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Lingua Franca

by Black Isco

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1.
Intro 02:19
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[Verse 1] Steadily we’re stepping in, better than I’ve ever been The pursuit of excellence is everything I represent Let the Game resurrect, Yeshua is in my breath Forget what you expected this is effortlessly elegant The rhetoric we’re stepping with is heavy as an elephant So heavenly’s my message I could etch another testament My esoteric blessing is a weapon to be reckoned with Definitely wrecking every record you can recollect I hail from the continent where science was born Throughout history we've ridden in the eye of the storm We’ve seen the soil of our roots eroded Chains unshackled but remain blindfolded They’ve given us pestilence, injected us with syphilis Fed us infertility, burned down our businesses And we’re still here despite all that we’ve been through Let’s fight the evil until our people are equal! [Chorus] You are now tuned in to the truth Digging deep in search of life just like roots Where you find new meaning in old scripture With the same eyes you see a different picture You are now tuned in to the truth If you claim king you've got to bring proof Word of warning: the real don't hold back You can speak your opinion but not your own facts [Verse 2] Look, nobody ever survived life So I’d only be afraid if I had to die twice I spit with the significance of a risen Messiah Feeding the believers while lighting the mic on fire All you little beginners, I like the way that you spit it But you can feel the difference when a tenth dan kicks it Do more than hit boards when trying to master karate I don’t throw shade, I eclipse celestial bodies And there’s nobody beside me, I’m probably Haile Selassie I got the kind of mind to defy the illuminati Or emancipate a nation, just call me the true ngwazi Evolving as fast as cichlids in Lake Malawi Let my flow flood the world and never drain Weak rappers will get washed up during my rain With my mind’s eye I could open up the heavens And every time I speak you can feel God’s presence I’m a legend [Chorus] You are now tuned in to the truth Digging deep in search of life just like roots Where you find new meaning in old scripture With the same eyes you see a different picture You are now tuned in to the truth If you claim king you've got to bring proof Word of warning: the real don't hold back You can speak your opinion but not your own facts
2.
Police State 03:52
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[Verse 1] Moto, moto, moto, moto! Fire in the streets of the township! Moto, moto, moto, moto! Teargas, the police are surrounded! Now how did we arrive at this crisis? Started with the body of a youth found lifeless Last seen alive being taken into custody For the crime of asking ‘what’s the government done for me? There’s no water, no power, no medicine But we find millions in the minister’s residence Saying it’s from work, trying to test my intelligence Now the community has an arrested development’ Her people were oppressed, she was just speaking out Now that her life’s gone there’s nothing to speak about Tonight the people take back our freedom This is a false peace we no longer believe in [Chorus] Streets teach you to be street safe When you live in a police state They divide and they preach hate When you live in a police state They hit you with a piece for the peace sake When you live in a police state That abuse ain’t ever going to be taped When you live in a police state [Verse 2] Making sure my family and friends eat Before meeting my end I’m making ends meet While some struggle and others have more At least we’re all equal in the eyes of the law But the course of justice never gets run In the case of a few so then I guess some Are more equal than others if you let the pigs tell it The grease is so thick in the air you could smell it If they push you, and you just take it The bully’s going to test how much they can get away with So we see silence begets injustice We become powerful when words have substance Now there’s hope in a wider horizon But thinking outside the box can put you inside one Is it really freedom if you’re living with the monsters? Behind the bars is a prisoner of conscience (Chorus) [Verse 3] All men breathe the same air as me Cut through our flesh and yes we all bleed And we all thirst when the well runs dry Fear not of men because men must die Even you who not rasta must dread When leadership leads to bloodshed Armies have authority but people have power Bullets and bricks fly outside the ivory tower Blood spills as you sip from your chalice Not long before the peasants storm the palace To take you to task for all of your misdeeds And they do you like Louis XVI They retaliate and you call them terrorists But who would agree with the dead man’s rhetoric? This is how it ends with betrayal of faith Head of the state with his head on a stake (Chorus)
3.
Showdem 03:02
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[Verse 1] I’m addicted to chocolate One lick and I shoot like a rocket If she got a big booty and an afro A man might turn into Rambo Real G’s never stressing Got a pocket full of blessings If she takes it over there though I’m a shoot my shot - Aguero [Chorus] I see you dip it low then You start to twist it slow then You take your hips and roll them If you got skill then show them Make it pop, let me see you switch it up Drop it low, pick it up if you’re really real enough You take your hips and roll them If you got skill then show them [Verse 2] You say you do it for the culture But you’re breaking bread with the vultures You ain’t down for the cause like a soldier Well we’ve got that locked, osawopa If you want to act like a wasteman You might get slapped like a wasteman We don’t give dap to a wasteman Throw shade and you’ll get cracked like Ray Bans Boy, you don’t know my life! I do way more than just own the mic The gravity of my words could turn tides Suck out of here with your Babylon vibes ‘cause I’ve had a long grind, I don’t want no badmind Energy, around me, I’m trying to have a fun time So if that girl wants to put it on me I’m a shoot my shot - Henry (Chorus) [Verse 3] My brothers keep it realer than National Geographic There’s an animal attraction whenever you are the baddest Ladies show love when they know that you run things So we run through rubbers like Formula One teams Cruising like Hamilton, I’m choosing the baddest one Like a supermarket I’m scanning and bagging them The whole club’s staring at how she be clapping them But it doesn’t matter as long as she’s having fun All y’all fools want to stress her It’s a test and you flunked the semester But I don’t gas her up like Teslas I just kick knowledge and I bless her You and your crew hate me? My God Let the blind lead the blind, you ain’t seeing I, dog I flick it with finesse like Pogba Then I shoot my shot – Drogba (Chorus)
4.
Ukunama! 03:22
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[Verse 1] From the thunder I’m birthed, my steps shatter the earth Whenever I lay a verse a rapper’s laid in a hearse Even when I’m clowning I bring down Gotham Why would I be scared of some boys fake mobbing? You boys got a problem: you’re putting on an act The life that you lead ain’t what you put up on the track Claiming to be gutter, brother let’s talk facts You were at St Andrews, how are you in the trap? You say you love the lean, I think we get the picture For every single sip you’re photographer is with you You’re an Instagram gangster, a Soundcloud thug You claim to be beasts but faint at the sight of blood Music penetrates the melanin, vibrates your skeleton Down to the marrow you can feel that I’m better than All these little acts trying to stop me from getting in I don’t recommend trying to step to an elephant, boy stop [Chorus] Say you’re making mad racks? (Ukunama!) We never hear about that (Ukunama!) Say that you’re a big deal? (Ukunama!) But your Rolex ain’t real, (Ukunama!) We see you stunting on the gram (Ukunama!) But you still owe your man (Ukunama!) Say you’re running this town? (Ukunama!) If you’re the king where’s your crown? (Ukunama!) [Verse 2] We’re in the same game but playing in different leagues You might get relegated so watch how you pick your team We got the master plan, you’re more like a fiend’s scheme But y’all sip lean, I convene with supreme beings Until you deal in truth you can’t compete with elites Reading through your facade and all I see is deceit You keep selling dreams, but baby we need receipts ‘cause you were at KA, how are you in the streets? All show, no action, sucker, you’re like a mannequin We ain’t backing the fallacy that you’re real coz you’re African Just the fact that I challenge their act is having them panicking If you’re wack, I’ll dismantle your tracks and you’ll never rap again Survival of the fittest, sissy go hit the gym! You can’t ball with us coz we’re playing above the rim Go against us and you think you’re getting the win? If you burn bridges you better know how to swim Best of luck to you! [Chorus] Say you’re making mad racks? (Ukunama!) We never hear about that, (Ukunama!) Say that you’re a big deal? (Ukunama!) But your rolex ain’t real, (Ukunama!) We see you stunting on the gram, (Ukunama!) But you still owe your man. (Ukunama!) Say you’re running this town? (Ukunama!) If you’re the king where’s your crown? (Ukunama!)
5.
One More Night 03:36
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[Verse 1] I can’t say I’m not nervous With every knock I’m hurting Each time your door stays closed I feel the heartbreak grow And I’ve felt no fire like you You feel this way for me too Our bond is so deep Tell me you won’t leave [Chorus] Let me love you for Let me hold you for Kiss and squeeze you for Touch and tease you for Feel your shine just for (One more night) Ease your mind one more (One more night) Make you laugh just for (One more night) It’s all I ask, one more (One more night) [Verse 2] If asked what kept the sun shining And what it was had your heart smiling Then you would call me the answer Now when I call, you don’t answer Maybe it’s me and I’m underachieving A future with me doesn’t seem too appealing What you believe is I’ve reached my ceiling But before you leave, baby girl I’m pleading [Chorus] [Verse 3] The chocolate’s stale and the roses are wilted Love never dies until our Pride kills it Hold off speaking so long that it hurts Each of us with too much pride to text first Let’s take it back to before we were over Arms ‘round your waist while kissing upon your shoulders In our love nest, our hearts made a home Laying on my chest as we watch Game of Thrones What am I to do when I miss you immensely? The sky seems broken, the earth feels empty More than a lover, to me you’re like family ‘cause you’re the only one who truly understands me So girl, just open up your door It’s cold outside, I can’t take it anymore To make it work I’ll risk it all if I have to And every single night I will ask you [Chorus]
6.
AMG Ambitions 03:33
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[Chorus] Lamborghini dreams, AMG ambitions Praying for the whips with the signatures on the engines Humble beginnings turn to fabulous endings If we go all in I know that we’re going to get it Lamborghini dreams, AMG ambitions Praying for the whips with the signatures on the engines Humble beginnings turn to fabulous endings If we go all in I know that we’re going to get it [Verse 1] Riding through Jozi, backseat of a taxi Staring out the window and watching my life pass me Seeing A6s, dreaming about having those Then saw the SLS pull up at the Michelangelo If this is fate, I’m gripping it by the reigns Realizing the vision’s in need of a wider frame Searching beyond the stitching inside a designer name On the road to riches just looking to find a lane Mastering pain, ‘cause I get constantly ridiculed Each mistake’s a disaster, each accomplishment’s miniscule I’ve got a question for my critics, tell me this: Where the fuck were you at 26? Got accolades on the wall, My MSc’s in the bag An enterprise in the works, the skill set’s getting vast There’s dollar signs in the clouds, I’m under this glass ceiling But give me a pen and pad and I’ll write my way to a million (Chorus) [Verse 2] I’ve never voted, never thought it would work ‘cause we’re better represented by presidents in the dirt Need that Shawn Corey blessing when you pray for me Until it comes I’ll slay these niggas faithfully You see, young brothers, we’ve got nothing to lose What makes us even worse: we’ve got something to prove Trading sleep for dreams, yeah we know what it costs So we can stunt on behalf of all the soldiers we lost If God loves us I promise it’s not that far Imagining Lambos, bumping ‘I’m Not a Star’ Flipping through magazines, discussing what would be ours Then sampling the handling racing in Project Cars Euphoria found in the symphony of exhaust notes Masons building maisons looking just like a Ross quote On the rise for doper rides to open eyes Hustle A to Z, to rake the Gs, it’s Doe or Die (Chorus) [Verse 3] Picturing all the cold nights in Brighton Heavy mist in breath as I strengthen what I’m reciting All the while I write assignments on campus before I shimmy To the last train from Falmer to make it back to the city Walking out of the station en route to meet with the plug He just copped an E-Class off the strength of his bud Salute him and then it’s back to my room and back to the mission So I light one up and then write it into existence [Refrain] Lamborghini dreams, AMG ambitions…
7.
Betrayal 03:51
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[Chorus] Damn it’s so dangerous, looking for a way to trust Niggas claim they’re with you but they’re bitter when your paper’s up Stress so much staying clear of the haters When suckers in your clique will be the ones to betray you Some homies ain’t your friends, and that’s just what it is Some homies ain’t your friends, and that’s just what it is Some homies ain’t your friends, and that’s just what it is Some homies ain’t your friends, and that’s just what it is [Verse 1] The illest in these ends, nothing troubling the team One of my oldest friends, and a hustler supreme Though I wasn’t around whenever you hit a lick You always held me down, introduced me to my chick Schooled me in the game, man everything you say is real Do anything for you, ride or die since training wheels These other cliques been envious of our capers But you’ve been a little distant ever since you got paper They hit me with some news that was doomed to ruin the crew While I was on the move you were cruising ‘round with my boo Now I’m consumed by the rumours assuming that they’re all true As soon as I got that Ruger I knew just what I would do But this just can’t be real, like where do I begin? You played my like a stranger; I thought you were my kin I’ll let my heart just, give way to the darkness You’re my par, but I’ll slay you regardless Come over unannounced to see if she’s at your place I guess she saw me coming and must’ve dipped like a skate I thought you’d be too ashamed to look me right in my face But you’re still smiling and joking as if we’re mates Giving me a wink, suggesting we have fun I guess you can’t shame somebody who has none Pitiful, there’s no better way to settle this grudge ‘cause some niggas don’t get the message ‘til it’s written in blood (Chorus) [Verse 2] They say the ninth circle of hell is reserved for traitors With Lucifer chewing Judas and Brutus inside his lair We’d never jam each other, of this I was always certain For this kind of betrayal I’m sending you to the serpent Such an awkward position ‘cause it was you I respect I knelt to pray for you; you put a noose ‘round my neck But I’m mad at myself, I put you next to me And if you lay with dogs, then expect the fleas If life ain’t shit but stress and fake niggas And the treacherous women we choose to lay with us Then I don’t see a problem with just ending it all As long as I have you to bring along for the fall But yo, let’s roll out and post up by the dam We can sit and reminisce about how this began You were getting bullied and I came to your aid Since then anybody who tried us would catch a fade As I wonder if you know there’s a gun on my waist You tell me that our friendship must’ve been fate Your hand on my shoulder as I reach in my denim How the hell do you trust me when my eyes bleed venom? Now I’m aiming at a face that’s covered in shock This didn’t dawn on you til you heard the cock? For a time you played the part of a brother so well But that time’s gone, I guess we’ll see each other in hell (Chorus)
8.
In The Wild 03:54
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[Verse 1] Let me take you on a journey through hell Through a story only a chosen few are worthy to tell Where the evil of man consumes you if you feed it Let me move you with my thoughts just like telekinesis Now we’re looking at a place where the people are desperate Neglected by a system where their vision’s infested With images of decadence until their spirits’ infected Obsessed with possessing bling; rings and necklaces Living reckless in pursuit of material Trying to be fly is leading to early burials We learn to read intentions just to keep alive Like seeing the innocence inside a street kid’s eyes That is until they pull razor blades out No hesitation to put that iron straight to your mouth Home invaders plotting on robbing you and raping your spouse Safe to say, you’re not even safe in your house [Chorus] Welcome to the wild where it’s never safe And you might get chowed if you hesitate Where the wolves got their eyes on your child Now this is how you survive in the wild: No fear, ready for anything No fear, we’re ready for anything No fear, ready for anything Ready for anything [Verse 2] Dreams of whips from Bavaria Popping cherries with cheddar, chilling in M chariots They’re envisioning palaces, sitting on slum terraces Smoking on that product to treat the trauma like therapists Some bunnies will poach you, approach with a perky pair of tits They’re trying to get it too so be careful who you cherish A nefarious Aquarius known throughout these areas “She looks like an angel” don’t trust appearances Misguided youth, you’re wondering where the parents went Abandoned, it’s a harrowing tale on how they handle this Making money through malice just builds up barriers? To them it’s a paradox, like happy marriages Or pastors paying prostitutes, but the truth’s precarious Where we’re from, you learn to speak three languages: Sex, drugs, and the cash that we have to get It was never romance when our dinners were candle lit (Chorus) [Verse 3] Now, what fortune does a fool inherit? An ego too big to learn is just doomed to perish I’ve got a dose of truth if you choose to hear it It takes one bad day to consume the spirit There’s snakes in the grass, crocodiles in the reeds Jackals in the bushes, be cautious how you proceed The incentive to sin is to simply escape the poverty To be rich or righteous? That’s the dichotomy How do you choose when your people die constantly? The jobs don’t hire, instead, you try robbery Extortion or dealing to better your life quality Decisions have you looking at cells like biology Stress turns you into a gin aficionado This is Man vs Wild: survival against my rivals They bare fangs but baby I’m Bear Grylls And a bear eats whatever a bear kills for real (Chorus)
9.
Lingua Franca pt I 03:49
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[Verse 1] I’m from a land where revolution is dead Being free to speak your mind could put a price on your head Where the youth have risen to see the truth forbidden And any news we’re given is just a euphemism For the harsh truth of our people being extorted Try to birth knowledge, you’ll see it being aborted Politicians thrive on an uninformed populous It’s why they build palaces instead of funding the colleges On this continent we have assets in abundance But the public servants ain’t ever serving the public Tell China and The West that everything’s for sale With a rigged judicial system they’re never going to jail It’s either indifference or incompetence But the continent is awakening to new consciousness And slowly starts to see that the ones who lead them deceive them Now legions across the region are screaming begging for freedom We immediately see that we need a new medium to reach The people aggrieved by the greedy deeds of the evil And though it’s farfetched, it would put me at ease To see us defeat the beast if we achieve it through peace I mean, even a demon could be redeemed But it seems nobody’s willing to give up being a fiend Sometimes I want to scratch my eyes out of my face Forced to watch as the motherland gets raped [Chorus] The world’s so cold, I might just blow And lose myself in the incense smoke In a vision I meet with the ancestors As they proceed to give me a mad lecture Like, ‘Young one, where do you come from? In our homeland you speak a strange tongue’ But if I want to be heard I have no choice but to speak these words [Verse 2] We’re independent but not autonomous As long as donors give us these dollars, they’re calling shots for us We have no authority over our economy The directives they give us are meant to keep us in poverty So, our commodities remain under-priced They import them for cheap while they’re feigning advice Then come on our land with a claim to the rights And our leaders allow it in exchange for a slice Or, suddenly you hear about a war With the supply of oil or platinum at the core Rebels with rocket launchers are rolling in new Toyotas I wonder where they source the petroleum for their motors They even have tanks, so who’s supplying the weapons? It’s a scheme from the West to justify their presence They set up shell companies financing the conflict Then go to the UN and say that they need to stop it And once all the pawns are in place They designate a space for a military base And send in peace-keepers but are they keeping the peace Or do they patrol our soil just seeking what’s underneath? Look, nobody wins in war Except for arms manufacturers, Mineral extractors Traffickers of women and children who get captured And the hand-puppets of the imperial masters (Chorus) [Verse 3] Our land remains idle under these false idols With their hands on bibles, concerned only with their own survival Willing to mine blood diamonds and trade lives to remain shining To defeat this beast requires crucial timing, yet we sleep And the world ignores this cause even more Than a poor bastard orphan son of a whore with autism They actively decide to blindfold your third eye to keep you docile And quote the Good Book so we overlook the abuse of power. God smiles We could remain complacent and wait for reincarnation And let the devil that walks the earth keep our nation Or, we could wake up
10.
Lingua Franca pt II 02:04
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[Verse 1] How do we believe that the future is ours? Dominated by foreign powers who only seek to devour It’s like they allowed the wolves through the border Who would respect the shepherd who led his lamb to slaughter? But, how the hell did it come to this? From a position of wealth to just sustenance? The truth is a mirror the hands of time have shattered Forced to believe the image in the fragments gathered So I surrendered myself to a strange tide And learned to see a different picture with the same eyes To be free and defy the regime Understand the mechanics behind the machine ‘til they become conscious they will never rebel Until they have rebelled they cannot become conscious So the first order of business for any conqueror Is to force his tongue upon the conquered Unify wills by speaking the same language Shackling our minds just like brain damage Certain thoughts are unique to certain languages, I fear Once the language is dead, so are the ideas The slave trade was the beginning of the fall African city-states sold people in their stalls In exchange, Europeans had guns to trade By invading their neighbours they sparked an arms race With better weapons they could take more slaves And create more wealth for the old city-state The end of the slave trade made economies collapse That’s when the missionaries could penetrate the map A man from the Middle East was given to us as white So we associate the colour with the Christ And if they’re closer to God then surely they must be right So anything they do is accepted without a fight They use the good book to justify our oppression And say that we’re all paying for Ham’s transgression Cursed to work in service of our relatives In search of the truth go further back in Genesis: “Let us make man in our image” The first men were African so what does that tell us? From Kilwa Kisiwani, up to Mogadishu Down to Great Zimbabwe there’s proof of an issue With their narrative that we were uncivilised Understand their victory is based on a lie And the lie spreads in the language of the monster Common tongue of the conquered, the Lingua Franca
11.
Footprints 03:06
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[Verse 1] Supreme writer, my pen’s like a fiend’s lighter The dope inside of my quotes is ignited when I recite it Ain’t enough grams in your amateur rhyme patterns Triple beam dreams, I’m here to restore balance The Game’s saturated with suckers who think they have it In league with too many squares, the circles are sycophantic You’re under the illusion they’re the peeps you should rock with ‘til you see their loyalty’s only as deep as your pockets Damn, I see them squander the potential that their life had Who would have thought that your morals have a price tag? Cash opens jaws that desire purses Self-righteous side chicks posting bible verses Let them play their games, I’m looking for something more Coz I always believed in Illmatic track number four But what’s our reason for dreaming, pursuing the sublime If we keep feeding our demons to prove that we’ve done fine? [Chorus] Footprints of phantoms We don’t understand them Spend our whole lives chasing ghosts Will you ever come close? Footprints of phantoms We don’t understand them Spend our whole lives chasing ghosts Will you ever come close? [Verse 2] All I see is alcoholics on half of my family tree To be slave to my desires is not who I plan to be To beat true warriors and break through barriers Just to fumble on the world stage like Karius To feel the self-loathing of letting down your team Seeing your life’s dream get reduced to a meme Am I cursed by genetics to make the same mistakes? Or did God give me will so I could change my fate? Where I’m from life expectancy is ‘bout 56 I’m halfway there so of course I’m shitting bricks Three homies lost in accidents, one died of AIDS All for the love of the loads or getting laid We could have had it all if our gospel was to gain And celebrate the win with a nostril full of caine Overdose and leave a beautiful corpse in our villas The same things that thrill us, kill us [Chorus]
12.
Fake Deep [Skit] 00:35
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13.
Win (featuring Kananji) 03:00
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[Verse 1: Black Isco] Oh Lord, it’s a black god flow I wasn’t born, I descended from the cosmos To drop more bars of gold than you can measure I’m Mansa Musa on his pilgrimage to Mecca Let’s all come together. The hustle never sleeps Our table looks better, when everybody eats An organised unit is dangerous on the front Five mouths to feed is twenty limbs to hunt Arm, leg, leg, arm, head The hustle’s God body, take His body as bread Weed out the phonies amongst your familiars Or one of them could trade you for thirty pieces of silver Heard it all the time: another day another dollar We aim to pull a century every twenty four hours Flowing like the Amazon, shooting down targets Moving like Bezos, innovate the market [Chorus: Black Isco] Oh, that’s how you feel? Well take it on the chin We grind until we can’t, and then we grind again Man, you got to love it, my hustlers going in Something out of nothing, that’s what we call a win Take it on the chin, my hustlers going in Something out of nothing, that’s what we call a win Take it on the chin, my hustlers going in Something out of nothing, that’s what we call a win [Verse 2: Kananji] Look It’s King Kananji on ya, rep impeccable as God I’m at the pedestal like sentinels, I’m Magic on the guard I’m Patrick at The Garden, I’ll get you carted When I get on I go off, don’t get me started At your head heavy, John Chilembwe holding mass Esophagus sarcophagus, leave you bodied in a cast Me and Black sitting back, with a stamp on the game Talking respect, put some of that on my name I’m talking W-I-N-N-E-R, we are the champs I tell no fucking lie, niggas fucking lie, we take a stand I don’t shuck and jive, niggas duck and dive on solid land Want to come at I? Please advise your guy that’s not a plan On top of the podium I be holding that gold Yeah I’m good, no sodium on my clothes What’s salt to saucy? I’ve been bossy since Kelis I ain’t one for begging, I ain’t coming second nigga please, King! [Chorus: Kananji] Oh, that’s how you feel? Well take it on the chin We grind until we can’t, and then we grind again Man, you got to love it, my hustlers going in Something out of nothing, that’s what we call a win Take it on the chin, my hustlers going in Something out of nothing, that’s what we call a win Take it on the chin, my hustlers going in Something out of nothing, that’s what we call a win [Chorus: Black Isco] Oh, that’s how you feel? Well take it on the chin We grind until we can’t, and then we grind again Man, you got to love it, my hustlers going in Something out of nothing, that’s what we call a win Take it on the chin, my hustlers going in Something out of nothing, that’s what we call a win Take it on the chin, my hustlers going in Something out of nothing, that’s what we call a win
14.
All Love 04:00
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[Verse 1] You were born for greatness, embrace it; don’t ever doubt it These haters will try to break you but face it and don’t allow it You’ve got to nurture your skills, from the roots ‘til they rise Seeing your rose bloom will be the thorn in their side, see I could tell you just what the root of the malice is: A real one’s presence will have them feeling inadequate I establish my status as one of the baddest out The way I crafted these raps, these cats ain’t having a doubt My rep is impeccable, F’s a fresh intellectual With a blessing immeasurable, the projection is destitute For a hundred percent of you trying to mess with my revenue ‘cause at my worst, I’ll still be getting the best of you Suckers got the nerve to think they’re veteran spitters? But you’ve got no bars, that’s why your message never delivers Everybody talks about how they’re the illest But your style’s like dying in my sleep: I don’t feel it [Chorus] Always strive, never giving up One life to live, we’ve got to live it up And it’s all love, man let it breathe When all’s said and done, we’ve got to be free Always strive, never giving up One life to live, we’ve got to live it up And it’s all love, man let it breathe When all's said and done, we’ve got to be free [Verse 2] To everybody on the grind: God bless your hustle! For the pain you’ve endured, man, flex your muscle I know it weighs heavy but you shoulder the load Never stress bro, music’s creatine for the soul And it’s a blessing, everyday living I’m going to spread it Get the message: we’re all on Earth to serve a purpose That’s the essence. It’s best to invest every second Trying to perfect it. And when it’s your turn to rest You’ll be a legend. The quest got me feeling so undefeated Power and ambition you’ll find in my triple helix See, the strength of my spirit surprises even myself When I wrestled the devil, he prayed to Jesus for help Even the swine know that I got divine flows They only throw shade ‘cause I got the shine, bro My every action is mathematically accurate Substance over style and my style is immaculate (Chorus) [Verse 3] We’re all trying to take a slice of a small cake When there’d be more to eat if we all learned to bake It’s not about spending, it’s ‘bout your earning capacity We as black people have to escape this tragedy Slave to a racial system that’s driven to make you give in Caged in a mental prison to limit what you envision That higher key your heart is yet to see The irony is these bars could set you free Trust the process, longevity is the goal Scammers get the flash but soon enough they’re exposed Trust in your brand is a long-term profit maker Integrity comes first, put principle over paper We could collaborate, why fight for loot? Water each other’s seeds, that’s twice the fruit I bare soul on this track like an African runner I’m back with the thunder to make it rain stacks for the summer And that’s real (Chorus x2)
15.
Likoma Sunsets 04:34
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[Verse 1] Your heart once was my safe haven But a man just became complacent And took for granted an angel’s patience Now I’m standing hell adjacent With these arms that yearn to hold you A head full of words that I wish I told you A heart that’s aching, a stare that’s vacant Broken plans and missed vacations And I’m sorry for being distant Communication was inconsistent So many times when I should have listened You shed tears, I appeared indifferent These mistakes have taught me lessons I can’t waste these precious seconds So if ever you need assistance I leave you this proposition [Chorus] You just have to call me And I will be there for you You just have to call me And I will be there for you [Verse 2] My pen bleeds on my heart’s behalf To mourn the love lost that we thought would last Still full of hurt from the day that you left You meant more to me than I ever expressed My love, my heart, my muse The night sky that I gazed into The one thing I would always choose The reason why I sing these blues Remember our plan to make a great escape? Me and you in a canoe navigating the lake Your skin glistening, wind under your sundress To Likoma Island to watch the sunset We sail but don’t foresee the storm The love boat sinks and we grieve and mourn The flame is doused and the feeling’s gone But you hope from the ash there’s a phoenix born (Chorus) [Verse 3] Staring at her picture had you wanting to sing Going to the jewellers, looking for rings Planned a life together with a feeling sweet Now when you see her, you don’t even speak You stay silent, internalizing your grief Love becomes a myth that doesn’t fit your beliefs You sleep with a dozen women just to fill a void You pretend to be a man but you’re still a boy Way too scared to confront your feelings But on the other side of fear is healing Look, you can’t regret your passions Own the pain and accept what happened Slowly maturing after a tough loss Growth was overdue, but growth at what cost? I denied the truth but in time it’s felt That I may have had to lose you to find myself (Chorus)
16.
Angels 04:35
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[Verse 1] Never pray for the win, I pray to be my best self Crack the game and scramble plans, I’m never walking on egg shells Grind hard and create wealth as long as we invest well Keep our word and build together, we spread sheets when we excel Life’s full of surprises, threats and debts of all sizes Devils wearing disguises, but angels opened my eyelids I looked deep in that void, and saw the truth with my boys I’m a show you what Muzi showed me, that life’s to be enjoyed Got to live it up for the years that we grafted, see we went abroad and came back with a masters That’s something real, don’t take that for granted, some niggas just go back with a blanket We pushed through the stress and fears, learned through a lens that was less than clear Wasn’t a long time, but the best of years, these bonds that were built over sweat and tears That’s real, and you know this, stay above the water like lotus Third eye open with an ultralight beam you might get scorched by the focus Focused on bringing life to my people, giving praise and we fighting the evil Follow the light and take arms where it leads you, don’t be idle this a fight where we need you [Chorus] I’ve been lifted, forgiven, and learned to count my blessings I’ve been flexing, finessing, and all my friends are legends Haters stressing, forget them. They hate to see me winning Hey man listen, I’m tripping. All these angels I’ve been given? I’ve been lifted, forgiven, and learned to count my blessings I’ve been flexing, finessing, and all my friends are legends Haters stressing, forget them. They hate to see me winning Hey man listen, I’m tripping. All these angels I’ve been given? Man, I’m blessed [Verse 2] Shout out to my brother Maya, that’s the man I stay solid with Always sitting and politicking but more than just economists I owe a lot to these homies, Kevsta, Mwizzy and Troney Showed me life might have no limit if you shoot your shot like Kobe Admire strength in Kali, Patty P got the sauce Yung Cutter, go get that butter, the Liberian game is yours Can’t forget about Mac and Willz, helped me to adapt my skills The first niggas in MW that made me believe rap is real The whole rap game looking like it’s a cult, I know you have more somewhere in your vault Don’t waste your time trying to sound like someone else ‘cause you’ll never be satisfied with the results Push it to the limit, never fall into a gimic, you’re original, don’t give into the pressure of the business Put faith in your vision when you’re making a decision, and I promise you’ll last past the fads that we witness Get into a pocket that’ll lead you to the cash Flip a thousand twenty times that’s a billi in the bag All my niggas I couldn’t fit in the verse I still got y’all in my prayers Celebrations all come with cake and that cake comes in layers (Chorus) [Verse 3] You see my voice is fine wine, won’t let you boys define mine Don’t want no Shady partners here, coz I’m not Royce da 5’9” Though I still go for mine and I open minds with my dopest rhymes and I tow the line For everybody trying to make it past the coldest times, coz to elevate your soul is my sole assignment The animalism of Capitalism has driven some niggas to cannibalism Happy to pillage and massacre innocents as long as the killing is making a killing African children we have to be vigilant, tackle this mission with passion and diligence Tasked to envision and plan an efficient and ethical system for stacking the Benjamins Got to flip the statistics, everybody’s running in the Victim Olympics Get realistic, makes no sense to expect some respect from oppressive resistance There’s millions here that need healing, those odds might give you a bad feeling But don’t stop as long as you keep breathing, go hard and shatter the glass ceiling Level spelled backwards is level, it’s all balance, levels come with new devils, it’s all malice Devils just test your mettle, it’s all challenge depending on the cloth you’re cut from, all fabric When you’re full of light it reflects, never been the type to be stressed Haters got a right to vexed, I arrive with the cheques and I rightfully flex (Chorus)

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This is the full length debut album by artist Black Isco. It serves as a reflection of the social and political environment in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as a window into the artist's personal life.

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released August 31, 2018

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Black Isco England, UK

I'm Black Isco—rapper, producer, finance pro, and community leader. Beats are my stories, inspired by K.R.I.T, Mos Def, and Lupe. I'm not just about making you move; I'm here to make you think. Beyond music, I'm into entrepreneurship, aiming for legacies. These songs are a call to action, motivating minds. Community is my heartbeat. Let's make noise, inspire, and strive for greatness together. ... more

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