your true sexual orientation

Bein' used and abused to serve like hell
You endure mistreatment and exploitation, serving others relentlessly

'Til one day, you were found hung dead in the cell
Eventually, you're discovered dead, having committed suicide in your prison cell

It was plain to see that your life was lost
It was evident that your existence had been tragically wasted

You were cold and your body swung back and forth
Your lifeless body hanged, swaying back and forth

But now your eyes sing the sad, sad song
Your eyes, even in death, express intense sorrow

Of how you lived so fast and died so young
Your life was lived recklessly, resulting in an untimely death

So don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
Please don't provoke me, as I'm on the verge of breaking down

I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
I'm making an effort to maintain my composure, despite the difficulties

Hear them say, 'You want some more?'
I hear individuals challenging me to endure further hardships