Shelter
zwieR.Z. Lyrics

Of course I'm thankful for another day, my Lord I can't lie
I am grateful for another day of life, but the constant deaths of my loved ones makes it difficult to stay positive.

But everytime I wake up, seem like one of my people gotta die
Due to the constant violence and tragedy in my community, it feels like every day someone close to me dies.

Anthrax poisoning, Hussein and them blew up the Trade Center
Referring to major acts of terrorism, the events of 9/11 and the fear of anthrax poisoning contribute to our constant sense of fear and instability.

Summer, Fall, Spring, Winter, people in the projects getting thinner
Regardless of the season, poverty and food insecurity in the projects are causing people to suffer from malnourishment and become increasingly thin.

Barely enough government cheese, left to feed the rats
The government assistance we do receive is barely enough to survive, often leaving us with nothing but scraps to feed ourselves and the vermin.

But we gotta get it how we live, and how we live is selling crack
To survive in this environment, we resort to illegal activities like selling drugs to make ends meet.

How we live is kicking doors, how we live is pimping whores
We also resort to violent and exploitative activities like burglary and prostitution to get by.

How we live is what we do, so we don't live like this no more
Our current actions are driven by the desire to escape our current circumstances and live a better life free from poverty and violence.

How we live is wrapping em up, sipping on my weight to receive
We turn to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain and suffering we experience on a daily basis.

An overloaded Houston Texas, niggaz make they own bleed
The ongoing violence and poverty in Houston, Texas is perpetuated by its own inhabitants.

Every night another murder scene, that could of been prevented
Due to the constant violence and lack of resources, many of the murders that occur in our community could have been prevented.

But the truth is we most def, and the last soul tormented
Despite the struggles we face, we remain resilient and strong, and refuse to let our souls be tormented any longer.

Every now and then I duck my head, up in the sunday service
Occasionally, I turn to religion and seek refuge in Sunday service to escape the violence and chaos outside.

That's the only place where 5-0, won't burst us bust us
The only place where we feel safe from police brutality and harassment is inside the church.

Nigga they don't love us, they want to relocate us to the Penn
The police and government do not care about our well-being and would rather imprison us than provide us with resources and support.

We want to do right, but all we see is sin
Despite our best efforts, the environment we live in constantly pushes us towards immoral and illegal actions.

[Hook] In this land, we need you Jesus Lord have mercy, we need shelter in the time of storm Uh-huh, well, well, well
We need a higher power to help us seek refuge and safety from the constant storms of violence and poverty that we face in this land.

All the young picking them, living in a rush just to get wealthy (wealthy)
Many of the young people in the community are pushing themselves towards financial success at any cost, even if it means engaging in criminal behavior.

And in the ghetto, we struggle or we hustle til we bubble On top, eliminating competition when we buck shot
In the ghetto, we constantly struggle and hustle to rise to the top and eliminate any competition by any means necessary, including violence and aggression.

Don't press that new, but a new clear shot Fire, fire, fire, fire (fire)
There is no time to hesitate, and we must take clear and direct action to protect ourselves and our loved ones from harm.

Too many sickness and disease, under attack from overseas
Throughout our country, we experience an overwhelming number of illnesses and diseases, some of which are brought on by external threats from other countries.

Mighty job me and for God, please come save the day If I should die before I wake, me leave a blessing for the people today Mighty job me and for God upon you, take this pain away
We pray to a higher power to intervene and alleviate the pain and suffering we experience on a daily basis. We want to leave a positive legacy for future generations and ask for relief from the physical and emotional pain we endure.

Now I lay me, down to sleep I pray the Lord keep my body, as my enemies creep Don't want to be another statistic, living through c.d.'s Either the graveyard or max. security, prison you'll see G
As I go to sleep, I pray for protection from my enemies who constantly threaten my life. I refuse to become another statistic and end up either in jail or a grave.

Look at the homie's little girl, she ain't nothing but sixteen Trying to support three kids, so she stay coming out her jeans Getting pimped, by somebody that still live with they mama But that's the only way she know, to get away from all the drama
We see young girls in the community being forced into prostitution to support themselves and their families, often being taken advantage of by pimps who still live with their parents. Despite the danger and trauma, it seems like the only way to escape the chaos and instability of their lives.

As for books, the mind is a terrible thing to waste As for crooks, the line is a terrible thing to taste Ask them niggaz that don bit the bullet, but they still here
We recognize the importance of education and believe that wasting one's intellectual potential is a tragedy. We also acknowledge that engaging in criminal behavior is a mistake that can have life-altering consequences, even for those who survive the physical dangers.

My nigga we ain't seen God befo', but we still fear
We may not have seen God, but we still believe in a higher power and have a deep sense of fear and awe towards it.

I asked him for a plexing, and he sent me Eugene Now I got two cars, a crib and everyday I dress clean
Despite my hardships, I asked God for help and received it in the form of someone named Eugene. As a result, I have found success and now have material possessions to show for it.

But it ain't no love, they want to put a nigga in the Penn I want to do right, but all I see is sin
Despite my success, there is still no love or support from authorities or the community at large. I want to do the right thing, but it seems like the only option available is to continue engaging in immoral or illegal actions.

[Hook - 2x]
Repeated plea for a higher power to provide us with shelter and protection from the constant storms of violence and poverty we face.