John River - Hope City [tekst, tłumaczenie i interpretacja piosenki]

Hope City stand up
R.I.P. Jazze

Look, look into my mind
Nigga tell me what you see
Problems on my chest
Nigga buried at the sea
Look into my eyes, can you see my hunger?
Nigga this the calm, for the storm and the thunder
‘Less you got a raft, you probably going under
Working on my craft, worlds in a slumber
Fuck ‘em let ‘em sleep
A nigga try’na eat
They left me on the island, I came back with a reef
Came to say your piece
You thought I’d be sinking, I’m a fuckin’ artiste
A nigga got thinking
Where I’m at? where I’m going?
How to get up out these streets?
With this rap and this flow, I’m a motherfuckin’ beast
Fuck a label and a seal, cut the fable keep it real
Niggas say they hood, hit the table and they squeal
Tryin’ to save they cake, they fess up to the jakes
I stay away from grass ‘cause I’m weary of the snakes
It gets scary in the late night hours of the dot
Problem is half these niggas think they ridin’ when they not
Get scared, go snitch, say who’s hiding with the Glock
Now we know that you a bitch and you hidin’ on your block
Every nigga act cool, yeah they all sell crack
A nigga like me only ever sold rap
Sold facts with the shit, I was spittin’ to the youth
I rap, you rap, ‘cept you never tell the truth
I’m fire in the booth, I’m burning, I’m flaming up
They talk about the best, but they never naming us
They don’t know my name, don’t know my hustle
Don’t know my pain, so they don’t know my struggle
They? Who’s they? Nigga who they be?
Why these crackers try’na act like they do pay me?
Try’na bribe me into signin’ nigga, you crazy
Got me wondering where the sides of your two-face meet
Guaranteed a young nigga ain’t no new age meat
Feedin’ off your lies, I’ll have a two-day feast
They try’na tell a nigga we’ll make you Jay-Z
How ‘bout you pay for my dead cousin’s new baby?
He ain’t got no father, life gon’ get harder
Praying that his pops was just a bit smarter
Seen them take Jazze, ain’t no lady of luck
Swear these niggas need some sun, ‘cause they shady as fuck
Screaming pay me in bucks, put your money where your mouth be
Headed to the top, give a fuck if you doubt me
Fuck if you doubt me, I fuck where the south be
Nigga talking reckless, buck out my mouth piece
Fuck if you’re fake and fuck if ya ain’t real
Lookin’ for a break, contemplatin’ on a deal
Mother grew up poor, father grew up broke
So I’m lookin’ for some dough without moving out the coke

Ain’t no joke in this city
They choke then roll a smoke
There is dope in this city, they sellin’ and dealin’ coke
At your throat in this city, it’s gritty upon the ropes
There is hope in the city, the city filled with hope x2

Young nigga

(“What is Hope City? Is it even a real city?” “Hope City is where the hero in this story
Is from.” “Does he have a nickname? Every superhero has a nickname. How about The
Last Hope?” “I like that. They called him The Last Hope.”