Kanye West Touch the Sky
Order, huh
Yo, we at war
We at war with terrorism, racism, but most of all we at war with ourselves God show me the way because the Devil’s tryin’ to break me down
(Jesus Walks with me, with me, with me, with me, with me)You know what the Midwest is?
Young and Restless
Where restless niggas might snatch ya necklace
And next these niggas might jack ya Lexus
Somebody tell these niggas who Kanye West is
I walk through the valley of Chi where death is
Top floor of the view alone will leave you breathless
Try to catch it, it’s kinda hard
Getting choked by detectives yeah, yeah, now check the method
They be asking us questions, harass, and arrest us
Saying “We eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast!”
Huh! Y’all eat pieces of shit? What’s the basis?
We ain’t goin’ nowhere, but got suits and cases
A trunk full of coke rental car from Avis
My Mama used to say only Jesus can save us
Well Mama, I know I act a fool
But I’ll be gone ’til November, I got packs to move, I hopeGod show me the way because the Devil’s tryin’ to break me down
(Jesus Walks with me)
The only thing that I pray is that my feet don’t fail me now (I want Jesus)
(Jesus Walks)
And I don’t think there is nothing I can do now to right my wrongs
(Jesus Walks with me)
I want to talk to God, but I’m afraid because we ain’t spoke in so long
(I want Jesus)
God show me the way because the Devil’s tryin’ to break me down
The only thing that I pray is that my feet don’t fail me now
And I don’t think there is nothing I can do now to right my wrongs
I want to talk to God, but I’m afraid because we ain’t spoke in so long, so long So long
(Jesus Walks with me)To the hustlers, killers, murderers, drug dealers even the strippers
(Jesus walks for them)
To the victims of welfare for we living in hell here hell yeah
(Jesus walks for them)
Now hear ye hear ye want to see Thee more clearly
I know He hear me when my feet get weary
Cause we’re the almost nearly extinct
We rappers are role models we rap we don’t think
I ain’t here to argue about his facial features
Or here to convert atheists into believers
I’m just trying to say the way school need teachers
The way Kathie Lee needed Regis that’s the way I need Jesus
So here go my single dog radio needs this
They said you can rap about anything except for Jesus
That means guns, sex, lies, video tape
But if I talk about God my record won’t get played
Huh?
Well let this take away from my spins
Which will probably take away from my ends
Then I hope this take away from my sins
And bring the day that I’m dreaming about
Next time I’m in the club everybody screaming out God show me the way because the devil trying to break me down
(Jesus Walks with me, with me, with me)
The only thing that I pray is that me feet don’t fail me now
After reading through Kanye West’s Lyrics to “Touch the Sky” i underlined and bolded all the points where he talks about the various problems facing him and his community. He talks about a war with terrorism and racism, but the biggest problem that everyone faces is the war with themselves. He speaks about the rough conditions of having things stolen from you and police brutality. Talks about drugs like coke and it’s prevalence. The housing discrimination and living off welfare in deplorable conditions. He talks about being suppressed and being told what to do and produce as far as music. A big message of this song though is that no matter who your are a drug dealer, tripper, killer Jesus died for you. Kanye is going against the norms of society and talking about the things that people want to push aside or ignore.
J Cole Trouble
yea, yea, yea
i know ya just doing your job, don’t mean to disrespect ya
but we’ve been going through this thang since way back
i told ya when i get the dough i will pay back
but i got problems babayy… yea, if you only knew
i got bigger problems babayy
so why ya talkin bout the money that you owe, like as if i didn’t know man, it don’t mean nothing to me
cause right now i got my lil boy crying, and my grandmother dying, could you please stop fuckin with me?
listen here, i ain’t lookin for no tears, but my brother got a year, and my momma keep smoking that shit
on top of that, I’m broke, please put that in your notes for the next one to call me up talking that shit.
hey, dear me. policeman
hey am i wrong, ain’t you suppose to keep the peace man?
i coulda swore i was driving pretty peaceful
so why the hell is you pulling over me fo’?
is it this black mercedes? (oh now i get it, i get it, i get it)
or cause I’m black? hmmmm, maybe
hey, tell me why my hands start sweatin and i hold my breath everytime that you get behind me
i turn my music down, so you won’t hear a sound,
man I’m nervous like i got a couple pounds on me
you pulled me over, you frown on me
with your flashlight, tell me what do you see
thug niggas, drug dealers, it’s a trip, every nigga in this whip got a mothafuckin college degree
yea, middle finger to the law, bustin off,
tryin to touch the sky
my teacher said, “impossible”, but imma fuckin try
plus how he gon’ tell, he don’t make the rules
there’s niggas dying everyday, but we don’t make the news
instead they talking bout some thunderstorm, cyclones
timmy got his bike stole, top story, tiger woods “be fuckin all these white hoes”
anchorman stop snitchin
cut the commercial, he be texting all his side bitches,
hey my goodness
how ironic, on trial for possession of some chronic
my lawyer came to court, man he was higher than the comet
hey your honor, is you kidding? how you sit above me?
are you perfect mothafucker, how yousit and judge me?
when you home you don’t cuss, drink, and puff like us?
these cops is bad boys, baby just like puff
they hate they jobs and they days be fucked up like us
at the end of the day, you niggas just like us.
After reading through J Cole’s lyrics to “Trouble” it addresses various social issues he and those in his community face. His song mainly focuses on Police Brutality and how it has affected him. He was driving peacefully and then a Police officer pulled him over for his race and went on to question him about who is in the car. J Cole talks about how everyone in his car had a college degree. He talks about every time he is near a officer he gets nervous and his hands start to sweat in fear of police brutality. He also references Kanye West’s song “Touch the sky” when talking about his education system. The news doesn’t report black lives being murdered everyday instead it’s just like nothing happened. He wonders how a judge gets the right to judge him when a judge isn’t a perfect human being and has flaws like everyone else.
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