The truth
Zap Mama feat. Common & Talib Kweli Lyrics

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Yo
Truth had me up against the ropes
And semi-conscious without no boxing skills
Fear of it makes hair on my neck grow like minoxodil
Watchin' the clock is ill when, faced wit the truth
Parallels observing, amateur video tapes of
Twenty-one top notch NYPD cops get ill
Fill they minds not to kill still son, never revealed

True feelings, we speakin' on the truth right now in itself is a healing
See The Creator, created existence and balance
At right angles, unless it was conceived and stated
So whoever shall stray away from right lives wrong
The deliverance of the word false opposite of truth off course
Sure as my slave name sending
Troy Donald Jamerson paves the path, enabling truth
To stay stable and cling to earth!
Sorta similar to the way static electricity sting see
Truth brings light, light refracts off the mirror
Visions of yourself and error could never clearer
The truth is that you ugly, not on the outside
But in the inside on the outside you frontin' you lovely
The discovery of these things and all are well-hidden
But when you in denial of self it is forbidden, that's the truth

In due time we will find

Let the truth be told from young souls that become old
From days spent in the jungle, where must one go
To find it, time is real, we can't rewind it
Out of everybody I met, who told the truth? Time did
We find kids speakin' 'cause it's naturally in us
But the false prophets by tellin' us we born sinners
Venders of hate, got me battlin' my own mind state
At a divine rate, I ain't in this just to rhyme great
See the truth in the thighs of a stripper, the eyes of my nigga
If it's only one, then why should it differ
So constantly I seek it
Wonderin' why I gotta drink a six pack to speak it
Took a picture of the truth and tried to develop it
Had proof, it was only recognized by the intelligent
Took the negative and positive, 'cause niggas got to live
Said I got to get more than I'm given
'Cause truth'll never be heard in religion
After searchin' the world, on the inside what was hidden
It was the truth

Truth, truth, truth, truth, truth, truth
In due time, we will find

Check it, on my neck I still got marks from the nooses
The truth it produces, fear that got niggas on the run like Carl Lewis
The truth is my crew is the smoothest bits of saliva juices like the roots is
More organic than acoustics
Heavenly, what will set you free and kill you in the same breath
That shit you gotta get off your chest before your death, unless
The way you speak is lighter than a pamphlet
'Cause the truth give the words away to the planet goddammit
I ran wit what God planted in my heart and I understand it
To be the bring the light to the dark, breathe some life in this art
This must be the truth (why?) 'cause we keep marchin' on (True)
The truth lay the foundation of what we rockin' on (True)
You can't see it if you blind but we will always prevail (True)
Life is like the open sea, the truth is the wind in our sail
And in the end, our names is on the lips of dying men
If ever crushed in the earth, we always rise again
When the words of lying men sound lush like the sound of a violin
The truth is there, it's just the heart you gotta find it in

You will find
You will find
You will find
You will find
You will find

You will find
You will find

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Zap Mama's "The Truth" featuring Common and Talib Kweli is an intricate exploration of what the truth really is, how it is discovered or delivered, and what it means in various contexts. The artists' rap verses are interconnected, starting with Common's admission that the truth has had him cornered and vulnerable despite his initial resistance against it. He likens facing the truth to being in a boxing ring without any boxing skills and having the fear make the hair on his neck grow. The truth, he says, is liberating and healing, coming from the Creator who balanced existence and made right angles rule unless otherwise stated. Talib Kweli's verse complements Common's, saying that time is essential in discovering the truth, even from young to old souls. He contests against the idea that human beings are born sinners and that false prophets are venders of hate that push individuals to battle their own minds. The truth, he argues, can be found in any way, shape, or form, from the thighs of a stripper to the eyes of a friend or enemy.

The chorus stresses the optimism that the truth will eventually be found, even if it takes time. It repeats the phrase "in due time, we will find" seven times, implying that the truth cannot be forced or rushed but will come to emerge eventually.

Overall, "The Truth" is a reflective and philosophical piece on the nature of truth as a powerful yet elusive concept. The artist's perspectives are rooted in their own experiences of truth-seeking, and the verses form a cohesive whole that explores multiple angles of this theme.

Line by Line Meaning

Truth had me up against the ropes
I was being pushed and challenged by the truth

And semi-conscious without no boxing skills
I wasn't fully aware of how to handle the situation

Fear of it makes hair on my neck grow like minoxodil
The fear of facing the truth makes me feel uncomfortable and on edge

Parallels observing, amateur video tapes of
I am watching from the sidelines, taking notes and observing

Twenty-one top notch NYPD cops get ill
Even highly trained and skilled individuals can be affected by the truth

Fill they minds not to kill still son, never revealed
Despite knowing the truth, some choose to hide it and not act on it

True feelings, we speakin' on the truth right now in itself is a healing
Opening up and speaking the truth can be a therapeutic and healing process

See The Creator, created existence and balance
God created the world with a balance of truth and falsehood

At right angles, unless it was conceived and stated
Unless something is clearly stated, it may not be in line with what is true

So whoever shall stray away from right lives wrong
If you don't follow the truth, you are living in the wrong

The deliverance of the word false opposite of truth off course
Lies and falsehoods are the opposite of truth and lead us astray

Sure as my slave name sending
Just like my slave name, the truth is a part of who I am and can't be ignored

Troy Donald Jamerson paves the path, enabling truth
My personal journey and experiences have led me to appreciate and seek out the truth

To stay stable and cling to earth!
The truth is grounded and stable, providing a sense of security

Sorta similar to the way static electricity sting see
The truth can be uncomfortable and jarring, like a static shock

Truth brings light, light refracts off the mirror
The truth illuminates and reveals our true selves, like light reflecting off a mirror

Visions of yourself and error could never clearer
The truth allows us to see our flaws and mistakes more clearly

The truth is that you ugly, not on the outside
The truth can reveal that one's flaws are not just external, but internal as well

But in the inside on the outside you frontin' you lovely
People may try to hide their true selves, but the truth will always reveal what's really there

The discovery of these things and all are well-hidden
Uncovering hidden truths can be difficult and challenging

But when you in denial of self it is forbidden, that's the truth
Denying the truth about oneself only leads to further pain and discomfort

From days spent in the jungle, where must one go
The journey to find the truth can be difficult and may require one to venture into the unknown

Out of everybody I met, who told the truth? Time did
Time is a revealer of truth, and often reveals things that we may not want to face

The false prophets by tellin' us we born sinners
Some may use lies and falsehoods to control and manipulate others

Venders of hate, got me battlin' my own mind state
Those who spread hate and lies can cause inner turmoil and conflict within oneself

At a divine rate, I ain't in this just to rhyme great
I am not just in this to create great music, but also to spread truth and positivity

If it's only one, then why should it differ
All truths are equal and should be recognized and respected

Took a picture of the truth and tried to develop it
I tried to understand the truth better and make sense of it

Had proof, it was only recognized by the intelligent
Some may not be able to recognize the truth unless they are intelligent enough to do so

Life is like the open sea, the truth is the wind in our sail
The truth guides us through life like the wind guides a boat

And in the end, our names is on the lips of dying men
Our legacy and impact on others is what truly matters in the end

When the words of lying men sound lush like the sound of a violin
Falsehoods and lies can be tempting and attractive, like the sound of a beautiful violin

The truth is there, it's just the heart you gotta find it in
The truth is always present, but one must look within themselves to find it

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LONNIE RASHID LYNN, JOSEPH L. KIRKLAND, TALIB KWELI GREENE, TROY DONALD JAMERSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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