Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark picture of survival in a harsh environment, where the narrator feels constantly under siege. The opening lines immediately establish a tone of pressure and expectation, with the narrator feeling burdened by being labeled 'the one.' This is juxtaposed with a grim reality: 'Where I'm from, ain't no love / Just a barrel and a drum.' The narrator's determination to escape this fate is palpable, preferring a violent end to a life of destitution, a sentiment captured in the line 'Rather wind up in a clip than a bum.' This sets up a central tension between ambition and the brutal circumstances that threaten to derail it. The core conflict lies in the narrator's struggle against external forces and internal guilt. The repeated imagery of being 'shot' and 'bleeding' in the chorus, coupled with feeling 'dizzy' and 'caught me in the heart,' suggests deep emotional and physical wounds inflicted by others. The narrator laments a lack of proper guidance ('should've taught me from the start') and acknowledges their own past defiance ('I wouldn't listen'), leading to a sense of being trapped by past choices. Yet, even in this darkness, a resilience emerges: 'Thought it was over, but somewhere I found a spark.' A striking element of the craft is the narrator's ability to find strength and purpose amidst chaos and betrayal. The lyrics suggest a keen awareness of deception, noting that 'Friends smile, haters smile, they hard to tell apart.' This perception fuels a drive for self-preservation and success, as seen in the determination to 'get back everything I took out the store, times 4.' The narrator embraces the pressure, finding it invigorating ('the smell of pressure gives me bundles galore'), and asserts their unique value, warning others, 'Too dangerous for your rap list, keep me the fuck off 'em.' This defiant self-possession is a testament to their hard-won resilience. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their raw honesty and the palpable sense of a survivor's spirit. The narrator doesn't shy away from the trauma ('the ghetto made a murder out of me') but frames it as a product of their environment rather than an inherent flaw. The contrast between the external 'hell' and the internal 'spark' creates a compelling narrative of enduring hardship. The closing lines, 'Just looking for a moment I can breathe,' encapsulate the ongoing struggle for peace and self-definition in a world that has consistently tried to break them.

Lloyd Banks - Rap, In English

Broken Arrows

2 Plays

Duration: 4:05

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[Verse 1] Uh! All this weight holds a tone When they title you the one Where I'm from, ain't no love Just a barrel and a drum On my son, I ain't done Shit, my story just begun Ain't no slipping, sneakers done When there ain't nowhere to run, call me dumb Rather wind up in a clip than a bum Get your gun, niggas rather see you die than you won In the slum, this is fun Though it traumatizes some Here it comes, second guessing and I've only just begun I lost so many people yet I survived, I'm feeling guilty Know this work will last a few lifetimеs, they'll never kill mе Gotta make 'em more with hearts like mine, they did me filthy If I ain't somewhere in the book with they rank niggas, I will be Where do we start? Did all this loathing but somewhere it fell apart Still buying diamonds, gotta shine, 'cause hell is dark Friends smile, haters smile, they hard to tell apart Gotta stay sharp... [Chorus] This hell is dark I know I'm bleeding, can't you tell that I've been shot? I'm feeling dizzy, someone caught me in the heart Don't get comfortable, should've taught me from the start I wouldn't listen, now it's time for me to harp Choices you gave me laid me right there in the park Thought it was over, but somewhere I found a spark Knew you were waiting on the day I fell apart Broken arrows... [Verse 2] Bought an ends, out the door But I settle for some more Ain't no u-turns in war When that peddle hits the floor And I swore, to get back everything I took out the store, times 4 I caught back up, ain't gotta look up no more Tied score, I'ma soar My survival is my allure I'ma lie, hold my hand on the bible, fuck the law I adore, the smell of pressure gives me bundles galore I'm in awe, mixing these words up like I been here before Some friends will always be worthy, don't introduce them as family I black in every direction, I know when Judas is near me Don't think that I'm an exception The biggest bruises must bare me I've had my fair share of troubles Careful couldn't compare me, uh My gifts are multiplying, it's easy to double often Too dangerous for your rap list, keep me the fuck up off 'em You owe me all of mine, copping pleas won't disrupt distortion Thumbing through this money while I'm talking, nigga [Chorus] This hell is dark I know I'm bleeding, can't you tell that I've been shot? I'm feeling dizzy, someone caught me in the heart Don't get comfortable, should've taught me from the start I wouldn't listen, now it's time for me to harp Choices you gave me laid me right there in the park Thought it was over, but somewhere I found a spark Knew you were waiting on the day I fell apart Broken arrows... [Verse 3] Uh, feel like I'm due for redemption, karma's a horrid stat Ain't nothing worse than maintaining, if you can call it that When I create, I don't listen, critics put all the traps Picture receivers giving orders to the quarter back Business is across the map Lions changing the order of the almanac I ain't an easy victim, wrist comes with a torch attached Product of the Southside, shining star off the orphan batch These days the innocent get strays, your organ snatch Never take our conversation across the street Can't hear you out, ain't no justification for deceipt I put some bread away, just in case you were off your feet But you went AWOL, justification for the weak If you should fuck up my day it's probation for the week Stomping my ways through cities, most states, they call for keeps Yapping will get you killed, they lie when they say talk is cheap You need a better understanding, take a walk with me [Chorus] This hell is dark I know I'm bleeding, can't you tell that I've been shot? I'm feeling dizzy, someone caught me in the heart Don't get comfortable, should've taught me from the start I wouldn't listen, now it's time for me to harp Choices you gave me laid me right there in the park Thought it was over, but somewhere I found a spark Knew you were waiting on the day I fell apart [Outro] Trying to be the best version I can be But the ghetto made a murder out of me (Made a murder) Wasn't always the person that you see (Nah) Just looking for a moment I can breathe (Just tryna breathe, nigga, just tryna breathe)

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Writers: Lloyd Banks

Broken Arrows

Broken Arrows

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Credits