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Plague: "a Chapter a Day" (including memoirs)

1/30/2014

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Artist(s): Jeremiah Dirt
Song:  a Chapter a Day 
Word Count: 401
Producer: Fingaz
Recorded: AREA 12 
Album: Plague (Rescue rec.) 
Dirts favorite Line(s): One of my favorite songs on the album. Like the whole thing.

Lyrics & Memories: a Chapter a Day

            This song is by far my favorite on the PLAGUE album. Yeah! GO AHEAD AND DISAGREE! I don’t care. To me, this song was the epitome of a perfect Dirt song. The right amount of everything. Just enough ministry but not too much. Just enough street credibility, but too much. Added with a hype beat, an ill concept, and even a dope scratch! C’MON NOW!

            This song actually has a crazy story behind it too (maybe that adds to the mix for me, the memories). As you might know, besides hiphop, reggae was a sincere love of mine. I became attracted to the musical genre during my jr. High days. I was lured in by the social and empowering messages of a povertized people on a small island in the caribbeans. To love reggae music is to love Jamaica and Rasta culture. And although I disagree with a majority of the Rastafarian theology, I saw past the debates and saw the people.

Rasta’s might have very different opinions and views, but to me they exemplify some of the most beautiful things found in scripture. The kindheartedness, sincerity and obedience of a true servant, magnified by the raw resisting strength of a righteous warrior. I didn’t grow up with a dad and, although my mom did her best, our house went without the discipline I saw in the Rastafarian community. When I saw their locks of hair, I saw more than a rebellious spirit against social norms, I saw dedication, commitment, long suffering, and endurance. And these were things that my upbringing lacked.

            So for a while, my attention to hiphop shifted as I began to search out the things I admired. I wanted to know why Rasta’s read and revered the same bible I did, but yet they were so different from any ‘church’ people I ever met (keep in mind I am talking about real Rastafarians. Not the Americanized version that is only concerned about smoking pot)? How come they seemed to know more scriptures than my pastor? Why were they so militant? Where their beliefs true and mine were wrong? So I searched. And like I said, I in no way would call myself a Rasta today because I do not agree with major theological tenents that they hold to. but nevertheless I developed very strong relationships within the small community of Rasta’s in San Diego. And to add to that, I learned how to ‘eat the meat and spit out the bones’ (how to absorb and apply the good things and disregard the bad).

            One of my friends was an older man named Casper. Caspers’ only source of income was selling weed and artwork (paintings and sketches he drew of the Rastafarian culture). Although he was one of the coolest and caring people you could ever meet, he was very harsh in his dealings with his narcotics sells. When people didn’t come correct with the money. He came correct with the beat downs! Even so, me and him were pretty solid friends. I was this young kid that always came around askin questions and he was willing to give answers. Beyond that, he respected me despite my age and treated me like a young adult (which was a first for me). And so our relationship became real tight.

            But as the years went by, there was a problem. The more I hung out with him the more my spirit felt convicted. In hindsight, simply because God had a plan bigger than both of us. I was young though, and I denied it for a while. In part, because of my lack of knowledge in Gods sovereignty and omniscience. And also because I really liked Casper and I didn’t want to walk away from our relationship (selfishness).

            Well the convictions got worse until I broke and obeyed. I felt that I had to stop hangin around. That I had to ‘cut’ the relationship, and I finally submitted. Its hard to remember exactly what I desired from God, but I recall just feeling like I wanted to leave Casper with ‘something’, but I didn’t know how to come about it with him. How does a small runty kid tell a grown man that maybe he’s wrong and he should try to get better?  How does a son tell his dad that he’s gonna leave because the dad is a bad influence?

Well God delivered an answer as usual. It wasn’t what I expected though. I thought God was gonna have me gear up for battle and go in there slingin! Ready for war! God was gonna have me be the young student that humbles the teacher with his insight!

‘Just tell him to read a chapter of the bible a day.’

            That’s it? That’s all I have to say? You don’t want me to run up in the spot and spit some big theological sword into the guts!

            ‘No. Just tell him to read a chapter of the bible a day.’

            So that’s what I did. I went and told Casper that he probably wasn’t gonna see me for a while because my mom needed me at home more (HAHA! Blame it on moms as usual!). And in the most sincere way that I could, I asked him to promise me he would read a chapter of the bible a day. And, likewise, in the most sincere way he could, he agreed. So little by little I stopped comin around. But every time I saw him, I reminded him of his promise. Soon I didn’t see Casper any more altogether.

            Until……
            Fast forward over 3 years. I think I was 18 or 19 when I was chilling down at the beach and guess who rides up on a bike? Good ol’ Casper!
            ‘Maga Kong! Yeah man! Whaya say? (Maga Kong was his nickname for me. It meant ‘Skinny King’).
            ‘CASPER!’
            Reunited and it feels so good. So we talked for a while. And lo and behold, I come to find out that Casper has since renounced his faith in Haille Sellassie as a deity (Ras Tafari) and accepted the scriptural account of Christ as saviour! He also informs me that  he has also let loose with the narcotic trafficking and makes money legally now. Then he tells me that it was largely due to the promise he made me and kept!

            You might disagree, and that’s your right. But I think that the inspired word of God can change even the hardest of hearts.

   This track was remixed by DJ Theatre for ‘the Upsetter Mixtape’, 2009.


A CHAPTER A DAY 

 INIQUITOUS  SOLDIER-BUST
HE  RIPPED  THE  PAPYRUS
HIS  STYLE  WAS  RECKLESS
BURNT  THE  CAMP  TO  ASHES
RAP  SHEETS  LONGER  THAN  THE  LOCH  NESS
WHEN  HIS  MIND  BUBBLED  HOT  HE  SPRUNG  HIS  PLANS  MATTRESS
EVIL  WORDS  FROM  HIS  MOUTH  HIT  THE  HEART  PIECE  LIKE  A  GUNSHOT
ANY  ATTEMPT  AT RIGHTEOUSSNESS-HE  JUST  BLEW  IT  LIKE  SNOT
HIS  DEVELOPMENTS  GOT  ARRESTED
NOT  REALIZING  THAT  BY  GOD  HE  GOT  TESTED
AND  TEMPTED  BY  SATAN
HIS  WAR  WAS  SPIRITUAL-LIKE  VIETNAM  OR  SAIGON
LIFE  WAS  LOST-UNFOCUSED  HIS  ATTENTION  FROM  THE  CROSS
THE  CRUCIFIXION
HIS  ADDICTION
NARCOTICS  IN  THE  PROJECTS
CRIMES  THAT  LEAVE  NO  EVIDENCE
FORGET  THE  6th  COMMANDMENT
EVIL  RADIUS-STUDY  HEATHEN  SCIENCE
BACK-STAB  BUSINESS  AND  KILL  THE  WITNESSES
RESIST  BENEVOLENCE  WITH  FLESHLY  DEFENSES-HE  WANTS  TO  BE  THE  PRESIDENT
HE  PLAYED  HIS  GAMES  LIKE  SNAKES  IN  GRASSES
CLIMBED  TREES  LIKE  ZACHEUS  AND  DROPPED  WICKED  VIRUSES
MY  COMPANIONS  TRIED  TO  BREAK  IT  UP  LIKE  GLASS
BUT  HE  LICKED  A  SHOT  REAL  HARD  AND  SPREAD  OUT  LIKE  A  RASH
YOUNG  SOLDIERS  GOT  STUNG  LIKE  THE  TAIL  OF
A  SCORPION
GOOD  MEN  TURN  LIKE  ANIKIN-THEN  HE  BRINGS  IT  AGAIN
HE  COPYRIGHTED  HIS  TACTICS  LIKE  A  TEMPLATE
N-BRUSHED  OUT  HIS  ENEMIES  LIKE  TOOTHBRUSH  AND  COLGATE…
HOLD  BACK  THOSE  STUMBLING  TO  THE  SLAUGHTER
CAUSE  WHEN  I  SAY  CHAPTA  I  MEAN  HOLY  SCRIPTURE

CHORUS
HE  READ  A  CHAPTER  A  DAY
KEEPIN  THE  DEVILS  AWAY
CORINTHIAN-BROUGHT  FORTH  A  NEW  PROPOSITION
WITH  A  CHAPTER  A  DAY
I  SEEN  HIM  CHANGE  HIS  WAYS
HE  READ  A  CHAPTER  A  DAY
JUST  A  CHAPTER  A  DAY

FORWARD  JEHOVAH  SOLDIER-EXCEL
STAGNATE  THE  OLD  SHELL......
HE  WENT  FROM  SLAVE  TO  SON FOUR  SEVEN  GALATION
BOXED  UP  TIGHT  RECEIVING  VENTILATION
FORMER SELF GOT HIT
WITH HIGH POWER FROM GOD THRU HOLY SPIRIT, MAN THE VEIL GOT RIPPED
HE TOOK A SIP, AND NOW HE STICK IT
TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PATH, YAWHEH BROUGHT HIM BACK
INFESTATION GOT PEIRCED BY AN ARROW FROM GOD
AND GOT HEALED LIKE THEM PEOPLE THAT TOUCHED MOSES ROD
HE WAS LOOKIN FOR THINGS HE COULDN'T FIND IN WEED
TIRED OF DAMNATION
PORNOGRAPHIC STATIONS
SATANIC EQUATIONS, THAT EQUAL CALCULATIONS-OF RUCUS
HIS SOUL YEARNED FOR EXODUS
HIS ATHEIST WAS SWITCHED TO AN ESOPHOGUS
THAT SCREAMED 'JEHOVAH-AH-SHALOM'
HE TOOK HIS STUFF TO THE GRINDSTONE
HE WORE TOMMY HILFIGER
TOOK IT OFF AND COME WITH TOMMY HELL FIGHTER
CHURCH EDIFIER
YOU CAN COME AGAINST THE FATHER WITH CLENCHED FISTS
BUT GO AWAY PREACHING THE TRUTH LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST
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    The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
    -Psalm 55:21
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