1st verse
We at war
We at war with terrorism, racism...
but, most of all, we at war with ourselves
God, show me the way, because the devil's trying to break me down
You know what the midwest is, young and restless
and restless niggaz might snatch yo necklace
and next these niggaz might jack yo lexus
somebody tell these niggaz who kanye west is
i walk through the valley of the Chi where death is
top floor the view alone will leave you breathless
Try to catch it, It's kinda hard
Getting choked by the detectives yeah now check the method
They be asking us questions, harass and arrest us
Saying "we eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast"
Huh? Yall eat pieces of shit? What's the basis?
We ain't going nowhere but got suits and cases
A trunk full of coke rental car from Avis
My momma used to say only Jesus can save us
Well momma I know I act a fool
But I'll be gone 'til November, I got packs to move I Hope
(Jesus Walks)
The first verse talks about the things some people go through in life. The "wages of war", so to speak. There's crime in the midwest, even in a city like Chicago, which not many would list amongst the most dangerous of American cities, Kanye West reminds us that nothing is really safe anymore.
There is still a lot of unreasonable harassment of black people at the hands of law enforcement. And then drug dealers. People whose families still hold out hope that they can be helped, but only Jesus can help them because they're invovled in things that are dangerous and are too far gone to be helped by anyone else.
We at war with terrorism, racism...
but, most of all, we at war with ourselves
God, show me the way, because the devil's trying to break me down
You know what the midwest is, young and restless
and restless niggaz might snatch yo necklace
and next these niggaz might jack yo lexus
somebody tell these niggaz who kanye west is
i walk through the valley of the Chi where death is
top floor the view alone will leave you breathless
Try to catch it, It's kinda hard
Getting choked by the detectives yeah now check the method
They be asking us questions, harass and arrest us
Saying "we eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast"
Huh? Yall eat pieces of shit? What's the basis?
We ain't going nowhere but got suits and cases
A trunk full of coke rental car from Avis
My momma used to say only Jesus can save us
Well momma I know I act a fool
But I'll be gone 'til November, I got packs to move I Hope
(Jesus Walks)
The first verse talks about the things some people go through in life. The "wages of war", so to speak. There's crime in the midwest, even in a city like Chicago, which not many would list amongst the most dangerous of American cities, Kanye West reminds us that nothing is really safe anymore.
There is still a lot of unreasonable harassment of black people at the hands of law enforcement. And then drug dealers. People whose families still hold out hope that they can be helped, but only Jesus can help them because they're invovled in things that are dangerous and are too far gone to be helped by anyone else.
posted by johnny m at
08:22
2 Comments:
I certainly cannot always agree with the form that current hip-hop takes (have you heard spike-lee's criticism of 50 cent, I would be interested in your commentary) however I agree that one of its positive potentials is to keep people informed of the "war" that continues to be waged on the mainland. If news gave consist coverage to all the casualities of this war and placed it under a unified umbrella such as the war on terrorism we would all look at the situation differently.
By
Unknown, at 20:35
thanks for your comments. i understand where you come from and we have discussed this more than once, i'm sure.
i would be curious to hear spike lee's POV, but i'm sure it wouldn't surprise me. i'm sure he has similar thinks to say about eminem (and if not, then i know he's just biased...since eminem often says far more explicit things than 50). you also probably know that people who have made a name for themselves and take the time to publically criticize their "peers" (in show business, that is) are people that i find suspect in one way or another. i usually take their comments with more than a grain of salt.
and i certainly appreciate where you're coming from in the part of your comments that addressed "war". not enough coverage for different kinds of way, that's for sure.
By
johnny m, at 08:50
Post a Comment
<< Home