[Zion I]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, hey
The cityscape where I stay is gettin hot now
Unemployment is high and buildings is gettin chopped down
Gold teeth populatin the blocks
Slurring slang day and night on the lookout for cops
Make a shot ring out like the liberty bell
No escape from the heat, it's getting hotter than hell
Like the oven's on broil, with bloodstains in the soil
Pissed on in the colors of crown royal
And little sister got a baby on hip
And her momma never home so the cycle is sick
Young ballers on the court wanna play in the league
But got knocked in the spot for a quarter of weed
It's getting hot in here, baby leave on your clothes
Much more to living life than emulating them hoes
I try to speak truth in the form of my flow
But the temperature is risin it's harder to grow, fo' sho'
[Chorus x2]
Gotta keep my head up (Yeah)
Even though I'm fed up (Survival every day)
It's gettin hard to eat (Right)
And all the drama in the street (It's gettin hot in every way)
[Talib Kweli]
Heads up, eyes open, rest in peace headquarters
Tunnel vision
Most of us is rushing like a special order of stolen NIA
The block is hot the ghetto on fire, with more narc sales
Than Avon Barksdale from that show The Wire
We keep growing like hair when you die
Black butterfly on the rose that's preparin to fly
I paint a picture in the color of the orchid, it's vivid
Whatever kid I talk it, I spit it, I walk it, I live it
God bless every step and need to go through a reverend
Your boy used to gouge an eye out just to get into heaven
We live between heaven and hell like John Constantine
Doing crimes then confessing like a teenage drama queen
We were leaning now we're falling down like Michael Douglas
I spit it fast, I gotta get it out, they might unplug it
And try to drug us, so I stay aware and watch out for the setup
Never scared to go head up, got a plan to get my bread up, and
[Chorus x2]