We Blind Feat. Brian Owens
Thi'sl Lyrics

Them boys rolled up on him with that sawed off
A group of boys attacked someone with a sawed-off weapon

They hit him, now his body gettin' hauled off
The person who was attacked is now being taken away by authorities, likely dead or severely injured

Now the whole hood cryin', we all lost
The community is mourning the loss of this life

Tryna prove that we G's, but this is what it cost?
The violence and need to prove oneself as tough or 'gangster' comes at a great cost, including loss of life

A trail of mommas left with tears in they eyes
Mothers are left grieving for their lost sons

Another bloody body from a homicide
Another person has been killed

Have you ever seen a baby, the look in her eyes
The pain and sadness of a traumatic event is visible even in the youngest members of the community

When you tell her that her daddy dead and gone, he died?
Informing a child that their parent has died is a heartbreaking experience

And to the newspapers he's another number
Many victims of violence are viewed simply as statistics rather than people with families and loved ones

He's number 79 of a bloody summer
The frequency of death and violence in the community is alarmingly high

The way it's all designed, it's meant to take us under
The cycle of violence and poverty is a system that seems almost intentionally designed to bring the community down

But we can't see it though because we Stevie Wonder, we blind
Despite the clear issues at play, many people in the community are unable to see the root causes and perpetuate the cycle

Help us to see
Asks for help in understanding and recognizing the issues

From our old ways
Acknowledgment that the current behaviors and patterns have not been working

I know what it's like to have to make a way out of nothing
Growing up in poverty means having to figure out how to survive with very little resources or support

See they just turned off the lights today, we gotta do something
When basic needs like electricity are cut off, it forces people to take drastic actions in order to survive

And the gas people comin' tomorrow
Even more bills and expenses are on the horizon, putting even more pressure on struggling families

You hurt, because you too young to get a job
Many young people in the community are unable to find work to support themselves or their families

But your homie got a gun and he down to rob
In desperation, some turn to crime in order to make ends meet

Or you could flip a pack, seem like problem solved
Selling drugs or engaging in other illegal activities can seem like a solution, but ultimately leads to more problems

But that's gon' open up the door to bigger probs
The consequences of criminal behavior are often far-reaching and severe

We just walkin' out our fathers' sin
The generational cycle of violence and poverty is a learned behavior passed down through families

In return we learn to be our brother's keeper
Despite the challenges, many in the community learn to support and care for each other like family

But why you think the hood dawg is called a trap? (So who the mice?)
The term 'hood' is often associated with traps, meaning people are stuck and unable to escape negative influences or dangerous situations. The 'mice' are the people who are trapped

The whole thing's to take us under
The struggles and challenges facing the community are designed to keep people in cycles of violence and poverty

I know what it's like to lose the homies, shed tears for the homies
Many in the community have lost friends and loved ones to violent crimes

Any given second, do years for the homies
Even being associated with crime or gang activity can lead to long-term imprisonment

Can't believe that I'ma spend my years without the homie
Losing a friend to violence means being forced to spend the rest of life without them

Now I'm looking down on him like "I'ma ride for you homie"
Despite the loss, many in the community channel their emotions into a desire for justice or retribution to prevent similar events from happening in the future

Can't look at his mother 'cause she's so broken now
The pain of losing a child is unimaginable, and many mothers are left feeling completely broken

Everything over and we start smoking
In order to cope with the pain and stress of loss, many turn to unhealthy behaviors like smoking or drinking

And we start drinking 'cause that's how we copin'
Alcohol is often used as a way to numb the pain and escape reality

It make it hard to see that it's wrong
The trauma and pain of the situation can make it difficult to see the long-term consequences of violent behavior

We killin' over blocks that we would never own
Many violent crimes and conflicts are over territorial boundaries that have little value or meaning in the grand scheme of things

Open up our eyes
A final plea to be able to see and understand the root causes of the community's struggles

Free us from the chains of our own sight
The internal biases and barriers that prevent the community from seeing the bigger picture must be released

Help us see the light
Only by acknowledging the issues at hand and fighting against them can the community hope to move towards a brighter future