So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
Well if you livin in the world today
You be hearing the slang that the Wu-Tang say
Niggas that front we don't have em
So we blast em, alright, well OK
Well if you like the way it sound then clap man
And if the women love it too well then raise your hands
But only raise your hands if you're sure
Punk niggas shatter like a glass jaw, break it
My rhyme gross weight vehicle combination
Was too heavy for the Chevy's is chased out the station
Double-edged was the guillotine that beheaded it
Gassed up, fuckin with some regular unleaded shit
Heads roll on hillsides behind ropes that
Bind-in, X marks the spot on the scope
Heavily armed military is necessary, it's a gamble
MC's bet they best at every
Powerful parable ditties might harm
If tampered with, set off and strike like pipe bombs
Flashbacks to the Duel of the Iron Mic
Look out for these fatal flying spikes, of massive
Sleep-holds, put strangle on commercial angle
Microphone cords tangled from being Star Spangled
Now who could ever say they heard of this?
My motherfuckin style is mad murderous
Well if you like the way it sound then clap man
And if the women love it too well then raise your hands
But only raise your hands if you're sure
Punk niggas shatter like a glass jaw, break it
Well if you livin in the world today
You be hearing the slang that the Wu-Tang say
Niggas that front we don't have em
So we blast em, alright, well OK
Well what you know about MCin?
Yo, I know a lot
Well can you demonstrate somethin nigga?
Huh, I'd rather not
I'm talkin bout stacks cousin
Nigga that's what I got
Cash Rules the world
Well Cash Rules the spot
My preliminary attack keep cemetaries packed
Of niggas who think it ain't like that
MC's are gunned down like being run down with mad trucks
Them God struck, religious niggas call it bad luck
Rap celeb, you got caught up in the web
Now bees are stingin, yo that niggas em-singin
I'm just swingin swords strictly based on keyboards
Unbalanced like elephants and ants on see-saws
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor
MC's be out like bank robbers
Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor
DJ the getaway driver
Tried to dip but he dive I socialize on vocal vibes
On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
Criminal subliminal minded rappers find it
Hard to define it, when narrow is the gate
For fat tapes and then played out and out of date
Then I construct my thoughts on site to renovate
And from that point, the God made a statement
Draftin tracements, replacements in basements
Materials in sheet-rock, to sound proof the beat box
And microscopic optics received through the boxes
Obnoxious topic, major labels, flavor tropical
Punchlines, that's unstoppable
Ring like shots from Glocks that attract cops
Around the clubs and try to shut down the hip-hop
But we only increase if everything is peace
Father U C King the police
Well if you livin in the world today
You be hearing the slang that the Wu-Tang say
Niggas that front we don't have em
So we blast em, alright, well OK
Well if you like the way it sound then clap man
And if the women love it too well then raise your hands
But only raise your hands if you're sure
Punk niggas shatter like a glass jaw, break it
You be hearing the slang that the Wu-Tang say
Niggas that front we don't have em
So we blast em, alright, well OK
Well if you like the way it sound then clap man
And if the women love it too well then raise your hands
But only raise your hands if you're sure
Punk niggas shatter like a glass jaw, break it
My rhyme gross weight vehicle combination
Was too heavy for the Chevy's is chased out the station
Double-edged was the guillotine that beheaded it
Gassed up, fuckin with some regular unleaded shit
Heads roll on hillsides behind ropes that
Bind-in, X marks the spot on the scope
Heavily armed military is necessary, it's a gamble
MC's bet they best at every
Powerful parable ditties might harm
If tampered with, set off and strike like pipe bombs
Flashbacks to the Duel of the Iron Mic
Look out for these fatal flying spikes, of massive
Sleep-holds, put strangle on commercial angle
Microphone cords tangled from being Star Spangled
Now who could ever say they heard of this?
My motherfuckin style is mad murderous
Well if you like the way it sound then clap man
And if the women love it too well then raise your hands
But only raise your hands if you're sure
Punk niggas shatter like a glass jaw, break it
Well if you livin in the world today
You be hearing the slang that the Wu-Tang say
Niggas that front we don't have em
So we blast em, alright, well OK
Well what you know about MCin?
Yo, I know a lot
Well can you demonstrate somethin nigga?
Huh, I'd rather not
I'm talkin bout stacks cousin
Nigga that's what I got
Cash Rules the world
Well Cash Rules the spot
My preliminary attack keep cemetaries packed
Of niggas who think it ain't like that
MC's are gunned down like being run down with mad trucks
Them God struck, religious niggas call it bad luck
Rap celeb, you got caught up in the web
Now bees are stingin, yo that niggas em-singin
I'm just swingin swords strictly based on keyboards
Unbalanced like elephants and ants on see-saws
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor
MC's be out like bank robbers
Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor
DJ the getaway driver
Tried to dip but he dive I socialize on vocal vibes
On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
Criminal subliminal minded rappers find it
Hard to define it, when narrow is the gate
For fat tapes and then played out and out of date
Then I construct my thoughts on site to renovate
And from that point, the God made a statement
Draftin tracements, replacements in basements
Materials in sheet-rock, to sound proof the beat box
And microscopic optics received through the boxes
Obnoxious topic, major labels, flavor tropical
Punchlines, that's unstoppable
Ring like shots from Glocks that attract cops
Around the clubs and try to shut down the hip-hop
But we only increase if everything is peace
Father U C King the police
Well if you livin in the world today
You be hearing the slang that the Wu-Tang say
Niggas that front we don't have em
So we blast em, alright, well OK
Well if you like the way it sound then clap man
And if the women love it too well then raise your hands
But only raise your hands if you're sure
Punk niggas shatter like a glass jaw, break it
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
I though it was "niggaz that front, we don't HAVE them."