| La la la la la
|
| La la la la la
|
| La la la la la
|
| La la la la la
|
| (Ugh)
|
| La la la la la
|
| (Yeah)
|
| La la la la la
|
| La la la la la
|
| (Somalia)
|
| La la la la la
|
| (Yeah)
|
| I spit it for my block—it's an ode, I admit it
|
| Here, the city code is «lock and load,»
|
| any minute is rock-and-roll
|
| And you rock and roll and feel your soul leaving
|
| It’s just the wrong dance that’ll leave you not breathing
|
| I’m not particularly proud of this predicament, but
|
| I’m born and bred in this tenement; |
| I’m sentimental—what!
|
| Plus, it’s only right to represent my hood and whatnot
|
| So I’m about to do it in the music; |
| in the movies—Cut!
|
| To the chase, pan across to the face, I’m right there
|
| Freeze frame on the street name—oops, wait a minute
|
| This is where the streets have no name and the drain of sewage
|
| You can see it in this boy how the hate is brewing
|
| 'Cause when his tummy tucks in, fuck, the pain is fluid
|
| So what difference does it make entertaining through it?
|
| Some get high, mixing coke and gunpowder, sniffing
|
| She got a gun but could have been a model or physician
|
| So what you know about the pirates terrorize the ocean?
|
| To never know a singe day without a big commotion?
|
| It can’t be healthy just to live with such a steep emotion
|
| And when I try and sleep, I see coffins closing
|
| So what you know about the pirates terrorize the ocean?
|
| To never know a single day without a big commotion?
|
| It can’t be healthy just to live with such a steep emotion
|
| And when I try and sleep, I see coffins closing
|
| Yeah!
|
| Yeah!
|
| We used to take barbed wire
|
| Mold them around discarded bike tires
|
| Roll 'em down the hill on foot, blazing
|
| Now, that was our version of mountain bike racing
|
| («Damn!»)
|
| Do you see why it’s amazing?
|
| When someone comes out of such a dire situation
|
| And learns the English language just to share his observation?
|
| Probably get a Grammy without a grammar education
|
| So fuck you, school, and fuck you, immigration!
|
| And all of you who thought I wouldn’t amount to constipation
|
| And now, I’m here without the slightest fear and reservation
|
| They love me in the slums and the Native reservations
|
| The world is a ghetto, administering deprivation
|
| But mommy didn’t raise no fool—did she, Hoyo?
|
| I promised I would get it and remain strictly loyal
|
| 'Cause when they get it—then, they let it all switch and spoil
|
| But I just illuminated it like kitchen foil
|
| A lot of mainstream niggas is yapping about yapping
|
| A lot of underground niggas is rapping about rapping
|
| I just wanna tell you what’s really crack-a-lackin'
|
| Before the tears came down, this is what happened
|
| So what you know about the pirates terrorize the ocean?
|
| To never know a singe day without a big commotion?
|
| It can’t be healthy just to live with such a steep emotion
|
| And when I try and sleep, I see coffins closing
|
| So what you know about the pirates terrorize the ocean?
|
| To never know a single day without a big commotion?
|
| It can’t be healthy just to live with such a steep emotion
|
| And when I try and sleep, I see coffins closing
|
| [Outro:
|
| Children’s choir
|
| & K’naan]
|
| La la la la la
|
| La la la la la
|
| La la la la la
|
| (Ugh)
|
| La la la la la
|
| (Yeah)
|
| La la la la la
|
| (Somalia)
|
| La la la la la
|
| La la la la la
|
| La la la la la |