SHAKESPEARE IS BLACK (2019)

I dropped my first record at 12, and after all these years on the underground I gotta say thanks to everyone who’s been part of this. This may be my magnum opus, so if there’s no follow up... Back in February me and Ed debated over the first draft of this like we usually do. I kept pushing it till it felt right. My grandad passed weeks ago, and the night he passed I wrote/recorded a song that changed the 2nd half (Crackers). So up till release I worked on it. I worked on this at work. I would come up with melodies and record em in the bathroom or kitchen (on phone). I also woke up a few nights at 3-4 am to quietly record on my phone in the furthest corner of my living room to not wake my gf up. I wrote a lot of it on the bus in the morning. I caught a few people reading as I was writing. Saw a few looks of horror, saw a few smiles. Wrote/produced/recorded/released an EP during this (GRIETA). Started Ed’s follow up to Panacea (it’s been 9 years?!?!). Basically what I’m saying is, blast HS TO PRISON as loud as you can and get as pissed as I do about how messed up America is to minorities! ✌🏾

Anchor 1

Blacc as Shyt

I want everything black as shit/

no quiero blanco today we stay abstinent/

that ain’t a back hand or mean statement/

I’m just saying today we proud n we loud as shit/

if you from America or Caribbean/

if you from France or England/

if you in Brazil or Deutschland/

give a shout out to mi Africans/

if you in Detroit or Buenos Aires/

if you in San Juan or Miami where ever

you lay your head even if you mixed/

if you descended from slavery or otra circumstances/

let’s dance nena bailar/

todo negro car daishikis at the bar/

we’ll meet up at the pub or maybe Venice Beach/

if you on these Chi streets give a shout out to me/

when I kick it in Brixton or even Notting Hill/

don’t need a molly pill just pinch me I know it’s real/

I got that black feel I’m screeching on 3 wheels/

bring the hydraulics to Lagos stacking them like legos/

step on our fun you gon break a heel/

we ain’t tryna cause trouble we just saying how we feel/

they kill us in the states cold blood on the streets/

this is for you n me this is for you n me/

Now I don’t mean a rift I’m just here to defend/

n this ain’t no democrat vs republican/

this is being born n being told that mi skin/

is a sin is something that needs to be reigned in/

it’s mi sisters being told the darker the worst/

you’re not dateable you’re attitudes the first/

of many traits that man debate ain’t habitable/

it’s bullshit n frankly it’s laughable/

but it’s so dangerous/

we already walk to the corner store n eyes roll/

purses clenched third is this/

all our kids are targeted/

see the way we marketed this is ain’t no bargain chip/

I’m black that’s who I is/

that’s who I was that’s who I’ll forever be

is b-l-a-c

All I ever wanted all I ever dreamed of was you n me/

reaching the mountain peak/

All I ever wanted all I ever dreamed of was you n me/

being you n me in unity/

High School to Prison

They tell me don’t go loud keep it down/

when the figure out the thing that make us proud/

n so much scratch we sniffed our way to a mansion/

at what cost everything can you stand it/

tax rates cut for all but the poor/

projects so worn there’s no doors/

immigrants all started leaving our shores/

n prospering back in their homelands soar/

the government bust thru in full force/

pulled kids outta zero hour score/

the ghetto kids told from now on pick coal/

it’s like modern slavery America yo/

Jerusalem we all look for a center/

we used to praise Jesus anybody remember/

the cold gon come shortly after September/

brace yourself bout to be a cold winter/

What they said was watch yo step/

what they meant is this is next/

your future is set the secret ain’t kept/

these streets is bleak

it’s where yo fate will meet/

Come on the track like la la la like 2pac/

dick so big chicks ask if it’s 2 cocks/

rain on the village man I feel like tsunam/

you ain’t never gotta ask if the news on

I am the coverage I covered it/

sometimes I feel like LeBron getting dunked on/

a giant towering how can I lose/

you won’t catch me cowering or rubbing a bruise/

ever since I was back in public school/

I learned the rules/

be better or get locked up/

a big game you talk up make sure u back it up/

we backed up got hosed down then turn around/

picked a bale o' hay now we throwing down/

the latest coon show in town

What they said was watch yo step/

what they meant is this is next/

your future is set the secret ain’t kept/

these streets is bleak

it’s where yo fate will meet/

Yam boost ya they say I need to chill/

yam boost ya they say to keep it real

Yam boost ya they say I need to chill/

yam boost ya they say to keep it real

I grew up aspiring to be a rapper/

hooper running back then trapper/

never once did mi doctorate cross mi mind/

it didn’t seem like something in mi pipeline/

sometimes Im like

what the hell did Dr King sacrifice for/

we keep going in circles/

dreams keep coming up short like curfew/

street lights on we scattering/

so mature for his age you flatter him/

let the kids be the kids adults grow up/

need some more energy to soak up/

gang signs thrown up prayed some/

life’s a bigger gamble than Vegas/

say it once say it twice say it thrice/

I am Martin Luther’s sacrifice/

What they said was watch yo step/

what they meant is this is next/

your future is set the secret ain’t kept/

these streets is bleak

it’s where yo fate will meet/

Othello's Triumph

Getting head like I pulled it from the morgue/

having outta body experiences eyes gourged/

I hopped on a plane so I soar/

I had to get away from this American eye soar/

Doing donuts this is so nuts/

life always felt like Coraline sown up/

eyes buttoned up lips shut now a grownup/

grow up then glow up/

Sorry to Mrs Stenson/

used to fuck up in class so I could sleep in detention/

grab ass n slap tits reminisce of various positions/

I could get myself into just wishing/

starting pimpin' then I thought that that was trickish/

these girls are people stop turning them to victims/

dusted off the shoulder of who I was/

that’s the journey of a young blood/

A cold fellow

Mr Othello/

Pain inflicted started twitching finger itching/

money started folding feeling never left me/

born ambidextrous they call me lucky lefty/

but I hit em w the right shimmy in so sexy/

girls getting wetter had to bust out the jet ski/

you miss every shot you don’t take Wayne Gretzky/

cooler than Canada or Scandinavia/

during the winter solstice

I kept it darker than Eddie Murphy rocking purple/

mi empty pockets ask got any cheese/

like Steve Urkel if my bank account hurt you/

Ima roast myself and say that’s embarrassing as shit

I’m just getting started w the tip/

the ice berg dipped ripped apart ships/

left fat lips on acid/

feel like the Beatles in the 60s/

down some more British gin finished w mi kidneys/

mi Livers in a Pool/

A cold fellow

Mr Othello/

In the back of the ride like a co defendant/

getting chauffeur'd everywhere like a co dependent/

an Africa pendant like Dr Dre dissed it/

still black fist lifted/

All I wanted was a phat ass flat no longer/

we could hold hands on a date at Pret a Manger/

ima Killmonger American in Wakanda/

like why don’t Africa love me no longer/

song after song hot grab the tongs/

muy caliente drop Latina thongs/

black chicks vibing Muslims Arabs/

white chicks joined eventually they were scared of us/

but once we popular she mi number 1 fan/

tits out flip out the kickstand/

hop off the trike hop off the dyke/

train these new fans here to stay/

A cold fellow

Mr Othello/

Autumn

It’s one of those things we accept like Drake serenading lil girls/

or R Kelly peeing on more than the seat

Why they gotta do that shit to Autumn this is all our problem

Once you grow the left breast n the right breast men gon flock gon trip/

what leads to courtship one passive glance at the assets/

maybe a squeeze of the cabbage

Men w baggage gots to have it/

cuz it’s pure in they mind that’s what it like to be a savage/

take a stab at it/

it is akin to addicts the fact is it’s blasphem/

where mi feminists the one who take these men’s sides/

the ones who riot only at select times/

yo try this standing for something n following thru/

this fall what is Autumn s'posed to do/

Once the pants tighten denim bristles the hips/

then the eyes widen hear the wolf whistling/

all these Betty Boops naive as shit/

baby getting groomed ain’t this some shit/

in the span of moments it’s outta control it’s/

contained at home then brought to school/

brought to school then spread online/

I’m an influencer now men on mi line/

poor intentions lead to sex slaves/

just another day an article to scroll by/

I promise I’ll leave a like/

just as long as you leave your life/

Piss Off

I never felt we were together/

my addiction got the better of me/

this life is a shadow of ubiquity/

I rejected the commonality of things/

free is something that leaves us weak/

it’s a fable a tale we tell ourselves to believe/

this thing is nothing but a dream/

that can’t be captured by me

Piss off whichyo criss cross flip flop/

can’t talk can’t walk straight if it saved ya/

piss off whichyo plain Jane way face/

pale to the grave never heard of soul aye

Get outta mi face/

a mind is a terrible thing to waste/

so mind yo business

mind yo business/

learn your place/

life is a race but too long I felt I was standing in place/

as the earth rotates I stand still/

a flower wo water you took it why bother

n watched me fall farther/

you ain’t mi mother mi father

mi absolutely last resort nada

Piss off whichyo criss cross flip flop/

can’t talk can’t walk straight if it saved ya/

piss off whichyo plain Jane way face/

pale to the grave never heard of soul aye

I come from a place called kick a fuckers ass/

I come from a place called never give a pass/

I come from a place called get out muh face/

I come from a place called mean what you say/

So mean what you say

Slow Medicine

Got more kids in her mouth than a school bus/

not kid friendly u fooled us/

everybody ducked when we pulled up/

west side here we sharp it’s a shoot up/

Nike airs what’s the rumor/

call me black panther but rockin' Pumas/

look like Usain Bolt look like you came slow/

more old skool than Kangols/

straight out a story book Kenny is a fable/

call me n ass but shawty doing anal/

we downed it slow you call this drano/

suicide on the rise/

opioids gon divide this country of mine/

politics is a bitch/

so of course we got the itch to ditch/

sit or piss or get off of it/

When I’m feeling real tipped n mi life is a bitch I call the medicine man/

no u never understand how it is till u reach these pits n u can’t stand again/

now mi life is a ditch I n the sand too quick I gotsta sip/

take another hit deeper I slip/

Sh sh sh can u feel/

another dosage of death pill/

it’s the dark ages/

we all been worshipping Satan/

used to sleep on mi tummy but I couldn’t breath/

kept drowning in vomit this was mi peace/

kept waking up early in mid scream/

I’m an insomniac I just quit sleep/

I got nightmares I ain’t scared/

just unprepared/

everyone seems so close minded/

can't find one person to share/

back in 6th grade I took on a dare

so I guess we’ll start right there/

this beautiful girl who was shaped as a pear

we went as a pair now I forever stare/

When I’m feeling real tipped n mi life is a bitch I call the medicine man/

no u never understand how it is till u reach these pits n u can’t stand again/

now mi life is a ditch I n the sand too quick I gotsta sip/

take another hit deeper I slip/

Josephine

I met this girl at Chateau ‘deau/

la pregunta which one of us gon fold/

both us bold she stronger than the blackest cup of joe/

that Colombia’s hills had to offer/

out playing soccer watching Mbappe/

big asses passing somebody slap me/

but Josephine mi flapper girl/

straight out the 20s she worth euros not pennies/

shades were Fendi Gucci handbag/

Coco shirt mi vocals hurt/

when I say hey babe mon ami/

mon amor lemme open doors

God you on a roll/

Josephine come over to me don’t u see/

I’m who u need to be w this evening

Oh Josephine the sun would rise/

every time you bat your eyes/

it sets when you close your blinds/

can you open them tonight/

As pretty as the sunset/

Jesus rotated the earth I sighed “are you done yet”/

I meant that in a way/

to say the sun sets when she waves/

it rise w her eyes surprise/

I cry when we run outta time/

más tiempo why am I speaking Spanish/

do you understand it/

see Josephine is worldly strong but girly/

not afraid to wear any shade/

n that’s cool to reach her heights I grab the stool/

I swim across any pool/

Atlantic Pacific you name it I did/

n gravely I ain't kidding

ask jim Morrison where he’s hidden/

cause I'm there too I ain't trippin'

ask jim Morrison where he’s hidden/

cause i'm buried right next to him

Oh Josephine the sun would rise/

every time you bat your eyes/

it sets when you close your blinds/

can you open them tonight/

I'll keep on calling

Calling

Crackers

Maybe there’s something I could tell you if you would listen/

maybe there’s something that you could learn if you just give it/

your attention is all that I fight for/

it goes in the left ear out the right hole/

this pain these scars they don’t leave marks/

this shame is in mi head I’m off/

where’s the on button/

me chopped like mutton/

somethin' somethin' somethin'

do you love somethin'

or is it all for nothin'

Im committed to being committed/

they commuted mi sentence but I’m committed/

kinda pissed I can’t wear this straight jacket to job interviews/

Me can’t make me no get a fair shake/

me destined to street living like feral kittens/

me feel like top cat from Hanna Barbera/

what are you scared of/

I don’t think you understand who I really am inside/

I struggle to connect the dots/

If you felt a tad insane to me it’s just so lame/

it doesn’t scratch the surface of who I became/

Your marzipan is just too sweet/

it’s just uh tan dulce donde molta/

mi heart beats slowly till beep/

Everything’s meant to kill its like Australia has outgrown its borders n crossed the ocean/

Where do you stand if man fights man

and countries implode and America becomes nada but a big joke/

hmmm

City en Fuego

Crack n blow/

step on toes break a nose/

clones n clones matching clothes/

everyone wearing the same zapatos/

police shooting blacks/

kids getting buried w no head attached/

boys getting STDs at 13/

girls having sons n daughters at 15/

jump shots broken ankles/

he was s'posed to be a star send an angel/

fix mi child on bended knees/

our hopes of leaving the projects all on he/

life’s a tease so is this city/

Southside West Side all a pity/

not even close community’s tight knit/

on the other side of the tracks that is/

This city red hot

Someone call the policia

So they can do nada

This city red hot

Someone call the policia

So they can do nada

This city red hot

Someone call the policia

So they can do nada

I arm wrestle tug mi arm/

who pulled the alarm it’s all just his charm/

hot as hell the black has burned/

mi city has scorched into an urn/

it burns like bad perm/

I sure hope you’re insured/

I am ensured/

God has cursed this earth/

This city red hot

Someone call the policia

So they can do nada

This city red hot

Someone call the policia

So they can do nada

Crack n blow/

step on toes break a nose/

clones n clones matching clothes/

everyone wearing the same zapatos/

black on black white collar on white/

blue on blue the man watch us fight/

tear each other apart we get poorer/

they get richer hate when we loiter/

la otra spoiler it’s hot broiling/

limpia esta calle hoy/

donde esta boy

la vida es no toy/

I gots the feeling/

there'll be no healing/

till we properly point out the villain

Chi town to Kingston/

Kingston to Brixton/

Brixton to the Bronx/

the Bronx to San Juan/

San Juan to Sampa/

Sampa to Rio/

Río to Kigali/

Kigali to the LA valley/

Be Positive

Hey hey fuck yo mama/

notice that I didn’t use the comma/

lemme inject mi self like big pharma/

overcharge for this hornet's nest that’ll swarm ya/

I’m like a colleges dorm room/

bare minimum you been warned but you still join/

it’s all about the experience that’s so tired/

that’s how Ja Rule tricked yo ass w Fyre/

the situation was dire/

I turned to Liam Neeson n walked round w a tyre iron/

beating niggas up n down Northern Ireland/

then I wonder why mi generation spiraling/

they say millennials are ruining the world/

I agree but this world is bullshit to me/

last I checked Trump was made before the 80s/

n yet they still blame me n you too it’s crazy/

they want me to stay positive/

but the last cheque I deposited was audited/

I overdrew mi account by 8 quid/

next thing I know I’m kicked out but positive/

came to Chicago w a 5th/

of vodka a pocket of lint n broken dreams/

hit the late teens n not once had I succeed/

I figured by 19 I’d be on the silver screen/

but instead I was slangin' Harleys w a shitty boss/

I used to sweat bullets requesting a day off/

talking *cough* my tummy hurt *cough* I been spewing/

and her response was always “if you can come later do it/

we need you on the floor” yea bullshit/

we never had customers who are you foolin'/

I worked w 3 privileged blanquitas w masters degrees/

all they had to show was retail experience/

mid twenties over here making pennies/

tryna to be a retail manager judging kiddies/

hiring n firing that sounds dumb as shit/

lend me yo degree since you ain’t using it/

your employees hate you your life is pitiful/

mind you this is 3 specific people that I ridicule/

stay positive well I’m outta there/

saw the rain in Spain got embarrassed in Paris/

it was innocent had sex in England/

the UK got my back like polio/

those are the days I feel like FDR/

I’m positively presidential in this bitch/

some in my past think life had beaten me/

we’ll see their expression when I’m knighted by the queen/

I feel so McQueen I feel so McQueen/

I’m positively still Kenny gee/

These mfers tell me I ain’t getting tax returns/

or food stamps it all burns/

I’m over it I’m pissed it’s cold as shit in these Chi streets/

n my Nana can barely afford heat/

Chris Hansen would say take a seat/

this governmet full a pedophiles

you fucking kids outta they education/

when girls dunno the 1st thing on why they get a menstruation/

and boys ain’t prepared for an occupation/

and none of these teens understand punctuation/

n can’t comprehend why life’s getting stagnant/

and parents on Facebook n Instagram 24/7 as an escape/

that’s the definition of rape/

kids wanna be in film but the only experience on they resume/

is a well made pornhub sextape/

we scrape from the barrel n try n make cake/

so to these crabs in the bucket we making crab cake/

I can’t believe that’s not mantequilla/

time to down you all w a limerita/

lets make a part 3 to Maria Maria/

west side time to bring it

One more 'gain/

they still ain’t got water in Michigan/

one of these days they gon answer for sins/

n that’ll be the day Trump ends his wins/

let’s dump in the ocean the republicans/

N anyone looking for pub it’s shit/

let’s go back to actual public servants/

n pay them less than teachers ya dig

One more 'gain/

they still ain’t got water in Michigan/

one of these days they gon answer for sins/

n that’ll be the day Trump ends his wins/

let’s dump in the ocean the republicans/

N anyone looking for pub it’s shit/

let’s go back to actual public servants/

n pay them less than teachers ya dig

Life After Death

Granddad passed n I can’t feel bad cuz he going to a better place/

life is a snap every day's gone half

but look what grows in it’s place/

Gramma gave me his ring/

ima slap a muthafucka and leave n imprint so you remember me/

I hope they remember you/

I’m unlimited too I’m inevitable/

I got the Cheshire grin if I could measure these wins/

I’d be 8 feet tall by the end of all this/

I got chick after chick I thought that’s how you should live/

I got a job n then quit cuz I wasn’t making ends/

I was judged by friends now they ain’t mi friends/

Granddad told me “fuck them hatin' ass men”/

he said it in less vulgar terms/

but a burns a burn tan is the word/

We living life after death

Life after death

We living life after death

Life after death

Those who die do not perish/

they live on they will rise/

like our lord like our savior/

on Easter nite it’s time/

when thou steps to the light/

he or she might be on time/

we grind till we die/

what’s the point celebrate life/

Got hoes got dough/

make pizza every record/

spin it in the air boy clever/

let the needle drop/

but don’t let it hit the floor never/

get severed several de mi gente/

ask the dumbest preguntas/

are you anti no mi just pro/

pro black no flack to anybody else so/

We living life after death

Life after death

I remember riding to the west side of the Chi/

after my 9-5 or should I say 12-9/

stopped at TGI gotta burger for the hike/

scarfed it down fore I hit the house/

dodged bullets lived across the street from a crack den/

I’d pull it if I had one party in the back like a mullet/

biz cas up front always gotta look the part/

got decent grades always smart/

don’t start how does ones life stumble/

graduated high school then the shit crumbled/

dated the wrong person hung in the wrong groups/

hit my 20s now it’s time to regroup/

time you can’t recoup but what you should do/

is learn from your mistakes n grow flower bloom/

just cuz you in a ditch don’t mean you gotta live there/

homie get there