In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
[Intro]
East Coast pop a bottle wit y'all
West Coast pop a bottle wit y'all
To all the dead beat dads you should find you a job
Your child is the only person that could promise tomorrow
[Bridge]
I could do what I wanna do, why can't I?
Let a thug get rich, how can I?
I'm watching all of you rappers, don't you realize?
Let's play a game of sharades, who am I?
[Chorus]
There have been times in my life
I've been wondering why
Still somehow I believe we all will survive
[Verse 1]
Gimme the keys to Shyne Po handcuffs
Gimme the keys to Lil' Kim handcuffs
Gimme the keys to C-Murder handcuffs
So I could tighten 'em and let the cell slam shut
Gangsta rapper, it's time to man up
'Fore I tighten your handcuffs
Cause they all make songs about killing eachother
When I bring 'em in for questioning they all squeal on eachother
You stick a needle deep in your skin and carve it wit ink
You call it tattoo, I call it the mark of the beast
We identify criminals who rob on the streets
By scars or tattoos don't you bother to think?
They blame me for Biggie murder, but the case died out
So now that's for me to know and for you to find out
I got the industry on lock and key
Who am I?
I'm the hip-hop police
[Bridge]
I could do what I wanna do, why can't I?
Let a thug get rich, how can I?
I'm watching all of you rappers, don't you realize?
Let's play a game of sharades, who am I?
[Chorus]
There have been times in my life
I've been wondering why
Still somehow I believe we all will survive
[Verse 2]
Gimme the keys to Beanie Sigel handcuffs
Gimme the keys to Irv Gotti handcuffs
Gimme the keys to Snoop Dogg handcuffs
He got acquitted, he lucked up
They makin' more money than me, damn rap stars
Pull Jigga over maybe there's a gun in his car
Took a sexy young lady wit a push-up bra
Got her to frame Mystikal, he ain't rape that broad
Made an example out of Kim, Chi Ali and Shyne
Tony Yayo on parole, he owe me some time
Take the gangsta out of rap, that's said to deceive you
What I'm trying to do is make hip-hop illegal
They blame me for Pac murder, but the case died out
So now that's for me to know and for you to find out
I got the industry on lock and key
Who am I?
I'm the hip-hop police
[Bridge]
I could do what I wanna do, why can't I?
Let a thug get rich, how can I?
I'm watching all of you rappers, don't you realize?
Let's play a game of sharades, who am I?
[Chorus]
There have been times in my life
I've been wondering why
Still somehow I believe we all will survive
[Verse 3]
Can you recognize a cop when his clothes is plain?
You gotta identify him it's like a game of sharades
Take a loan from a bank, I'm borrowing money
I take a loan from my homey's, I'm laundering money
Called the narcotic cops when I sold my dimes
Called the gun boys on me when I toted my nine
Now I hold a microphone is you out of your mind?
Hip-hop police is hip-hop a crime?
Freedom of speech y'all think so evil
Rather give freedom to my speech than give freedom to my people
Instead of watching us you should of watched Ground Zero
Schwarzenegger killing in movies but he a hero
To all of the rappers we gotta stay in cognito
To do it our way like Carlito
Cause they want us thinking their way
If everybody lived their life the same way
We'd all meet our makers the same day
[Bridge]
I could do what I wanna do, why can't I?
Let a thug get rich, how can I?
I'm watching all of you rappers, don't you realize?
Let's play a game of sharades, who am I?
[Chorus]
There have been times in my life
I've been wondering why
Still somehow I believe we all will survive
East Coast pop a bottle wit y'all
West Coast pop a bottle wit y'all
To all the dead beat dads you should find you a job
Your child is the only person that could promise tomorrow
[Bridge]
I could do what I wanna do, why can't I?
Let a thug get rich, how can I?
I'm watching all of you rappers, don't you realize?
Let's play a game of sharades, who am I?
[Chorus]
There have been times in my life
I've been wondering why
Still somehow I believe we all will survive
[Verse 1]
Gimme the keys to Shyne Po handcuffs
Gimme the keys to Lil' Kim handcuffs
Gimme the keys to C-Murder handcuffs
So I could tighten 'em and let the cell slam shut
Gangsta rapper, it's time to man up
'Fore I tighten your handcuffs
Cause they all make songs about killing eachother
When I bring 'em in for questioning they all squeal on eachother
You stick a needle deep in your skin and carve it wit ink
You call it tattoo, I call it the mark of the beast
We identify criminals who rob on the streets
By scars or tattoos don't you bother to think?
They blame me for Biggie murder, but the case died out
So now that's for me to know and for you to find out
I got the industry on lock and key
Who am I?
I'm the hip-hop police
[Bridge]
I could do what I wanna do, why can't I?
Let a thug get rich, how can I?
I'm watching all of you rappers, don't you realize?
Let's play a game of sharades, who am I?
[Chorus]
There have been times in my life
I've been wondering why
Still somehow I believe we all will survive
[Verse 2]
Gimme the keys to Beanie Sigel handcuffs
Gimme the keys to Irv Gotti handcuffs
Gimme the keys to Snoop Dogg handcuffs
He got acquitted, he lucked up
They makin' more money than me, damn rap stars
Pull Jigga over maybe there's a gun in his car
Took a sexy young lady wit a push-up bra
Got her to frame Mystikal, he ain't rape that broad
Made an example out of Kim, Chi Ali and Shyne
Tony Yayo on parole, he owe me some time
Take the gangsta out of rap, that's said to deceive you
What I'm trying to do is make hip-hop illegal
They blame me for Pac murder, but the case died out
So now that's for me to know and for you to find out
I got the industry on lock and key
Who am I?
I'm the hip-hop police
[Bridge]
I could do what I wanna do, why can't I?
Let a thug get rich, how can I?
I'm watching all of you rappers, don't you realize?
Let's play a game of sharades, who am I?
[Chorus]
There have been times in my life
I've been wondering why
Still somehow I believe we all will survive
[Verse 3]
Can you recognize a cop when his clothes is plain?
You gotta identify him it's like a game of sharades
Take a loan from a bank, I'm borrowing money
I take a loan from my homey's, I'm laundering money
Called the narcotic cops when I sold my dimes
Called the gun boys on me when I toted my nine
Now I hold a microphone is you out of your mind?
Hip-hop police is hip-hop a crime?
Freedom of speech y'all think so evil
Rather give freedom to my speech than give freedom to my people
Instead of watching us you should of watched Ground Zero
Schwarzenegger killing in movies but he a hero
To all of the rappers we gotta stay in cognito
To do it our way like Carlito
Cause they want us thinking their way
If everybody lived their life the same way
We'd all meet our makers the same day
[Bridge]
I could do what I wanna do, why can't I?
Let a thug get rich, how can I?
I'm watching all of you rappers, don't you realize?
Let's play a game of sharades, who am I?
[Chorus]
There have been times in my life
I've been wondering why
Still somehow I believe we all will survive
Lyrics submitted by Latinoheat
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