Song Meaning

The lyrics present a stark dichotomy for navigating life in the ghetto: success or death. This isn't a gentle suggestion but a brutal ultimatum, forcing a choice between "penals or schools." The opening hook immediately establishes this high-stakes environment where paths can either end abruptly or lead to immense triumph, framing the struggle as inherent from birth. The repeated phrase "NBs was raw from the drop" underscores a sense of innate resilience or perhaps a predisposition to hardship that defines their starting point. Verse 1 delves into the narrator's personal journey, where survival dictated actions that blurred the lines between necessity and sin. The narrator recounts doing "dirt to help moms" during a time of familial crisis, framing early transgressions as acts of survival rather than malice. This perspective highlights the complex moral landscape of poverty, where immediate needs often override conventional ethics. The narrative then shifts to the consequences: sleepless nights and impulsive actions, suggesting a life lived under constant pressure and without the luxury of reflection. The narrator's current mission is to impart these hard-won lessons, acting as a guide to prevent younger generations from succumbing to the same pitfalls. Verse 2 introduces a similar struggle for survival, but with a focus on the potential for a different outcome. The narrator explicitly rejects the fate of becoming an "old man" broken and lost on the corner, emphasizing the desire for a life beyond mere existence. The imagery of a "lemon" that can't be driven further serves as a potent metaphor for a life devoid of purpose or potential. This verse also touches on the consequences of past mistakes, like getting "popped in the stern," but ultimately pivots towards a determination to secure a better future, specifically for a daughter. The final lines, a plea to divide the soul between the divine and the devil, suggest a profound reckoning with mortality and a desire for redemption, even in the face of inevitable death. The effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their unflinching portrayal of a limited, yet intensely consequential, set of choices. The raw, direct language cuts through any pretense, forcing the listener to confront the brutal realities faced. The contrast between the grim circumstances and the fierce determination to overcome them creates a powerful emotional resonance. The narrative arc, moving from survival-driven actions to a desire for legacy and redemption, grounds the stark ultimatum of the hook in deeply human experiences.

Nightbreed - Rap

2 Roads Out the Ghetto

1 Plays

Duration: 3:27

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[Hook: K.A. the Verbal Shogun] There's two roads out the ghetto: success or death Time to choose, decide then move, penals or schools Paths get ended, never win then soar to the top NBs was raw from the drop Two roads out the ghetto: success or death Time to choose, decide then move, penals or schools Paths get ended, never win then soar to the top NBs was raw from the drop [Verse 1: K.A. the Verbal Shogun] It's all about getting over 'Til I'm sitting with Jehovah Whether sipping or sober, slipping cobra to some chick in a Rover My spot here's confusing Got to be a plot to keep me losing No way I fail in everything I'm doing Point no fingers, just want to know the answers Started doing dirt to help moms with money when pops had cancer That's the beginning, stealing was surviving, not sinning Blowing cash, growing fast, left no time for grinning Never ending, more static at the crib site Parents had problems with neighbors, so now me and their kids fight Through my teens, didn't sleep a wink Only rest between the blink Every act was impulse, never stopped to think Affected lives in ways that was negative My payback is teaching shorties lessons schools'll never give If you wilding, a bullet might be your sedative Hope the fear make 'em better kids 'Cause the gauge'll make 'em need a new set of ribs I'll plant seeds and let it live That's how it is, that's how it is [Hook: K.A. the Verbal Shogun] There's two roads out the ghetto: success or death Time to choose, decide then move, penals or schools Paths get ended, never win then soar to the top NBs was raw from the drop [Verse 2: Oddbrawl the Lyrical Juggernaut (AKA Kev)] Until death do me ugly, keep someone lovely Slim, pretty to hug me, sipping on bubbly Middle finger for those quickly to judge me, not knowing Thrown in the slums, 'caine, K forced to grow in Refuse to be them kids on the corner, now old men Broken without a dime, just a fifth on they mind Chasing they prime, "how did we get caught in this bind?"" Old cat asking an old cat suspended in time, zone Can't stand on his own, stoned from the sipping No desire or drive 'cause he's no longer driven How many miles do you expect from a lemon? What sense does it make to be alive if you ain't living? So I'm watching to learn, keep the Glock tucked firm Jumped out of turn, got popped in the stern' Watching 'em squirm a lot like a worm Shoulda listened to pop when he said it was hot and it burned Hard heads make it soft fast Your jaw made of pure glass, so I think you better haul ass Ain't no reason to grin, being poor's a reason to sin Squeezing the pen 'til my daughter got unbelievable ends Now I'm ready for death, pick a place: head or the chest Last request, before you lay me to rest Give the Most High my soul, Devil the flesh Give the Most High my soul, Devil the flesh [Hook: K.A. the Verbal Shogun] There's two roads out the ghetto: success or death Time to choose, decide then move, penals or schools Paths get ended, never win then soar to the top NBs was raw from the drop There's two roads out the ghetto: success or death Time to choose, decide then move, penals or schools Paths get ended, never win then soar to the top NBs was raw from the drop

Credits

Writers: Ka
Oddbrawl the Lyrical Juggernaut

2 Roads Out the Ghetto

2 Roads Out the Ghetto

Lyrics

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Credits