This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Written and Produced by William Branch aka The Ambassador
Recorded by Gordon (The Studio, Phila.)
Mixed by Storm (The Studio, Phila.)
Chorus: I used to be a thug but now I’m a believer · I used to be a thug I know how it feels · I used to be a thug but now a believer · No more thug and no more deals. · · Verse 1: Ok doc my occupation was thuggin’ · The whole nine, I mean the robbin’ the dealin’ the muggin’ · The Clubin’ the premarital lovin’ · The type to put one in the oven but I wasn’t tryin’ to be the husband · Sin was Lord and I always obeyed the Master · It told me "sell drugs" just to get the paper faster · Let me go to church but would let me imitate the pastor · It only let me imitate my favorite rapper · So the deal was I grew up doin’ the ill stuff · Would fight the cops 'til they threw on the steal cuffs · Go in do my bid like the mack · When it was done say, "cool out kids---I’ll be back." · · But lately there’s been some friction · I’ve been feeling sort of sick from this heart condition · It’s an unusual affliction, when I do wrong that’s when it kicks in · (From your description, you know it sounds like conviction) · I knew something was going wrong when I bumped in · To a kid so soft I thought his name should be Pumpkin · Recognizing he was a weaker type of creature · I decided to take his beeper and his sneakers · You could tell for this kid a fight was a rare sport · Cause with ease I held him up like flights at an airport · He pleaded, "Don’t take my beeper, I need it, · And, "…not my sneaks, let me keep my brand new Adidas · That’s when signs of the sickness manifested · My mind said, "Be nice and do what the man suggested." · I broke down like a fraction, · Gave him back what I took away like subtraction · I’m puzzled and I’m struggling through this distraction · The reciprocal of my typical reaction---dag blast him! · I made tracks and then a flash back happened · That’s when the rugged me kicked back in. . · · |Repeat Chorus · · Now last week I was in my dad’s black jeep · Rollin’ mad deep with mad peeps smashed in the back seat · We took a back street, a Pontiac tried to pass me · I sped up and made him crash by the trash heap · The accident was nasty if you ask me · I would have laughed but then it happened again---the sickness harassed me · Oh no, not again. I had hurt a lot of men · But never felt bad before even when I shot a friend · For ease I thought I should step to the weed spot · Cause I was loosing my cool like melted freeze pops · My knees knocked as my conscience eaves dropped, found a weak spot · And said, "You sin too much, please stop!" · Peep the situation as it gets deeper · I started getting second thoughts about getting’ the reefer · But what scared me was the internal reasoning · It was, God sees you man, and your not pleasing Him" · This was hard to swallow like food with out seasonin’ · Me believe in Him, I rather not breath again · Before receivin’ Him · You would see a turtle beat a rabbit and a cheetah in the 100m’s friend · That’s all that was the last straw I was ready to blast off · To a place I didn’t have enough cash for · But with the swiftness, the sickness turned up the pitch · And with the quickness I felt it clutch me like a stick shift. . · · |Repeat Chorus · · Yea you have no idea just how absurd it is · But check the word of this witness, now get this---I heard of this · Crew that could rip rhymes murderou8sly, but I heard it would be · Christian, I thought absurd as can be · And churches to me can make the hard rocks feel nervous · But I went because I heard this would be an outdoor service · I got there and saw mad youth noddin’ to mad truth · Rockin’ mad hats and suits and not plaid suits · As truth crashed through my heart ached like a bad tooth · This hard rock got softer than brown spots on bad fruit · I came with a heart stone like a statue then the rap group · Got under my skin like a tattoo · The rapped about a man diein’ and I was cryin’ · They said He died so I could be saved like Private Ryan · We all could see zoomorphically He’s a lion · Coming to rule from Zion with a scepter of iron · Trying to hold back tears that wanted to flow jack · Couldn’t control that, it felt like my soul cracked · In half and Jesus started lookin’ much bigger than drugs pullin’ a trigger · And it was a first that I ever felt so cursed next to One so perfect · My soul thirsted to worship · Scufflin’, tustlin’, my feathers, He ruffled them · I tried to duck Him and tried to get back to my hustlin’ · I must have been affected more than I could have imagined · Cause that’s been all I can think about since it happened · ·
Recorded by Gordon (The Studio, Phila.)
Mixed by Storm (The Studio, Phila.)
Chorus: I used to be a thug but now I’m a believer · I used to be a thug I know how it feels · I used to be a thug but now a believer · No more thug and no more deals. · · Verse 1: Ok doc my occupation was thuggin’ · The whole nine, I mean the robbin’ the dealin’ the muggin’ · The Clubin’ the premarital lovin’ · The type to put one in the oven but I wasn’t tryin’ to be the husband · Sin was Lord and I always obeyed the Master · It told me "sell drugs" just to get the paper faster · Let me go to church but would let me imitate the pastor · It only let me imitate my favorite rapper · So the deal was I grew up doin’ the ill stuff · Would fight the cops 'til they threw on the steal cuffs · Go in do my bid like the mack · When it was done say, "cool out kids---I’ll be back." · · But lately there’s been some friction · I’ve been feeling sort of sick from this heart condition · It’s an unusual affliction, when I do wrong that’s when it kicks in · (From your description, you know it sounds like conviction) · I knew something was going wrong when I bumped in · To a kid so soft I thought his name should be Pumpkin · Recognizing he was a weaker type of creature · I decided to take his beeper and his sneakers · You could tell for this kid a fight was a rare sport · Cause with ease I held him up like flights at an airport · He pleaded, "Don’t take my beeper, I need it, · And, "…not my sneaks, let me keep my brand new Adidas · That’s when signs of the sickness manifested · My mind said, "Be nice and do what the man suggested." · I broke down like a fraction, · Gave him back what I took away like subtraction · I’m puzzled and I’m struggling through this distraction · The reciprocal of my typical reaction---dag blast him! · I made tracks and then a flash back happened · That’s when the rugged me kicked back in. . · · |Repeat Chorus · · Now last week I was in my dad’s black jeep · Rollin’ mad deep with mad peeps smashed in the back seat · We took a back street, a Pontiac tried to pass me · I sped up and made him crash by the trash heap · The accident was nasty if you ask me · I would have laughed but then it happened again---the sickness harassed me · Oh no, not again. I had hurt a lot of men · But never felt bad before even when I shot a friend · For ease I thought I should step to the weed spot · Cause I was loosing my cool like melted freeze pops · My knees knocked as my conscience eaves dropped, found a weak spot · And said, "You sin too much, please stop!" · Peep the situation as it gets deeper · I started getting second thoughts about getting’ the reefer · But what scared me was the internal reasoning · It was, God sees you man, and your not pleasing Him" · This was hard to swallow like food with out seasonin’ · Me believe in Him, I rather not breath again · Before receivin’ Him · You would see a turtle beat a rabbit and a cheetah in the 100m’s friend · That’s all that was the last straw I was ready to blast off · To a place I didn’t have enough cash for · But with the swiftness, the sickness turned up the pitch · And with the quickness I felt it clutch me like a stick shift. . · · |Repeat Chorus · · Yea you have no idea just how absurd it is · But check the word of this witness, now get this---I heard of this · Crew that could rip rhymes murderou8sly, but I heard it would be · Christian, I thought absurd as can be · And churches to me can make the hard rocks feel nervous · But I went because I heard this would be an outdoor service · I got there and saw mad youth noddin’ to mad truth · Rockin’ mad hats and suits and not plaid suits · As truth crashed through my heart ached like a bad tooth · This hard rock got softer than brown spots on bad fruit · I came with a heart stone like a statue then the rap group · Got under my skin like a tattoo · The rapped about a man diein’ and I was cryin’ · They said He died so I could be saved like Private Ryan · We all could see zoomorphically He’s a lion · Coming to rule from Zion with a scepter of iron · Trying to hold back tears that wanted to flow jack · Couldn’t control that, it felt like my soul cracked · In half and Jesus started lookin’ much bigger than drugs pullin’ a trigger · And it was a first that I ever felt so cursed next to One so perfect · My soul thirsted to worship · Scufflin’, tustlin’, my feathers, He ruffled them · I tried to duck Him and tried to get back to my hustlin’ · I must have been affected more than I could have imagined · Cause that’s been all I can think about since it happened · ·
Lyrics submitted by lilreader
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