Brand Nubian - Hold On [tekst, tłumaczenie i interpretacja piosenki]

[Starr]
I'll keep, holding on
I'll keep, holding on!

[Lord Jamar]
Young black male, twenty-five years of age
Many-a-lives didn't survive to this stage
Cause the rage of another brother got him popped
Shot him and he dropped, like a beanbag
Mean motherfucker with a rag and some jeans that sag
They signify your death by crossin out your tag
Then they go and brag that they took another life
Never to think, do a brother got a mother and a wife?
Trife when a nigga do the work of the Klan
That's what you're doin when you ruin the life of a black man
Attack plan on self
The man's got the family jewels, so I guess we're buryin wealth
All because we've been taught to despise what's black
Open your eyes you oughta realize the fact
That you've been gettin used like a trick
You think you're mighty, but yo, whitey got your head sick
See you were fed thick pieces of swine as a baby
It only help to drive your mind crazy
Now your blind days be over
No more standin on line, tryin to find Jehovah
Let us rewind to a time we was right and just
Nowadays we just fight and bust
One another in the back over crack, a carjack
Will get you killed, watch the blood get spilled
To the scale, then watch how fast they build the jail
Now they got you holdin on to a cell, well...

[Starr]
I'll keep, holdin on
I'll keep, holdin on!!
I'll keep, holdin on
I'll keep, holdin on!!

[Sadat X]
Why it gotta be me B? I just came to chill
Came to see the flicks, nuttin more nuttin less
Try to show love even on a bad day
I roll up, I'm never hold up, the L is swoll up
The beef in the mind is definitely a winner
Oh that's that rappin nigga, I thought he was much bigger
Do you know this girl named nah B I don't know nothin
Did that name-game shit right from the go get
Shorty want an autograph, can I sign it at the end
Oh I think I'm all of that now, so now it's fuck Brand Nubian
Should I call you a bitch, or should I maintain?
I'm just here with my lady, and you came witcha man
This would force him to front, and I'm sure he don't want it
Over some old bullshit, when I'm quick to pull shit
Live dad, everything is everything
I got a lotta shit to do I can't afford to catch a charge
I'm a product of the streets, and I couldn't make no peace
All the real hard shit I know, is on the down low
Straight for real estate, on a scale I place your fate
Now I'mma let you skate, you was a little weeded
And I seen you don't need it
So hold on with your bad self...

[Starr]
I'll keep, holdin on
I'll keep, holdin on!!
I gotta hold on!
I'll keep, holdin on
My word is bond, I gotta be strong
I'll keep, holdin on!!
And keep holdin on, yeah
Ya see life's gettin rough but I gotta hold on
All these little suckers want me alone
Yeah, yeah, yeahhh!!
Ya see life's gettin rough but I gotta hold on
All these little suckers want me alone
Yeah, they want me alone
Yeah, yeah yeah
But I gotta hold on
Because my word is bond
And it's on and on, on and on, on and on
On ya...
I gotta hold on
Yeah yeah yeahhhh yeah yeahhh yeahhh
Ohhhhh yeahh yeahh yeah
Yeahh!
*fades*