As we get older we get caught up in the snare. We form families of our own and disconnect from issues and causes to an extent. We concern ourselves with ourselves as isolationalism, materialism and capitalism tear into our flesh.
My response is a song called Mr. Big. A guy from the hood makes good and graduates from college. He gets a good job. His parents never left the hood, but they passed on. The house he grew up in is now occupied by a different tenant. But the other families are still there. The people he grew up with are still rooted in the hood.
This song is a cry for help. The forces of gentrification, reverse gentrification and desegregation have chipped away at the pool of resources past generations have counted on. We can't count on ourselves any longer. This travesty is marked by the lack of black owned businesses servicing black people. This phenomenon is by and large a black thing.
I'm just a song writer, but if I can put some things on your mind then I have hit my mark. We need to wake up and do for self in a larger sense than western thought really provides for. We need to ultimately have a pan-africanist view, but the start is to expand the definition of we and us in order to be more inclusive. We are only as strong as our weakest team member. Our team didn't offer us a choice. We are who we are and we gotta do what we gotta do, which is band together!
lyrics
Mr. Big
Intro:
You’ve done well in life but you won’t help us
You made it out the hood but you neglect us
You’re balling out of control you live so reckless
God gave you all you have so you can bless us
Intro:
Doing in well in life, but you’re too big for us
Made it out the hood, but you’re too big for us
Balling out of control, but you’re too big for us
Even if you sold your soul, you aint too big for us
Hook:
Doing in well in life, but you’re too big for us
Made it out the hood, but you’re too big for us
Balling out of control, but you’re too big for us
Even if you sold your soul, you aint too big for us
Verse 1:
Look how you’ve grown
Finished college and you’re off on your own
You won’t come back to the hood
It’s like you think you’re too good
The hood really needs
Your example and the way that you lead
Your daddy had a baseball team
So the little boys could chase their dreams
Don’t you even care
About how they selling dope over there
That’s Miss Ruthie’s niece
Walking the streets in her 2 piece
People listen to you
They watched your whole life as you grew
Have you forgotten your roots
Oh You don’t want to soil them suits
Hook:
Doing in well in life, but you’re too big for us
Made it out the hood, but you’re too big for us
Balling out of control, but you’re too big for us
Even if you sold your soul, you aint too big for us
Verse 2:
Mercedez Benz
House in the burbs
But you can’t invite friends
Like you’re a prisoner to money
Homeboy don’t be a dummy
You don’t owe us a thing
It’s just that we could use us a king
The way the kids look up to no one
I won’t hold you up looks like you gotta run
Don’t you even care
That Joey’s cousin got shot over there
We tryna shut this liquor store down
Feel like we could do it if you was around
I guess that’s how it goes
Gain the world and you lose your soul
The neighborhood is under attack
And you think you should turn your back
Hook:
Doing in well in life, but you’re too big for us
Made it out the hood, but you’re too big for us
Balling out of control, but you’re too big for us
Even if you sold your soul, you aint too big for us
Verse 3:
One of these days
Your momma’s gonna turn in her grave
Is this how you were raised
S’posed to help us live free
But you’re abandoning slaves
You could come volunteer
We could really use your help around here
You could help me draw up a plan
To mentor a boy and develop a man
Check these little girls out
They need guidance in their lives no doubt
I couldn’t ask for too much time
Your positive light, your radiant shine
All that you overcame
Is inspiration for these kids - it’s a shame
We need to see something we can believe
And guess what we see when you leave
Hook:
Doing in well in life, but you’re too big for us
Made it out the hood, but you’re too big for us
Balling out of control, but you’re too big for us
You’ve done well in life but you won’t help us
You made it out the hood but you neglect us
You’re balling out of control you live so reckless
God gave you all you have so you can bless us
Even if you sold your soul, you aint too big for us
credits
from Very Important,
released November 9, 2015
Major shot out to my homegirl KRISHEENA KIMBREW for bringing my vocal ideas to life!
rozellrox on the production and the brass
