Story Behind The Song
An examination of the depth of "gangsta" culture in American society, and it's roots, implications and the racism and hypocrisy underlying the way it's viewed in distinct expressive art forms... Over a bangin ass west coast rap beat.
Song Description
An examination of the depth of "gangsta" culture in American society, and it's roots, implications and the racism and hypocrisy underlying the way it's viewed in distinct expressive art forms... Over a bangin ass west coast rap beat.
| Song Length |
3:27 |
Genre |
Rap - Gangsta, Rap - West Coast |
| Tempo |
Slow (71 - 90) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Irritated, Heated |
Subject |
Race/Ethnicity, Economics |
| Similar Artists |
Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg |
Language |
English |
| Era |
2000 and later |
| |
Lyrics
We romanticize all the killers and cowboys
From conquistadors down to the trap boys
We make mad noise
And whether gun clappin or hand clappin
We applaud for the bad boys
Something happened at the birth of a nation
In between genocide and a slave ship
Now the gangsta runs in our veins
And our hearts pump freedom but our minds is chained
A plantation mentality haunts me
But I can't figure out which side of it I'm on
My bank says one, my skin says another
The result of the equation? I hate my brother
And now we slay one another. And for what?
Cuz the master at the table dropped a couple of crumbs?
And of course, they go and blame us
But we're programmed since we been sucking our thumbs
You want the answer? Check up in the pampers
It's a load of shit that spread like cancer
Check the history, see where it takes you
What you really sayin when you talk about gansta?
From Scarface to Scarface
Goodfellas down to Casino
Godfather or the way of Carlito
It seems everybody love it illegal
Don't believe me?
Holler at Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino
Even Tarentino on a Resivoir Dog
Pump pulp for the fiction and hit it at the box office
Lock Stock and a merchandising offer
And now your kid want a Donnie Brasco lunch box
Yeah it's fun watching all of those flicks huh?
Hollywood wildin off of those big bucks
Ask Coppola, he off stackin chips up
But it's all good til you switch it up
What you talkin bout Luke?
Man who you ever heard talkin
Shit about cops getting killed in The Departed
But the minute Ice T say he cop killin
And you see his record getting stomped by a politicion
On the television
News saying it's a disgrace.
Students shoot up the school and who gets blamed?
Pac and Eminem
But their song was a synonym
For the mob flick in the theater you're sittin in
And now you want more?
Yell encore
Pop the disc in
Pass the popcorn
They turned hardcore in to an art form
Say thank you
Now the whole world loves gangsta.