Thin Red Line

88.5, Chicago. Yeah, I shoot the gift on the radio station (repeat)
88.5, HPK was the only station that we fuck around.
88.5, Chicago. On the radio station.
Takin' a train (repeated and faded out)*

The red line is the thin spot
I roll down the back of a city overgrown and overtaxed
The wack stands of the rich pick a thin
pockets bare and scatter, the skeletons of cultures with no rent control
Pattering feet of prostitutes and penny brown
children trades glass glades sweet for someone to pay or to listen
I glisten like the question in the shorty's eyes
sleeping in the train-car at the Lawrence stop when I get in
Making pillows out of bare arms while I'm posturing poems
but I can't name these eyes or the idea of less than home
Home be unfinished it that fate hasn't sown
in the skirt of an evening over mornings waste blown
I see the moon I see the go going by on stilts
as mouths wilt and turn blinded to girls' eyes
Fate's hands have holes, we hold hope by the collar
color red the closed eyes shut tight on the dollar
Rails rock-heads to sleep, my eyes peel all the way
to memorize a sleeping girl's face and bring it to PK

Oh, shit I'm late I got a bus to make to take the 35th and State
Get on the Dan Ryan red line and head downtown
With head down experience life in surround sound
Rhythematic speech occurs when the crowd's around
Besides I'm still waiting on the train, plus I'm late already
and how the fuck am I gonna get downtown and back to WHPK
Man its already 8:40, too much thinkin
I gotta keep this freestyle steady, now freestyles over things
like this point to the fact that I'm sober
I need weed, yo fuck the mission to the record store
to put CD's on consignment just for fickle fans to not buy it,
I thought they liked violence but anyway skip downtown
I turn around I hear the train coming, head out now
Train stop, hop in the backseat like a fuckin' taxi
and I heard that DJ Nat be having fat sacs a weed
Get off and catch the 55th and Garfield to University
Hyde Park chill, I feel a dark chill when I hit the building
Here with the intention to kill it
Finally made it now where the hell is Qwel and Denizen?

*Reasons run thin by the end of the line
but the signs can be read if you learn them in time (x2)*

Yo it's already Wednesday night, time for HPK's rap show
but waitin' on sacs yo makes me late
Fuck it gotta hit this open mic
hopin' to leave stress at the rest so I can flow tonight
I grab my rhyme book and hit the elevator
lighter square freestyle the tale I'ma tell later
Hike to the thin red line that's Sheridan
by the time my name dries waitin' for the train here it is
Amongst the chatter of workdays and old dreams
The thin red line holds me to window seats
The wind blows beats with sin don't sleep
but neither can I with open mics on my mind
My pen and pad describe 65-minute lifetimes
from Sheridan to Hyde Park provides spark tight lines
Who's these Typical Cats flexin' insane
"It's the Q-W-A", "Denizen Kane"

Good to see yall cats late again some typical shit
For sure don't sweat it Denizen, yo it's cool that you made it in
Yo my bad Denizen I had to catch some medicine
Oh I feel the pharmacology, cats were just guessin' when
we three breath these free prophecies
Catch me settin' outer limits to these than HP
to MC's that hate me probably cause they take themselves too seriously
My fear is not being there you see to hear'em speak
fo sho you know these flea-bitten felines is found
And the loose tooth get left in the booth
that's my man Dan in a fine fickle fix of fellowship and fools frontin'
Fact remains Benneton ads on crack make you move something
Similar to Hi-Tek and Talib only at hi-speed, fools frontin'
but the fact remains they still won't do nothing
Who's bluffin', fuck that, I'm all concerned with whose cuttin'
Yo fuck who's cuttin', yo it's cool if you two dudes is puffin', huh skid?
Not to crush this fat rap oh shit check out this Typical Cat Nat scratch