Ghettos Of The Mind

(album: Mecca And The Soul Brother - 1992)

Ghetto of the Mind...

I catch a body at a party, sort of herbal with the verbal
Look above and see the vultures fly around in a circle
Bagging while you're lollygagging, ragging, tow-tagging
Assassin with the millimeter roars of a dragon
Here stood the black hood, thirsty for the end
And for the love of money, kind of funny, new friends
Public housing, a thousand in a tent
So I'm forced to sell hell just to pay the rent
Killing my own people, I put 'em out of order
Just like the liquor store scene on every corner
I'm trying but the kids keep crying, and the bullets keep flying
Look, a boy, he's on the curb just dying
Finally the cops come dumb to the slum
Pull out a gun and arrest the wrong one
Wax all the Puerto Ricans and blacks
So they can never relax
I dwell, might as well learn the facts
Pete Rock and C.L. can radio a shack up
Sparking off and have 'em all calling for backup
"Watch another crime and you're gonna do time"
All this you'll find in the ghettos of the mind

Ain't that somethin'?...

Listen to cats and rough rats war under the window
When the ghetto forts flarey, never was a Tom and Jerry
Living ain't cheap, my survival is deep
In this part of town where the city never sleep
A Barney Miller roller, you can bet the car's stolen
Or static with your BM, only when you see them
Speaking on your baby's mom, a best for the drama
Always trying to make a movie, little stark-raving looney
Stressing it, but you know the ghetto keep ya busy
A place that when I die it would never even miss me
Crack phials in the aisles as one pimp smiles
Dope piles working hookers by the miles
But still my pop's got three jobs to stable
A family household and food on the table
So as we pray for all our souls to keep
Somebody's on the project roof, ready to leap
I want to stop the pain or the bad situation
But backwards wisdom I can't afford to give 'em
Self savior is much braver with the conscious behavior
Designed in the ghettos of the mind

Ain't that somethin'? C'mon...

It's like that y'all...

I could never look forward to an early retirement
But still I maintain in a hostile environment
Hustling the concrete jungle for loot
My parents hated blood money so they gave me the boot
Take a risk cause the peer pressure has the edge
It was a blessing when I saw my life dangle on the ledge
The streets coulda swallowed me whole
But the pain was all gone when I got to see my healthy son born
And now I bring him home to the ghetto
Only to make a stronger fellow
Maybe do some good for the neighborhood
It's hard playing hero living less than a zero
Raging Bull like DeNiro, the modern day pharoah
A concentration camp with the Section 8
Welfare checks given at a monthly rate
Apply for the get high, or just plain lazy
Many steady collect right around the fifth baby
The hawk is out but the niggas never pack it
A hundred dollar sneakers with the skimpy-ass jacket
When people are deaf, dumb, and blind they get left behind
Imagine in the ghettos of the mind