Lyrics & Memories: ChantThis is by far the oldest song I wrote appearing on the PLAGUE album. It’s hard to pinpoint but I would put it in 93, NO later than 94. I remember writing it during the time I was in an old crew called ‘Quest 4 Souls’. I can’t remember exactly why but I picked the American Indian culture as a background for the track. Growing up in San Diego there is a lot of celebrations and festivals centered around that community, and as a kid I always admired the fierceness of Indian warriors (the cowboys sucked!). The purpose behind this song was just a ‘warpath’ vibe so native American Indians just naturally popped into my head while writing. With that said, I will tell you about an unusually funny memory I have about this track. This song seriously is the oldest on the album. Even the track was completed shortly after writing it. So all the way back in 94 I was doin small shows and rockin this track. One of these performances was at an outdoor community block party in L.A. city. So here I am in the middle of the ghetto jumpin around performing this one. BUT…few people know that the original song had me doing this crazy chanted chorus. Kinda like the baseball fans that chant at the Redskin Indian games. Well at this particular show a 300-pound, drunk Indian lady that was very upset with me approached me after wards. She had got the feeling that I was mocking her culture. And, I kid you not, she almost killed me right there in the middle of the street. I tried to explain to her that I have alotta respect for the Indian culture and that is what the song stemmed off of. But she wasn’t having it (a scrawny kid tryin to tell a fully grown, fully intoxicated adult the depth behind a song)! She put a curse on me and my family then said that if I ever played that song again her spirit would hunt me down and choke me in my sleep! It was a long time after that before I even dared to rock that song again. And even when I finally did, that ‘Chanting’ chorus was definitely omitted! It was crazy. I laugh about it now, but back then I was 17 years old and having a huge older woman threaten to kill me was a bit frightening. When I toured with POD in 97 this seemed to be the favorite. I was used to Bboys and breakdancing. But alotta the shows I did with them was with other bands and I was the only hiphop act. So I used to get kids to start a mosh pit to this track! They all thought that was hilarious. I have an old Rescue records comp from 94 that has this track on it. It’s actually not the album version because it was the VERY first time I ever recorded in a studio and it showed. Walkin to school in the hood and freestyling while someone else beat boxed was far different than sittin in that vocal booth with that scary microphone hovering over you. But lemme tell you! I learned how to master that mic quick! Out of all the tracks on PLAGUE I think Chant had one of the most memorable beats. It was just an ill and raw track. Real gritty and street level. Slow moving but powerful like a flash flood. I was always a Micheal Jackson fan when I was little (yeah! Shaddup!) and always wanted to scratch ‘Smooth Criminal’ in a song. That worked out well here too! Then some goof balls make a million dollars recently by doin a cover of it (Alien Ant Farm)!! Out of all my tracks, this one has got to be the oldest and most history filled. To write a few paragraphs now doesn’t seem to do any justice. Chant is so old I can barely remember its beginning. Man! I’m getting old! Chant was recorded a few times before the album version and re-recorded over a new beat for the ‘Upsetter Mixtape’, 2009. CHANT
I'LL STICK IT IN YOUR BACK, SON I BEAT DOWN PARTIAL DARKNESS, LIKE THE RASTA'S BEAT DOWN UPON THE DRUMS AT THE NIYABINGHI PARTY HA----HA EMOBILIZIN' DARK AREAS GOT EVERYBODY RUNNING , AND SCARED OF A LITTLE BROTHA LIKE ME BECAUSE I USE MY VERSES LIKE THEY WAS A GUN ( CHICK-CHICK ) AND MAKE AN EMCEE RUN MY STYLE IS INFAMOUS, KNOWN ACROSS THE MAP I'LL BOARD YOUR SHIP AND TAKE YOUR LOOT LIKE THEM PIRATES I GO PUBLIC TO THE ENEMY DERIVE MY STRENGTH FROM GOD SO THE IMMORAL CAN'T BEAT ME I EXCEED OVER THE DEVILS SILLY INSTRUMENTS MY WAYS ARE POTENT, WHILE YOUR WAYS ARE IMPOTENT SO GET YOUR CREW AND WE CAN GET IT ON LIGHT A FIRE AND SING ALL NIGHT LONG V.2 MY EXPERTISE IS DANGEROUS, LIKE THE WRONG END OF A SHOTGUN BUT STILL DEVILS HAUNT MY CRANIUM I BE BIG CHIEF-WHILE YOU BE LITTLE CHIEF 'CAUSE I SMOKE A SPIRIT WHILE YOU SMOKE A LEAF I GET CRAZY LIKE A PUNKROCK MOHAWK ANTAGONIZE AND HEAR THE SOUND OF THE TOMAHAWK WICKED ALWAYS PLAYS THE OUTSIDE, NEVER STANDIN' CLOSE TO MY WINDPIPE BECAUSE THEY MIGHT GET SNIPED A PROCESSION OF LOCUST STANDIN' WITH INDIAN SPEARS WAITIN' FOR THE DEVIL TO COME NEAR HIT UP THE ARMY, LIGHT THE FUSE OF THE WARPATH AND LISTEN TO THE WAR CHANT THE FIRE IS BURNIN' WITHIN TO CHASE ALL THE SNAKES FROM THE SNAKE DEN AND LAY THE DEVIL'S WORLD DOWN LOW AND WHEN HE SAYS WHAT THE HECK, I SAY.… " YOU'VE BEEN HIT BY A SMOOTH CRIMINAL" ...(HEY YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE, THAT'S ABBADON'S OFFICE)... V.3 A SHADY CHARACTER IN THE CORNER, HA I SAID TO MYSELF THIS MUST BE THE ENEMY I APPROACHED THE TABLE SLOWLY HIS STINKIN' MEN STOOD TO THE BACK, AND SURROUNDED ME NOW THERE'S MAD BROTHAS ON ALL SIDES AND ALL THE WHILE ALL I SEE IS CROOKED UPSIDE DOWN SMILES THEY WANNA TAKE ME TO THE RIVER AND GIVE TO ME SOME CEMENT NIKE'S I BUST A MICROPHONE OUT QUIOK GUNS POINTED AT MY HEADD-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK I LET MY VOICE SLICE THROUGH THE SILENCE ALL OF THEM ARE SWEATIN' BUT NO ONE GETS VIOLENT NO ONE LET THE BULLET DOWN THE SHAFT BECAUSE I STARTED TO GO ON THE WARPATH SCREAMIN.....
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Lyrics & Memories: Grasshopper No song came as cryptic and mysterious as 7Lock’s GRASSHOPPER track! And it was a bit of a struggle to get it on the album. I have a fond memory of sitting down at a taco shop in downtown San Diego, pleading to my A and R. It was the old artist creativity against the corporations ideas saga! I have ideas on how things should be. One of those ideas consists of letting your boys get a piece too. It’s only right! The men that were with you for the ride the whole time. The men that supported you even back when you was in the cradle. That’s your people! Give em a chunk! 2 songs on this album became such a battle to get on because my representative wasn’t seeing it like that. One was ‘Good Medison’ and the other was this one. “We only signed you, Dirt, not 7Lock!” said Rueben (by the way, I love Rueben! Don’t read too far into this story.) “But I aint askin you to sign him too! This is just a solo track that he’s gonna rock. He’s my boy! C’mon, I’m just giving him his spot on my album.” “But that’s the point. YOUR album. Not His. Why is he getting a solo track on your album!?” “Because I want to show that we (Locust) are a team! How can I show that if I don’t let my man shine? I know it’s a little different the way I wanna do it, but trust me, it will be dope!” I finally got Rueben to agree after I cried a bit and then promised that 7Lock wouldn’t ask for money. 7 and me went over to Fingaz, who showed us an extra track he had. I didn’t like it. To tell you the truth, I still don’t think I like it (the beat alone)! But Lock was all over it. So he staked his claim and wrote the lyrics. The ONLY reason I like the end track now is because 7Lock came ruff on it! I think if anyone else attacked it, I wouldn’t dig it. The dope vocal sample of Kane from ‘Kunf Fu’ leaving his master at the end of the song is a personal highlight too (I came to the table with that!). When the album dropped, most people seemed to like it. And there was a year, at least, where 7 Lock and I got to perform a lot on stage and that would be his solo for the shows. Nevertheless that song sparked the biggest ‘Locust’ mystery ever. Everyone liked it but didn’t know why. Especially since they didn’t know what the heck the chorus was about! I got tons of email (and still get an occasional question) asking what he was talking about. So here’s an official explanation (I wont explain the song lyrics. You can get at Lock and ask him about those. But here’s the chorus explained): You see, in the ‘Shadow of the Locust’ universe there are times when we create our own ‘language’ or slang words. This song utilized on such instance where we had been using a slang term within the crew (and still do). A grasshopper and a locust are the same exact insect. The only differences is that a locust is when too many grasshoppers are born in one place and they start swarming. Their numbers make them ferocious because they are fighting harder for food and mates. So in a way a grasshopper is that insect you hear all solo in the field at night chirping away. A locust is that same exact insect with thousands of his friends coming to knock on your door! So in our slang terminology within the group, a ‘grasshopper’ is some dude that is either weakhearted or not saved. A ‘Locust’ is a warrior! A person who is tired of a mundane, mediocre existence and jumps up to join the plague! Although they are the same creature, locust tend to be much larger and vivacious because they get more exercise and build more strength through the fierceness of the extra competition. So when 7lock says, “you be the grasshopper, I’ll be the weedhopper”. He is saying that you can settle for being the weak one, but he is gonna jump over lifes’ struggles. Make sense? Good! I am glad we could clear this up. 7Lock recorded this track in a home studio in southtown Diego called ‘Abbot Sounds’. It was mixed a few times before the album version. GRASSHOPPER (performed by 7Lock)
I GOT FORM LIKE KATA FROM A JUDAN SENSAI TENTH DEGREE KID BE THE LESSON I GIVE PRETEND YOU BE THE GRASSHOPPER I BE THE LEAD TAKE HEED--7-LOCK SWIFT TO LAY DOWN YOUR NEED, CHUM I SEE YOU, YOU SEE ME LIVIN LIFE ABUNDANTLY SOMETIMES YOU WONDER BEE WHAT BE THE REMEDY I TELL YOU POWER FROM THE MOST HIGH, GUY BUT STILL YOU PRAY TO JUBU JI AND HAILE SELASSIE YET I TRIED TO SHOW YOU MUCH WISDOM LIKE THE LORD OF ILLUSION BUT IT ALL SEEMS CONFUSING-ALL YOU CAN IS WHAT I SAY WHEN I SPIT THIS FLAME KID IS WHAT I SAY WHEN IM LAYIN DOWN MY GAME KID I READ MY SCROLL WHILE YOU SMOKE YOUR CANNABIS STANDIN ON MY FRONT LAWN TWIRLING STAFF, SON CHORUS YOU BE THE GRASSHOPPER I BE THE WEED HOPPER YOU JUMP THE GRASS AND I LL JUMP THE WEEDS 2Xs I GIVE PLAN LIKE PROFESSOR X TO THE WOLVERINE LIKE QUEEN, ANOTHER BITES THE DUST EMCEE I SCRAPE YOU OFF LIKE CREAM ON THE COOKIE 7-LOCK ON THE SPOT RUN THEM VETS LIKE ROOKIES LOOK BEE SHADOW OF THE LOCUST BE MY SECT CHRIST BE MY REFUGE AND YOU BE THE REFUGEE, BET I CAN RUN THE SHOW LIKE THE GONG TEARIN DOWN THE WALLS IN YOUR WHOLE SYNAGOGUE LIKE GHENGIS KHAN I TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR KLAN YOU AND MOHAMMED AND YOUR WHOLE HOLY KORAN SON I COME TO BRING YOU TRUTH LIKE TODAY AND SON I SEE YOU COME TO BRING ME TRUTH LIKE O.J. BOOM EXPLOSION LIKE THE SUN HIT THE MOON 7-LOCK ON THE WARPATH DOOM TO ALL YA NOMADS I GO CAUSE DESTRUCTION THROUGH THE WHOLE DANG CORE AND MY GOD GIVES ME FLAVA FOR SOME MORE, RAW CHORUS 2Xs MY WHOLE CLICK BE HOLY GHOST LIT SEE I BRING IT FROM THE TOP OF MY MOUNTAIN DOWN TO MY FOUNTAIN PURE LIKE EVIAN MY FLOW COMES TO YOU PURE LIKE EVIAN KID JUMP IN MY POOL SON I COME TO SHOW YOUR WAY OUT THE DARK FOLLOW ME TO MY ARK AND WE LL SAIL TO NEW YORK AND JAPAN AND RUN IT LIKE A GOSPEL SCAM YOU AND ME LIKE BILLY GRAHAM AND WE CAN LEAVE THIS HERE LAND, MAN AND THEN I LL SHOW YOU MY HOLY GHOST MANTIS SPIRITUAL TAI CHI AND MY JUDO FROM ATLANTIS THEN I LL SEND YOU OFF ON YOUR OWN MASTA OF A STYLE TO MAN THATS UNKNOWN
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
Lyrics & Memories: Intoxicated by SelfMan! When Fingaz showed me this beat, I tripped out. I was immediately attracted to it. It was real unorthodox just like me. It was an ill beat but it didn’t make sense why. I thought that it was also a welcomed change from the downwardly moody direction that most of the music on the PLAGUE album seemed to have been taking. So I snatched up the tape and skated home to start writing. The lyrical content is based around the chorus, which I thought up first. I personally liked the chorus, but I think alotta people thought it was too ‘deep’. It wasn’t anything that could be chanted on stage to get the people to ‘cut a rug’. It was a song that was seemingly hard to get across on stage. And because of that I think I only performed it a few times live. The idea of the name is pretty self explanatory. When you are not obedient to God, you are ‘drunk’ with your own desires. Your disobedience brews an intoxicating feeling of being in ‘control’ of yourself. You start to feel as if you don’t need God and you can take the wheel yourself. You get all big headed and self centered. That all just reminded me of a drunk person. There is the popular saying of ‘being drunk in the spirit’ used to explain someone who is deeply and intimately acting out in accordance to God moving in their life. I just thought the same could be said about a person who is not in accordance with God. They are not intoxicated in His spirit, but in the spirit of themselves. Intoxicated by self. This egocentrical concentration seems to always lead to very destructive consequences not only to others, but ourselves too. This was one of the songs that were recorded in the Hollywood session and later remixed in San Diego. INTOXICATED BY SELF
THE JOURNEY HAS BEGUN FIRST STEPS OF THE REVOLUTION INTOXICATE LIKE BOURBON DO NOT CUT THE STEM FROM THE FLOWER SEEDS TURN SOUR FACILITATE LIKE NINTH HOUR WITH SOUND WAVES THAT DESTROY THE TUNNELS OF PRISONS I RELEASE VISIONS OF DEMONS BEING PURGED FROM HUMANS THEY TALKIN' ONE MAN CLAN I TALK UNIFICATION NOURISHMENT FROM SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS BRINGS A GIANT TO THE GROUND........... GO YE FORTH TO ALL CORNERS OF THE EARTH MOM HOOKED UP FIRST BUT GOD HOOKED SECOND BIRTH WICKED MEN- YOU TRANSCEND YOUR OWN LEVEL SITTING AT TABLES AND MAKING DEALS WITH DEVILS EVIL SEMEN IMPREGNATES AND TURNS TO DEMONS CHORUS INTOXICATED BY SELF- WHO'S AT HOME NOBODY- WE LEFT OUR CHILDREN ALONE WE BURNT DOWN OUR HOUSES WITH EVIL FLAME SEEKING AFTER JEWELS OF WHICH WE CAN'T OBTAIN -INTOXICATED BY SELF WHO LEAVES THE KNOWLEDGE ON THE SHELF AND SEEKS WORLDLY GAIN AND WORLDLY WEALTH WE PILLAGE OUR TOWN AND RAPE OUR WOMEN N' WHEN WISE MEN RISE AGAINST WE KILL THEM V.2 WE TAKE OUR TUMBLES IN THE JUNGLE WE RUMBLE IN THE GHETTO SEEING THE SILHOUETTE OF THE UNTRAINED WE NEED POWER AND FUEL LIKE METHANE A DULL AXE REQUIRES GREAT STRENGTH BE SEEKING WISDOM AND SHARPEN THE BLADE (ECLES. 10:10) BRINGING FORTH FELLOWSHIP BUT NO ONE OBEYED BURN THE TIP LIKE BIDIS START THAT HEART PUMPING LIKE 3 WEEK OLD FETUS WORLD THOUGHT DISENAGRATION MENTALLY SPARK FIRES- AND WATCH 'EM SMOKE FROM CRANIUM SHADOW MOVE LIKE MARINE SETTING STANDARDS- AND STIMULATE LIKE CAFFEINE OUR ENEMIES IN THE MIRROR ATTACK BACK WITH MEDITATION AND PRAYER CHORUS INTOXICATED BY SELF-WHO'S AT HOME NOBODY WE LEFT OUR CHILDREN ALONE WE BURNT DOWN OUR HOUSES WITH EVIL FLAME SEEKING AFTER JEWELS OF WHICH WE CAN'T OBTAIN -INTOXICATED BY SELF- I SEEN THEM PEOPLE BUILD UPON THEY HATE- STACK IT UP LIKE CRATE A NEW SEED IS IN THE CHAMBER THEY FILLED WITH ANGER- SINGING SONGS ENTICING ME TO COME ALONG V.3 SELF INTOXICATION UNHOLY GHOST CAPPING OFF MAD AMMUNITION AND I- CRY THROUGH MY THIRD EYE MY BODY'S TREMBLIN' THE JUNGLE'S BURNIN' UP SON GANGSTA'S GRAB YA' GUNS REAL HEADZ GRAB WISDOM E-NUFF TALK ABOUT COMBAT- COMBAT THAT OR GET DESTROYED IN THE AFTERMATH NO MORE FRUITS OF DECEPTION NO MORE DREAMS OF GRANDEUR OR MENTAL DELLUSIONS
Lyrics & Memories: Revolution This song is the second part of ‘Evilution’. It is a statement of victory through uniting with your peoples and fighting against the evils surrounding you. Lock and me didn’t want this song to be as heavy as the Evilution song. So we wrote it as a ‘fight’ song in the disguise of a ‘party’ song (‘and all the party people threw all their hands up’). 7 and me always seem to sound so natural together. It is the differences in our styles and voices that compliment eachother. We wrote this song in the living room of the second ‘locust mansion’ (the one that you see on the enhanced CD of the Plague album). My last verse on this track was actually taken from an old skool verse I wrote way back that I never even thought I would use. We laughed about it because it came from a whole song that was a big cheesy story. I told Lock that I used to think the original song was so dope! But it really wasn’t. It ended up sounding good by using a fraction of it at the end of this song. This was one of the most responded to songs that 7lock and me used to perform together, we used to have the crowd jumpin outta shoes and socks! I enjoyed it because thats how I saw the song. As a ‘warcry’ that is sung before a battalion of soldiers before going to battle. I’m listening to the song right now, and I’m laughing some of the over exaggerated backups here and there. The crazy sounds we were doin in the back would almost be comical if they were heard solo. There is a part where I say ‘they hit up my playground’ that was supposed to be enhanced by a sample from the ‘Playground’ song that Another Bad Creation did back in the day. And most of those sound effects I was doin on my own were supposed to be taken from actual sound effects CD, But hey, we were on a budget. There was a mess up that I still aint happy with. At the end I am giving out a rollcall of some dope emcee’s and bands that we like and I say ‘mighty army drawn up for battle’. But my tongue slips and it sounds more like ‘mioghty ormy’!! Pt.2 (Revolution:Revolution)
(DIRT) EVIL GETS RIPPED LIKE TWO HANDS RIP PAPER TECHNIQUES MORE MYSTERIOUS THAN A HARDY BOYS CAPER MY SOUL EQUIPPED WITH STAINLESS STEEL BOBWIRE UNLIKE THE WALLS OF JERICHO I WILL NOT RETIRE COULD NEVER HANG WITH A NEGATIVE VIBE AND LIKE SATURDAY NIGHT, I COME LIVE THESE FIENDS ARE OUT TO DESTRUCT ME, THEY HIT UP MY PLAYGROUND WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE DOWN BUT I COME BACK LIKE A SUPER SECRET AGENT ONLY USIN' SHADOW OF THE LOCUST SPY EQUIPMENT I THROW OUT A SMOKESCREEN AND LURE THE DEVILS TO A BUILDIN' SET UP WITH TRAPS FOR THEM THE FIRST ROOM WHEN THEY COME INSIDE CLIK-CLIK-THE DOORS LOCK AND IN THROUGH THE VENTS COME CYANIDE (7-LOCK) BOY THEY TRIED TO SNEAK IT ON UP FROM THE BACK I HEARD 'EM COMIN WHEN THEIR SWEAT DROPS HIT THE SMUT DREW OUT MY SWORD WHEN IT ALL CAME DOWN EMCEE'S BY THE DOZEN TRIED TO STEAL MY SOUND........ 1800 DAYS AND I WAS SITTIN AT HOME, YO THINKIN' 'BOUT THE TIME WHEN THEY WAS ATTACKIN' ME KID SMACKIN ME KID WICKED EMCEE'S TRIED TO INFILTRATE MY PATH WHEN THE HAND OF THE ALMIGHTY ONE STRENGTHENED UP MY WRATH FLEW IN GLORIOUS FLIGHT LOCUST SWARM LIKE JAPANESE KAMIKAZE IN THE MOONLIGHT (DIRT) LIGHT-THEY TRIED TO IGNITE THEY BROUGHT THE WRONG WEAPONS TO THE FIGHT AND TRIED TO RAIN ON WATER TIGHT I'VE PULLED OUT SCRIPTURE AND SEEN KILLER BOYS RUN USE PSALMS AND PROVERBS AGAINST FALSE RELIGION I SHAKE VIPERS OFF LIKE PUAL SHOOK THE ONE FROM HIS EXTRIMITY THEN I BLOW UP THE VICINITY LIKE A FIRE BRICK SO YOU BETTER GET HIP TO THESE EMCEE'S THAT GLORIFY THE FIRST THREE TABLETS MAN THIS REVOLUTION IS STRAIGHT UP TO DATE COMIN' THROUGH THE HEADPHONES SO TIGHT IT MAKES ME LAMENTATE 'MASTA GOD HAVE MERCY 'PON THE MIC INNA ME HAND GIVE US GOOD RANGE AND SIGHT TO BLOW UP WICKED HEATHENS '-YOU SAID THAT YOU WANTED A REVOLUTION SO THE LOCUST CAME IN WITH THE GOOD SOUND SYSTEM AND ALL THE PARTY PEOPLE THREW ALL THEY HANDS UP 'CAUSE WHEN WE GRIPPED THE MICROPHONES WE BLEW THE DANCEFLOOR UP (7-LOCK) ANNIHILATION, THE ARMY OF EVIL WITHDREW THEY HEAT TESTED BY THE FIRE, MANS WORKS, THEY COME TO NOTHIN APPROACHIN ME IN THE FORM OF AN ANGEL OF LIGHT THE CRAFT OF WICKED MAN BECAME FUTILE AND LIKE REPTILES, THEY STRUCK DOWN LOW TO STING MY SHINS SON, THE BATTLE WAS ON WHILE EMCEE’S CONFESSED THEY SINS AND FELL SHORT OF THE GLORY THAT SHINED THAT NIGHT MAD BOY 7 LOCK MADE THAT MIC IGNITE (DIRT) THEY RAN OUTSIDE TO A BLACK HELICOPTER I GOT A LASER GUIDED MISSILE LUANCHER I WATCHED THE BIRD FALL TO THE EARTH IN FLAME AND FIRE THEN I CHECK THE RUBBLE FOR SURVIVORS ONE OF THE THEM ARE DEAD THE OTHER TWO STILL GOT BREATHE SO I TAKE THEM TO A SECRET UNDERGROUND BASEMENT NOW I GOT P.O.W’S THAT I TIE UP TO CHAIRS ALL BEAT UP AND BRUISED AT FIRST THEY WONT TELL ME THEY SECRETS BUT BEFORE THEY DIE THEY BECOME WEAK AND START TO SPEAK NOW I KN OW THE PLANS OF THE OTHER SIDE I FAX A MESSAGE TO SATAN ‘YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE’ (out on chorus)
Lyrics & Memories: Evilution Back around ’94 through ‘’97, I was associated with a crew called ‘Quest 4 Souls’. There were 8 of us in all. I ended up being close to all of them in different ways. But one of them in particular became a unique friend. His name was Bju and he was a native of Trinidad Island. Before I met him I had branched out from my first musical love, hiphop, and started to absorb myself into reggae and its rich culture. Since Bju was from the Caribbean I was immediately attracted to him. And since I was very well versed on Jamaican music, culture and history he, likewise, was drawn to me. We became good friends because of our shared love for the Islands. Bju had a strong addiction to marijuana. Almost daily he would partake in the aesthetic pleasure of inhaling the weed. Although I did not share his habit we were still cool. His moms would be at work and he would burn it, while I sat their playing Nintendo or cooking top ramen. I was never really a judgmental person. Live and let live. So I let Bju live. But we’d often get into disputes about it. Not because I wanted him to stop. He had to make his own decisions and stick to his own commitments. The reason I would get upset at times, though, is because he wanted to stop. He was always complaining about how he wished he had enough discipline to quite. So I would tell him that he had to make a choice and commit to it. He would reply with some ‘easier said than done’ remark. And it would roll around the pit from there. I was his friend. I believed in him. But it was his rollercoaster ride. He would try his hardest to quite. It would last a short time, and then the levy would break and the temptation would rush him again. I remember that there was one time where he seemed to be setting a personal record. Every day I would ask him, “what up?”. And he would say, “Naw man, I didn’t light any today”. And so it went day after day. From an ‘every other day’ habit to almost 3 months! Well one night I was chillin at the crib doing whatever. And outta no where Bju admits to me that he had been lying about not smoking. We had been friends for close to 2 years and although we were punks to eachother at times, we had never been dishonest with one another. He told me that I seemed so proud of him as the days went by that he just kept telling me that he was clean. I knew Bju enough to know that he had very few people ‘proud’ of him in his life. Everything was cool. We were still friends after that and life went on. But that night, after I gave him dap and bounced out the door, something kept me on the porch of his house. I was sad for Bju. I had pity. To watch a friend struggle so hard with any issue, in such a drastic way, for such a long time gets to be harsh even for the spectators. So for the next hour and a half I sat under his dim porch light, unbeknownst to him, and wrote the EVILUTION song. In actuality I pretty much plagiarized it from the book of Lamentations in scripture. Bju’s war made me think of a tormented person spiritually crying out for strength. Crying made me think of lamenting. And that directed me towards the book. So I pulled out this dope little pocket bible I had and my notebook and started reading and writing. The book was so thick with imagery that all I had to do was find the rhymes. In the song I wanted to mimic not the conflict of an inner war, but the times in which you feel like all is hopeless. Like the enemy has the upper hand. Because to Bju it was hopeless. He gave the enemy too much credit and gave up fighting too much. The track, on the album, was produced by Tim (Sir Roc) from ‘Sackcloth Fashions’. Tim doesn’t ever believe me. But out of all the songs on the PLAGUE album, his soundscape for this one is the closest to what I heard in my head when writing it. It was one of the ones recorded in Hollywood and then mixed down in San Diego. I always wanted to perform this one live but have actually never done it. I couldn’t really say why. I was just convinced early on that people at a live show would probably not like hearin such a moody song and I bought into that lie. Pt.1 (EVILUTION: UNHOLY GHOSTS)
NOT EVIL FLESH AND BLOOD BUT EVIL PRINCIPALITIES THEY TRIED TO DECEIVE ME SPOKE SOFT LIES SINCE MY MOTHER CONCEIVED ME I PUT MY EAR TO THE GROUND AND TRIED TO LISTEN FOR THE TRAPS THEY COMIN' 2,000 MEN ON HORSEBACK THEY BRINGIN' FORTH THE WAR OF MY ARMAGEDDON SEEKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR LIKE A HUNGRY LION THEY'RE THROWIN' CURIOSITY AT MY BRAIN USING TECHNIQUES OF TORTURE, THAT ARE JUST NOT HUMANE BARRING MY WAY WITH BLOCKS OF STONE (Lamentations 3:9 )-ENTICING ME MUD WAS PLACED UPON MY EYES AND WHEN IT DRIED I COULDN'T SEE THE AFFLICTION IS COMING AND I CAN FEEL IT (lamentations 3:1) ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO END MY LIFE IN THE BOTTOM OF A PIT (Lamentations 3:33) HANDS WERE PLACED OVER MY MOUTH SO MY LAMENTATIONS COULD NOT REACH THE EARS OF THE MOST HIGH THEY SAID THAT MY SOUL MUST DIE AND WHEN I ASKED WHY..... THEY REVEALED THERE PLAN FOR THIS AND EVERY GENERATION MANUFACTURE SEEDS OF WICKED AND PLANT THEM IN ALL GARDENS CONCEPTS OF IMMORALITY HAVE PERMEATED MY HEAD MY FLESH REBELS AND CHOOSES THE PATH OF THE DEAD THE GATES OF THE CITY SINK INTO THE EARTH (Lamentations 2:9) THE BONES WITHIN MY FLESH BREAK AS SIN IS GIVEN BIRTH (Lamentations 3:4) A NATION OF PAGANS ENTER THE SANCTUARY THOSE THAT WERE FORBIDDEN ARE NOW MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY (Lamentations 1:10) THE COMMUNITY IS STUNTED BY EVIL INTENTIONS AND THE PROPHETS OF THE LORD ARE NO LONGER RECEIVING VISIONS (Lamentations 2:9) FINE GOLD HAS BECOME DULL, THE SACRED GEMS HAVE BEEN SCATTERED ( Lamentations 4:1) ON THE CLOTHES OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS INNOCENT RIGHTEOUS BLOOD IS SPLATTERED (Lamentations 4:13) THOSE WHO ONCE ATE FINE FOODS ARE DESTITUTE IN THE STREETS (Lamentations 4:5) ALL THIS IS GOING DOWN 'CUASE OF THE INIQUITIES OF THE PRIESTS (Lamentations 4:13) UNTAINTED BABIES ARE ABORTED SINS ARE IMPORTED AND EXPORTED TRANSMISSIONS FROM ON HIGH HAVE BEEN DISTORTED "RESTORE US TO YOURSELF, SO THAT WE MAY RETURN" (Lamentations 5:21) THIS ECHOES IN MY HEAD AS THE FOUNDATIONS BURN................... ...................MY MIND BLURS, TRANSGRESSION MATURES UNHOLY GHOSTS TO MY RIGHT, UNHOLY GHOSTS TO MY LEFT LEADING ME DOWN A HALLWAY TO THE MORAL LAW OF DEATH
Lyrics & Memories: Good Medison In ’97 I got to go on tour with P.O.D.. We left for 6 weeks as we made our way up to the Cornerstone festival (http://cornerstonefestival.com). It was one of the most enlightening times of my life. Not only did I learn a lot from watching Sonny and them boys on stage and behind stage, but my mind was opened to the fact that there were more musical genres out there beyond the one I grew up in. And even beyond that I realized that in reality there is no good reason to shut off a group of people because of their outer appearance or customs. There are excellent things to be gained from opening yourself up to other cultures and societies. It was a great time, and the lessons of those days have yet to leave me. Most of the Plague album had been recorded by this time. I had a strong desire to establish ‘Shadow of the Locust’ with on this album (a network I had started of likeminded musicians across the U.S.). Obviously to do that, I had to get some of my cats on the album. At the time my record label was not seeing my vision, and understandably so, because they had signed just me as a solo artist. The misconception on their part was that I didn’t want my people to be ‘signed’ on the label with me, I just wanted the world to know that there was a whole crew of similarly creative emcee’s that had been kept underground with me. I was never good at self promotion and I am always concerned with allowing the people around me to climb the ladder with me. The original plan was to have all the cats in ‘Remnant Militia’ and ‘Sons of Intellect’ to represent themselves throughout the Plague album. But it turned out to be a hassle for me to gain the label support financially and spiritually to do this. So in the long run, I opted for the second best option. One chance, one song, all emcee’s. My one opportunity came on the tour with P.O.D. I set it up so that I had a ride from Cornerstone down to Florida, were those two crews were based. From there, I had bought a one way plane ticket back home to San Diego. There was a band that was from Florida that was willing to give me a ride down after the Cornerstone event so that I could get the ‘Good Medison’ song recorded. But things just never seem to go as planned in the crazy adventurous world of Dirt. At Cornertsone, the band that offered the ride never showed up. So after my opening set for P.O.D, on stage in front of 9,000 fans, I humbly asked for a ride down to Florida. Throughout the next few days I was approached by a few groups of people that were willing, but ended up goin with a youth pastor and his group. His name was Chris Boggles, and if you look in the credits he is listed as the ‘executive producer’ of the song. It was my way of saying thanks for the ride. They were able to take me to Atlanta Georgia, and Chris bought me a plane ticket the rest of the way to my destination. While in Cape Corral I was blessed. I spent most of my time with Goldenchild and his family. We had to drive about an hour away from his pad to meet up with ‘Remnant Militia’ at the studio. Everything concerning the song was kinda up in the air. The song was goin to obviously be long, so we had decided to make it as one solid drum track, with 4 different loops coming in as the song progressed. So in most respects it would not get boring because it was almost like having 4 separate songs mixed together instead of one long one. Upon arriving at the studio, no one had written anything, and the beats were yet to be ‘complete’ (oooh, that’s a rhyme!). Even though there was a bit of stress to get the song done (we only had that night to do it), it really became a great time of fellowship. I hadn’t seen my family in 6 weeks while on tour, but being with these guys I felt like I was surrounded by fam! Needless to say, the song got done. I had to leave the masters with Drastic and Architect/Construct so they could mix it. I didn’t hear the end result for another month or so. I was highly impressed considering the rushed atmosphere surrounding its creation, but I wasn’t hopeful that the fans would like it. It was really long, clocking in at 7 minutes and 40 seconds. I was afraid that it didn’t move enough to capture the ears of kids for the whole length. But after the album was released, my fear was put to rest. Some songs on the album I have gotten little or no feedback, But not ‘Good Medison’! I have never heard anything negative about it. The time factor actually played well because most kids said that they were enraptured by the fact that it was so long but still remained phat all the way through. The song was placed as the second on the album because after making my intitial ‘impression’ I wanted to show that there was a crew behind me that was also geared up and readied for any knuckle ruckus. I got the vocal sample in front of the song (‘insects are all around us…’) from a ‘Money Mark’ album. I chose this sample because it states at the end that some things are ignored even though they are beautiful to listen to. Through out the song, there is another vocal sample from the GI Joe movie. It’s Destro saying ‘Behold, the culmination of centuries. The ultimate fruit’. I am pretty sure Architect was responsible for that one. I liked it because in ‘christian terms’ fruit is symbolic to the result of your work. Your efforts will bear ‘fruit’. My favorite of the 4 loops used in the song was definitely the first one that I appear on. But I equally love hearing Oposit and Roldan on their parts. The small backup before Oposits’ piece is me ‘creatively’ explaining the meeting of Dirt, Remnant and Sons. The name comes from the idea that medicine is good because it heals. But the word medicine was spelled wrong on purpose to suggest that Gods son (medi-son) is the ultimate doctor. GOOD MEDISON
(DRASTIC) IT DON'T MATTER, WHO YA ARE BOO YA KA! SCATTER DRASTIC FIRST BATTER UP TO CAPTURE, YOUR IMAGINATION WITH A 4RTH DEMINSIONAL, GRAPHIC, SCHEMATIC ON TELEPIC COMMUNICATIONS SELECTED METHOD UNDETECTED TELEPATHIC PERSUASION ADVISE ADVACUATION YOUR DEFENSE STATIONS BEEN SABATOGED BY LIUTENANT COMMAND ROLDAN MESSIANIC PEASANT ASSASSIN AT LARGE I'M BLASTIN A BARAGE OF VIVID LYRICS IN 5 DIFFERENT SPEEDS LIKE A CIVIC STICK SHIFT MY MIND DRIFTS IN THE SPIRIT GOT GIFTS NOT TO RECEIVE BUT TO GIVE IT WON'T SAY IT UNLESS I LIVE IT DRUNKEN DRAGON SLAY IT THEM EVICT IT FROM MY PREMISES CAN'T MEASURE THIS WITH THE UNFOCUSED EYE, OR MIMIC THE STYLES OF THE NEMESIS DOPEST LYRICIST LOCUST SWARM THE SKY AND EVER SINCE MY SECOND BIRTH, I BEEN TRANSFORMIN LIKE THE FLY BODY PARTS START TO FALL OFF ONLY TO REPLENISH WHAT MY GOD STARTS HE'LL FINISH SO I DEFEAT AND DIMINISH THESE POSSESSED EMCEE'S I TOLD YA SOLDIERS NEVER REST AT EASE (DIRT) YOU PRESSED ON YOUR GAS AND WASTE YOUR FUEL, SON SHOULDA REMEMBERED, THE WEAK SHALL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN 21 ATTACKED, I KNOCKED EM DOWN TO 7 AND SAVED PRACTICE FOR MILITIA BULLET LIKE LYRICS HIT YA AND RIP YA, REDEFINE CRAYOLA OR CHALK LIKE THE SCARE CROW IN THE CORNSTALK I PETRIFY WICKED BIRDS THAT WANNA EAT UP THE CROPS REAL HIPHOP STRAIGHT FROM GODS SOIL WE BURN IT LIKE VEGETABLE AND SQUEEZE LIKE SNAKE COIL THEY GAVE US MICROPHONES BECUASE WE WRAP (RAP) LIKE TIN FOIL (DEACON) LEAVIN SPOTS BLOWN FROM CTATACOMBS I EMERGE DEACON PREPARIN FOR WHATS ABOUT TO OCCUR FULLY RHYME SET THAT FLASH LIKE A BLUR THE WATER IS STILL SO IT'S TIME FOR US TO STIR WITHIN THE FAMILY WE'RE SHARPENIN OUR SWORDS ENTER IN WITH NEGATIVE, GET CHECKED, KID! CONNECTED LIKE SKIN TO YOUR PORES EXPECT IT, EVERY TIME WE STEP IN TO BLOW DOWN YOUR DOOR SO WHAT!? YOU DIDN'T THINK WE COULD ROCK LIKE THIS DIS WITHOUT THE FIST AND STILL PUSH WACKNESS OFF THE PRECIPICE NEVER LET IN ON THE HILL, BORN TO THRILL GOIN WORLDWIDE, YO, THRU THE LORDS WILL IT'S THE CONSCIENCE ONE, THE REMNANT REPRESENTA MILITANT MIND, YAHWEH'S THE EPICENTER BENT YA LIKE PIPES AND BLEW UP LIKE DYNAMITE PHAT EMCEE IS THE STATUS, SO DON'T TEST-AIGHT!? INVASION FROM CELESTIAL LIKE I WAS DEAMONITE TAKIN FLIGHT LIKE I WAS A LOCUST IN THE NIGHT GODS GOT THE BACK, NO NEED FOR HINDSIGHT LIVIN BY THE SPIRIT, NOT BY MY MIGHT (KJ52) I BREAK FORTH LIKE SUMMER ROSES IN JUNE EMPTY TOMBS CROSS MY MENTAL CACCOON, I ASSUME CAPTIVATION BY VERBAL TRANCES OF SPOKEN WORD SPLASHED ONTO THE CANVAS CUASING SPANSES OF HIGHER LEARNING TO SOME FORMS QUITE TOXIC CHRIST FORMS MY OPTIC, CHECK MY LOGIC IT KNOCKS YA OUT LIKE ANASTEZIOLOGIST TAKIN NOTES TO COPY THIS THERE AINT NO STOPPIN THIS I'M DROPPIN THIS MENTAL STRATEGY CUASE WHO'S THE NEXT TO BE THE CASUALTY CHECK MY MASTERPEICE I PRODUCE LINES AND LOCUST SWARM UPON THIS THE QUIET BEFORE THE STORM DO NOT CONFORM TO THE LUKE WARM TENDENCIES ENEMIES FIEND TO APPREHEND ME THE SONS OF INTELLECT WILL NEVER BE DUPLICATED, ORIGINATED KJ5 LEAVES YOU ALL STRAIGHT UP JADED (GOLDENCHILD) SHADOW OF THE LOCUST CONSTANTLY STAY FOCUSED MY WHOLE STYLE IS MAGIC, SO HERE'S THE HOCUS POCUS DON'T OVERDOSE THIS, THE POTIONS TOO POTENT THE USE OF SHARP PHRASES AMAZES EMCEE'S TO GATHER ROUND WITNESS MIRACLES IN THE UNDERGROUND SALIVA DRENCHED MICTROPHONES MAKE WEAK EMCEE'S DROWN THEY TRIED TO APPLY FORCES FROM THEIR WACK HIGH HORSES I THEN USE METHODS OF MEDITATION AND CREATIONS THROUGH SENSATIONS JUST A SOLDIER, THAT'S MY OCCUPATION WHO'S THE GOLDEN ONE? SHINING LIKE THE SUN GETTIN AIR AND ROCKIN MICROPHONES JUST FOR FUN I TAKE OFF YOUR MASK TO DISCOVER OTHER ONES YOU CLONES POISON MICROPHONES AND ANNOY MY EARS LIKE DIAL TONES TIME TO SET YA STRAIGHT LIKE BROKEN BONES I THROW PEBBLES WHILE YOU PERSIST TO THROW STONES IMITATIONS GET SENT BACK LIKE HAITANS FOR THEY PREMEDITATIONS! (ROLDAN) SPIRITUALLY INTOXICATED BIBLICAL CONTEXT DOCTRINE HAS MY SOUL ILLUMINATED THE RISEN MESSIAH IS ANXIOUSLY AWAITED AINTICIPATED BY A NATION, BEFORE CREATION PREDESTINATED TO BE HATED BY MODERN PHARISEE'S WHO ARE MENTALLY DEVASTED PHILISTINE MINDED, CORRUPT ADMINISTRATION IN CONSTANT WAR AGAINST CHOSEN ARMEGEDDON VIRTUAL FIGHTERS HOLY SCRIPTURE, ANGELIC NINJA REMNANT MILITIA MINISTER A CALLED SOLDIER ON THE FRONTLINE IN THIS WORLD WAR 3 RIGHTEOUSS ARMY, DIVINE MILITARY RECEIVING STRATEGIC BATTLE CODES FROM THE TRINITY THOSE FOES WHO OPPOSE JEHOVAH ROFFI WILL BE SENTENCED TO A FIERY PENETENTARY TILL INFINTY, ETERNAL CATASTROPHE IS THE PENALTY FOR UNREPENTED SINS, SCENTED TROOPS OF INIQUITY PERPERTRATORS OF MOUNT ZION CLINGIN ON TO BLASPHEMIC ICONS PRESENT DAY BABYLON LIKE THE POPES OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG-KONG (CONSTRUCT) WHEN THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK WE ATTACK WITH FULL FORCE ARTIFACTS SEALED TO DAT, CONTINUE ON COURSE LIKE AT-AT I WEILD THE SWORD AND POETRY WITH EQUAL SKILL LIKE THE SAMURAIS NEVER ANALYZE, MISSION EXECUTE WITH NO COMPROMISE NOTARIZED BY MY COMMANDEER AND CHIEF TO EXTERMINATE THE FALSE BELIEFS THAT INFILTRATE THE WEAK ZERO TOLERANCE TO FRUADULAENT MINISTER'S OF ANY MANNER WHEN SNAKES RISE AGAINST THE ARCHITECT, THE FAMILY HAMMER DIGITAL VANDALIST, ORIGINAL AMPHYDIS PROGRAMMER DO YOU HAVE THE STAMINA TO OUTLAST THE SOUL DISMANTLER IF SO, FOLLOW THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW DON'T FALL FOR LIES OF PHAROAHS BLOCK THE FIERY ARROWS SHADOW OF THE LOCUST FOCUSED ON THE I AM I ELSHADAI WE GLORIFY TIME IS NIGH, DON'T LET YOUR SOUL RUN DRY NEVER FOLD, STAND BOLD AND IN CONTROL AS THE WINTERS GET COLD WE PLAN TO FULFILL WHAT'S BEEN FORETOLD WITH MILITANT TACTICS, BIBLICAL MATHEMATICS HITTIN YA ATTIC, SQUASHIN HUMAN PHILOSOPHICAL STATIC SINCE GENESIS, BEEN DOIN BATLE WITH MY ARCH NEMESIS SO I CONTINUE UNTIL FROM EARTH WE MAKE OUR EXODUS (OPOSIT) NOW IT'S TIME FOR THEE REMNANT THEOLOGY TO ATTACK SECULAR CEREBELLUM, CUASING FATALITY ITS CHRIST'S REALITY, PUTTIN HOLES IN DEMONS LIKE CAVATIES ACTUALLY, JOHN 3:16, OR FAZE A CASUALTIES ONE REMEDY AGAINST THE DEVIL BE MESSIANICLY, DRAMATICALLY I SPREAD THE SEED EXPOSING HYPROCISY, THEY ACT FANTASY NO APOLOGY NEEDED FROM FALSE CHRISTIANITY LAME PROPANE INVADES LIKE SCUM IN HUMANITY BRAINS NUMB, PROLONGS HITS FROM THE CYCLONE OPOSIT SPREADS THE WORD LIKE TAGS FROM KRYLONS THAT TRAPS BABYLON, DIVERTING THE LOST FROM THE STORM 7TH DIMENSION SWARM STRONG WITH SHADOW OF THE LOCUST TO CAPTIVATE YOUR IRIS AND DROP YOUR DEMONIC FOCUS NOTICE THE DEVIL IS HOPELESS, AND FOR THIS HE WILL PAY DEARLY, FOR CONFUSING THE EARTH FOR CENTURIES DAMAGIN CROPS AND FRUITS FROM TREE'S SINCE ADAM AND EVE, THE PLANETS BEEN DECEIVED SO LUCKY GOD'S WILLING TO FORGIVE SO I'M FREED TO BE CAPTIVE FOR THE LORD, YOU'LL NEVER SEE MY SOUL FALL IN A CASKET
Lyrics & Memories: Iniquities Turn Rust First off, there’s the ‘Suitcase Packed’ intro that appears before this song on the album. While we were in L.A. recording most of this album, I got to meet a group of bikers that had devoted their lives to serving God. They had started an inner city ministry called ‘One Way Posse’. Back in the 80’s they were doin alotta street evangelism to people in the grittiest areas of Hollywood. On one of those occasions they took out a small mixing board and a PA system and recorded a live album of singing and preaching. They had pressed the recording on to vinyl and, after hearing that I was a bit of a DJ, had given me a copy of that wax. The ‘Suitcase Packed’ song was on this record. I dug the sound and thought it would be the perfect intro to the album. It was funny because I was still searchin for an intro. I didn’t want to just fly right into my tracks. I like to build it up a bit. The second sample you hear, right before the song actually starts, is a vocal sample taken from the movie ‘Heat’ with Al Pacino and Robert Deniro. It’s the part where Al Pacino’s wife in the movie is talking to him about his dramatic lifestyle. I chose this sample to reference the idea of the song. In the song I am a hunter, and devils and weak emcee’s are my prey. The chorus of the song ‘Look to the sky, heed the warning’ was taken from a bible verse. While I was in the studio recording ‘Breathe Babylon’ with P.O.D, we ended up using this chorus in the middle of that song also. It was all of our idea that the ‘Babylon’ song would be the official ‘Dirt intro’ to the listeners. And therefore this song would turn out to be like a ‘Breathe Babylon pt.2’. In fact I remember that I was gonna call it ‘Babylon Breathes’ at one time. As a mini chorus, I had DJ Fingaz scratch the line ‘Even men of steel rust’ from a Jeru the Damaja song called ‘hate when the devil’s happy’ (the Sun Rises in the East). I liked this scratch for a couple reasons. To me it states the obvious, that no matter how dope you think you are, you have weaknesses. And once those weaknesses are exposed, no matter how small they may be, they will become like raw steel when exposed to water and the elements. In my opinion only God is above that ‘rust factor’. This song, like most of the Plague album was initially recorded in Hollywood but remixed a couple of times in San Diego and L.A. before the album was released. I chose to place it first on the album because I wanted to set the standard high in the beginning and loosen up from there. This was my first album. My first opportunity to display what I have to listeners. One of my biggest problems with the Christian hiphop music industry was that there seemed to be an attitude that believing emcee’s were not allowed to go to war. On the contrary, life is full of inner and outer warfare. And in my mind the most prepared people for a ‘military conflict’ are those that are willing to stand up for their beliefs even unto martyrdom. There are certain things that I believe in that no one can shake me from. And in this song I wanted to show that I don’t have to submit to these things that would rather see me fail in my attempts to devote myself to my beliefs. Placing the song first on the album was me saying ‘we can have fun later, but here’s who I am if you wanna get down and dirty! INIQUITIES TURN RUST
LOOK TO THE SKY HEED THE WARNING USE YOUR AMMUNITION WITH DISCRETION CAUSE WHEN BULLETS RUN OUT AND ALL THE SMOKE CLEARS ALL YOU SEE IS WARRIORS COMIN' NEAR............... vs.1_ I FEEL A SLIGHT PAIN AS BULLETS BOUNCE FROM ME EVEN HALLOW-----------TIPS COULD NOT PENETRATE MY ARMORY SCALIN' WALLS LIKE SOLDIER, CHARGE LIKE WARRIOR (JOEL 2:7) KILL ENEMY---------- TAKIN' NO PRISONER I'M INVADIN' YOUR NATION (JOEL 1:6) YOUR WALLS ARE WEAK CAUSE THEY WERE BUILT WITH TRANSGRESSIONS I'M CHARGED UP LIKE ELECTRONIC, SUPER BIONIC CHEMICALS AGAINST YOUR WORLDLY ELEMENTS YOU GATHER YOUR SKILLS YOU BRING YOUR SCIENCE I SHOOT THEM FULL OF HOLES AND NOW YOU CALL ON YOUR BALLISTICS TO INVESTIGATE THE MURDER SCENE BUT IT'S TOO LATE, CAUSE I BURNT UP ALL EVIDENCE WITH GASOLINE AND FLAME, NOW WATCH YOUR HABITS GET TAMED ON TO THE NEXT SPOT FOR MORE LESSONS TO OBTAIN YOUR DETECTIVES RECOGNIZE MY M.O. BUT THEY CAN'T CATCH ME CAUSE I'M HIDIN' IN THE SHADOW chorus YOUR WEAPONS CAN'T DEFEND YOU EMCEE ("EVEN MEN OF STEEL RUST") 2x's V.2 "I'M LEAVIN'" BUT YOU CAN'T RUN TOO FAR I USE PERCEPTION TO TRACK DOWN WERE YOU ARE AND CHANGE YOUR WHOLE SCENE LIKE OIL FILTER I'M STRATEGICALLY PLACED LIKE THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR........... LOOK TO THE SKY HEED THE WARNING USE YOUR SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND MAKE THE TRANSITION CAUSE WHEN ROOKS ARE GONE AND YOUR QUEEN IS COMMANDEERED ALL YOU SEE IS WARRIORS COMIN' NEAR I START STRIKIN' LIKE LIGHTNING, STICKIN' LIKE LICHEN OPPOSITION GETS MENTAL WHIPPIN' MY MIND IS SUPERVISED I'M PICKIN UP SIGNALS FROM THE SATELLITE TRANSMISSION RECEIVED FIND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WAS LOST AND RETRIEVE I'M CONCENTRATED LIKE THE FROZEN LIQUID MY SOUL RADIATES MAKIN' YOUR MIND GET FRUSTRATED I BRING THE SHADOW TO THE MIND OF A CARNAL MAN LIKE SPEARS ARE BROUGHT TO THE ANTELOPES BY THE AFRICANS APPETITE INSATIABLE YOU TRIED TO KILL LIKE CAIN BUT YOUR JUST NOT ABLE chorus 2x's
Lyrics & Memories: Mustard Seed >>>SEE THE OFFICIAL VIDEO HERE!<<< Alotta History behind this song! For one it was my personal favorite song on the PLAGUE album next to ‘a Chapter a Day’. Both these songs always stood out in my mind. Mustard Seed, because it was just a raw track. There was really no point to the song besides to be ill! I built the song around the scratch. One day at a swap meet I found two old Star Wars records. ON WAX! They were story records that used actual samples from the movie (instead of those cheesy second rate actors and noise effects on some of those old tapes/records). I was lit! I was so excited about it! I found ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’ both on wax, took em home and placed em on the Technics. I was doin some house chores while listening to them. Towards the end of ‘Return of the Jedi’ came that infamous scene were Luke is goin nuts on Darth Vader. He almost kills him! And then Emperor Palpatine comes in and says (paraphrasing)”Good! Good! Now kill your father and take your place at my side!” OH MAN! That scene is crazy! But our boy Luke doesn’t submit. He turns his lightsaber off and says, “Never, I’ll never turn to the darkside.”. And now…rotating on my turntable, I had this all on wax! I was trippin! I immediately concepted this idea where I would just scratch Luke saying the first ‘never’ through the chorus. People would be like, what is that scratch saying!?’. It would hook them into the rest of the song! Then all the way at the end of the song POW! Hit em with the rest of the line! Needless to say, the end result is phat! I remember that we recorded this song in one of his friends personal studios. They didn’t have DJ gear in there so Fingaz was on the floor while he was laying down the scratches. But that night when I first heard my idea getting dropped in reality…I knew this song was gonna come nice! The beginning vocal sample is Emperor Palpatine laughing and then telling Luke to kill his father and join him at his side. It was sampled backwards on the turntable (I got to do that!) by simply turning the Technic off and pushing it in reverse with my finger. (Hey! We didn’t have all those fancy computer programs that do it automatically nowadays!) . It ended up causing the biggest stink in the Christian market. I remember a few times some pastors calling rescue Records and complaining that I was satanic because I had some ‘evil backwards satanic bible verse’ playing at the beginning of Mustard Seed. If you listen at the end of the song to the last vocal sample of Luke finally saying, “Never, I’ll never turn to the darkside.”. You can actually hear the crackle of his lightsaber turning off. I LOVE THAT! When I went on tour with POD, this song and Chant seemed to be the heavy hitters with the peoples. A few times I was able to actually have a DJ with me to do the chorus (usually Mike Czech or Manny) but most times it was just a crowd interaction thing. I would yell for everyone to say, ‘NEVER…I’LL NEVER TURN TO THE DARKSIDE!’. Then the crowd would respond by repeating me in this crazy loud ruckus! Somewhere in 98 or 99 I was at a local show and started jokin around on stage. Instead of just doin the back and forth scream of the chorus with the crowd. I tried to mimic the actual scratching noises on the album version of the song (think Rahzel from the Roots). It was purely screwing around and havin fun, but after the show a bunch of kids remarked how it was fun to do that. Then a couple of shows later before I went on, a couple people came up and asked if I was ‘gonna do that scratching thing on Mustard Seed’. Truthfully I had thought it was a bit silly. But I promised them that I would. Then everytime I did a local show people started to make me promise that I would do it and so it has been to this day! Its really quite funny how some of these stage habits get started (throwing up the ‘Locustfist’ started the same, almost as a joke that just stuck with the crowd). This is one of the few songs that got recorded a few times before the album version. It was done in Diego at ‘Green Leaf’ studio with Fingaz crew. And then again, later, in the Hollywood sessions. It was mixed a couple times also before the final version. I always thought Fingaz came raw with that dope piano loop. George Lucas, please don’t sue me. This song was remixed for ‘the Upsetter Mixtape’, 2009. Mustard Seed
BODY FRAME LICKLE-BUT STILL DAVID ROCKED GOLIATH HOTTER THAN THE PLANET SITH FLAMING ARROWS COMETH BUT THEY USUALLY MISS AND THOSE HITTING TARGETS ARE GETTING EXTINGUISHED I SPEAK MY OWN SLANG LIKE PATOIS DISPATCH LYRICS TO GRAB YA AND NEVER EVER LET GO INSECTS MOVE OUT THROUGHOUT THE GHETTO SPICING UP ACTIVITIES LIKE DRIED OREGANO GIVING UNDERGROUND PEOPLE H.E.A.T. WITH A FINGAZ MIX-DOWN THAT SMASH THE CONCRETE TUNE IT- INTO YOUR MENTAL STATION TRANSMITTING- ANNIHILATION TO YOUR FOUNDATION IT CRUMBLES THEN IT COLLAPSES SHADOW MOVES LIKE VIRUS WORLDLY SYSTEM CAR-ASHES PHILOSOPHIES OF TRANSGRESSION AND YET WE SIT IN CLASSES AND STUDY THE LESSONS FIELD SOULJAZ AND LOCUST LETS PUT IT TO WORK INDIVIDUALS DONT MOVE AND STILL GET HURT THE GUNS ARE ON THE BLOCK- PEOPLE ACTIN HARDER THAT ROCK TEMPLES DESTROYED FROM CRACK PIPES THAT BURN HOT LETS MISDIRECT THE MISDIRECTION SIT DOWN AT TABLES AND COME UP WITH PROPOSITIONS TO UPROOT TEENAGE STAGNATION AND DESTROY GUN TOWERS THAT SHOOT PERVERSE AMMUNITION (Chorus Scratch "Never, I'll Never Turn to the Darkside") GRIP EVERYONE UP- WHATS UP- WE GET RAW WITH NO WEED OR ALCOHOL WITH THE HOLY-SPIRIT WE LICK UP THE DANCEHALL CARRY OUT LIKE U-HUAL MAKE ENEMIES SIT DOWN LIKE BATHROOM STALL PUT TITLES ON WICKED EMCEES LIKE TOMBSTONE LET THEM DO THEIR SOUND CHECK THEN BLOW-UP THEIR MICROPHONE THE ATTITUDE-CHILL LIKE THE CORNER CAFE THE WEAPONS-TAPEDECKS WITH REVERSE PLAY THE ONLY GHOSTFACE THAT YOU CANNOT KILL SOUND SYSTEM MOBILIZE "DIRT UP IN YOUR GRILL NO EAST OR WEST BECAUSE WE PENTE-COAST-AL DONT TRY TO MASTER THIS CUASE WE METHOD-IS TO GET UP IN YOUR FACE LIKE ZIT AND TRANSMIT (Chorus Scratch "Never, I'll Never Turn to the Darkside") CHECK THE IMPLOSION- LOCUST STARTED WITH ME- BUT LOCUST IS NOT ME LOCUST IS US MANY ROCKS CRUSH CUP RIGHTEUOSS PEOPLE GET UP AND NEVER DEGENERATE DONT GIVE UP LIKE STORES THAT LIQUIDATE RECORD FREESTYLES ON HIGH RESONANCE TAPES HADES LOCKS ME BUT WE FIND FIRE ESCAPES ---AND BRING IT HARD LIKE IMPACT CANT FIND RIGHTEOUSNESS LIKE NEEDLE IN HAYSTACK POLICE STICK US TO THE WALL LIKE A THUMBTACK PEOPLE BURN US WITH JUDGMENTS SIMILAR TO SHADRACH - BUT IT COMES STEREO PHONIC AND BLOWS YOUR EARDRUMS WITH THUNDERCLAP LYRICS DON'T GET MAD....TAKE A DEEP BREATHE AND COUNT TO TEN SETTIN OFF CAR ALARMS WITH HIGH POWERED VIBRATIONS YOUR MAN TOLD YOU, THAT YOU OUGHTA, BRING YOUR CAMCORDER AND RECORD IT ON FILM, WE BURN HOT LIKE KILN CHECK IT OUT, NO DOUBT, THEN BURN OU LIKE THE END OF A JET THE SEED IS BREAKING BRICK WALLS IN THE PROJECT |
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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