The Cell Lyrics

Lyric discussion by madame 

Cover art for The Cell lyrics by Erykah Badu

i think this is about drugs

Brenda done died with no name Nickel bag coke to the brain Will they ever find the vaccine? Shitty damn damn baby bang Rich man got the double barrell Poor man got his back to the door Code white stands for trouble Shots from the po po

she says that drug dealing gets poors into trouble and hate and despair, while there are "rich dudes" gettin their double barrells on that poor ones.

She was turned out with shiny new thangs (Diamond gold chains, diamond gold rings) Centerfold spread, she tryin' to do thangs See she be on that cough syrup in coke cans 20 inch rim man with no land Pussy gon' numb the pain the same (Why?) Same DNA strand

here i quess she's talkin about how people sell themselves in many ways(not only prostitution but here she's talking about it i believe) to get drugs, and they sell their souls and pride away for it