Dead prez ft. Maintain - “The Pistol” [Produced by Lord Jamar] [Mixed by Christos Tsantilis] [Recorded by Christos Tsantilis] [Intro: [?]] Yeah, for real. Long time, poor people have suffered. And check this: long time, we fighting. Even pull out gun for the food, see? [Hook 1: stic.man] We ain't trying to hear sh** but what? (Cash money) The whole world operating off of (Cash money) To all my n***as with a whole lot of (Cash money) Watch your back, money [Verse 1: stic.man] You couldn't never Understand how my mind tick. I'm on some old school Crime sh**, where n***as hold tools to keep their dimes lit Ain't no rules with these iron shots of stone, dun This heat burn through your flesh, straight to the bones I'll reach for the Buddha cess and zone. I'll probably have A future of stress, stay depressed, and be alone But, as far as the present time, it's on. I'll represent Mines ‘til I return to the essence and I'm dead and gone Nobody want to be broke and you neither Put me on the corner, watch me catch a quick case of cream fever If you be popping sh**, my n***as won't believe ya Probably punch you in the face and take your wallet when we see ya But son, it gets deeper. I'm running with a clique that's being Hunted by the grim reaper. To all my peoples In the man keeper, let your situation be a teacher Ain't nothing like a education. When I was locked down I learned about patience and dedication And not to say sh** unless you need a motherf**ing face lift And, as a youth, I was a outcast, running ‘round With pellet guns, playing War, but now it's all about cash [Hook 2: stic.man] I'm caught up, caught up and amidst this sh** And I ain't trying to hear sh**, son. My crew got cash to get Blast you with the pistol if I have to In my mind, it's all about cash in the fistful (Fistful) I'm caught up and amidst this sh** And I ain't trying to hear sh**, dun. My crew got cash to get Splash you with the pistol if I have to In my mind, it's all about cash in the fistful [Verse 2: M1] Up late night And upset, I'm fed up. n***as is coming up Wet. I'm dead up. f** trying to keep your head up And when it go down, word bond, we got to dead up Too many locked down upstate—son, it's a set up My life has sped up many years—I'm straight up Plenty beers for who ain't here and those who ate up Test and get sprayed up in the club. We couldn't run it So we take the blade up in the booth since we couldn't shoot We heat it up, losing the shirt, showing the bare chest I'm blessed. Puffing the skunk make me care less
The best that you can do is duck my f**ing crew If the slugs don't get ya, Lord J'll dig ya Acting artificial get you burnt by the pistol Before it's done, even my guns'll turn to missiles Don't have to blow the whistle on you ‘cause everybody knows You got to watch yourself around borderline psychos Who know my people got to hold a mint or they ain't worth a cent How can you represent if you can't pay the rent? And leave a dent in my lifetime. I'm caught up In trife crime. In fights you never know what you might find We stand firm, meanwhile, ‘cause n***as that seem wild Be bucking blanks. If they was men, they wouldn't f** with pranks I'll leave them n***as alone and stay home until It cool down and they remember how my tool sound [Hook 2: stic.man] Caught up and amidst this sh** And I ain't trying to hear sh**, son. My crew got cash to get Blast you with the pistol if I have to In my mind, it's all about cash in the fistful (Fistful) Caught up and amidst this sh** And I ain't trying to hear sh**, son. My crew got cash to get Splash you with the pistol if I have to In my mind, it's all about cash in the fistful [Hook 1: stic.man] We ain't trying to hear sh** but what? (Cash money) The whole world operating off of (Cash money) To all my n***as with a whole lot of (Cash money) Watch your back, money [Interlude 1: stic.man] Yeah, we up on what we dealing with. We ain't no criminals. We got the right to have gats. Long as the army, navy, air force, marine got gats, we gon' hold heat, know'm saying? ‘Cause our army got to represent for us. Word up. Ayyo, Maintain (Yeah). Set that sh**, son [Verse 3: Maintain] Forever keeping My sh** co*ked for drama. Stainless steel, sh** is for real The way these rats is known to squeal, making sour deals Thugs up and amidst of these d**, caught up in the humble Bricks and paper by the bundle how the Bronx rumble Plagues spreading. Devils get deaded, never regret it Only known to set it. Still in existence, obviously you're jetted Speak the desert, I'll see the pyramid and eagle Back of the dollar bill. Ill deceitful, we consider lethal God falling, n***as be pouring, guzzling alcoholics Two drinks. Too many's like whitey infiltrating your fortress sh** is on. We're 'bout to form. Best prepare For the storm. Y'all funny n***as quick to ring the alarm Bomb fell, and now a nation is gel. We had to dwell For four hundred or more. The Lord had the righteous living poor Resurrecting the true and living back to power Devils getting devoured, n***as heard the God holler