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 Song Search:
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