Going Out Swinging.

Rarely been known to pause
running through dark halls, no pass
little etiquette, blown, always late for class
no matter how you label it;
I hop on the grass.
Strapped to the teeth
school of hard knocks
Heard the bell ringing
going out swinging
never learned my lesson
cant always be grinning
Imma die on my feet
fail/ pass
blas - phemous
i live life fast, superfluous
damn how time passed us
life's a race
can't always be the fastest
the most furious.
Necio to the core
couldn't reach God
w a thousand pastors,
blowin' trees w forgotten bastards
lower class peoples making moves
not just staying curious
make it to the top
still not used to doin' this;
attentive, on point, never clueless
quick to learn
standing firm, nothing moving us.
street thought,
counter culture living, makes me squirm
devil by my side
still refuse to give in
underground food for thought
last supper status homey, dig in
all up in the spot
heavyweight bout
got that rhythm swinging
can't seem to stop sinning
I'm just doing me
shoes laced up, 12th round
heavy in this game
I'm not gonna be trippin'
cooking up a scheme,
yes I'm heavy in the kitchen
active while others stay prayin & wishin'
break bread, hit the streets fuck it
if I don't make it out this mission
higher than a satellite and I stay twistin'
most ain't even knowing
half the shit i'm riskin'
scaring every single good god fearing christian
moving hella forward
you just reminiscin'
turn this shit up loud now
hold up homey, listen
[Radio Callejera...]
peep what i envision
turn on your mind
turn off that television
structuring gutter street thought
check how it glistens.

Corazon.

warmth
comfort
healer,
she who
welcomes,
by my side
caress
hold her tight
if this be love,
love with all your might
main squeeze,
squeeze her right
rhythm, lots of rhythm
relax, breathe
everything's going to be alright.

[Radio Callejera]

Radio callejera, real gutter talk
We comin' up money, you gotta feel it
Open your ears spark up a tree
Forrest fire status, light up the dark
All my peers in the cipher is gonna agree
We're all on point and forever sharp
Three cheers for all the homeys from mid-city
Nothing for the haters that can't stand me
Refuse to believe that I'm the o-n-e
Tell'em beware of my demented lyrical potency
Lower class poetry, got all them saying
"Woe is me"
Mind in the gutter,
A fighter and a lover,
You might be going the distance
But I'm going a whole lot further,
If this is food for thought
Homey, I'm your server,
The microphone beckons
I get first dibs,
All ya'll fight over sloppy seconds
Break your spirit
Damn near might need a legal observer
Hope you're taking notes
These here are crucial life lessons
My folks are all deviant word herders
And I'm the black sheep of the bunch
Sent down by the heavens
Acknowledge my presence
No pity for the victims of arrogance
Feel the wrath of hustling ass peasants
With that essential
Gridy south central essence
I'll break you and still be eloquent
Forever grimy like it was my inheritance
Let me give you the chills, check it
None of these troops I run with
Lack intelligence
Now, I wonder who's down to try me
Late bloomer, woulda been here sooner
For the longest my myth was just a rumor
Bastard flow, the gift was neglected
But now peep game, respect it
Inked up nice far from a lame
Street refined the rep behind the brand name
I'm by no means what you expected
Noticed the flaws, all i did
Was perfect it, radio callejera
Not mainstream, hasta que me muera
Doing this desde afuera, cosa nostra
So many angles for our thing,
You'd swear i was connected...

Perpetual Mind State (Biggie Smalls Sample)

Perpetual Mind State (Last Day Biggie Sample) by ElGrasshopper

If ever the mind awoke
Now would be appropriate,
Words now opiates
Surrounded by the worlds illest associates
Reclaiming whatever the state expropriates
Experience, feel the movement elevate
And here in the mine we continue to excavate
No, no movement cannot hesitate
On the level, watch few become several
Clocking in, diggin for new thoughts
Is on the schedule, perpetual
Mind state, watch us all orchestrate
Collectively coming out the woods and ghetto
The enemy employs scare tactics, and those tactics
Can make many a path deviate
All for the love of dinero,
Pero aqui nos tienen
Siempre buscando el proximo pedo
Do this for the love of it
Nirvana seeking madman
Epiphany bound,
Collective victory is eventual
Path is lit by some sick ill mental
Thinking outside the box
Scheming always non conventional
Militant minded, fresh from the
Realm where dreams can never be blinded
Psychological warfare always intentional
Visions branded as non consensual
Still my weapon of choice
Remains brains, pad and pencil
Tripping if you think you're
Catching me slipping like a menso
Most couldn't grasp
Half the crazy shit que pienso
I'm the type of soul
Que no puede guardar silencio
Loud mouth foo, palabra es incendio
If the whole world's a stage
I've been handed a deviant role
My script has many a page
Every new scene explains the story told
The drama begins to unfold
Authors side note: the story written
Was by no means easy to mold
Spirit left body
And body began to float
Shit got mad hectic, damn near lost hope
From the rubble of inner earthquakes
A new voice spoke, stronger foundation created
Learned from my mistakes, new soul awoke.

FISTFUL

Bout to refine rowdy thought
Big plans to plot,
This here is the revenge of the hungry ass
Griddy have nots.
Big homey listen, we cooking up schemes
Heavy in the kitchen
Racking the food the fridge,
The stove, the pans and even the pots.
Our seeds be our crops
And it seems like forever and a day
I'm avoiding these big city cops
Forever trying to get me in prison
Always aiming to stop our advancement
Handcuffs and harassment
The shit don't stop
But the way they mean mug,
You'd swear they're on the muthafuckin jock
Yet its not me, who's the real thug
Boys in blue, love to hate
And hate to show love
Grab their strap and go pop, pop
Another victim of the system casually drop.
Got me going schitzo,
Out to get dollars
And we're aiming for more than just a fist full
Some argue that we
Can't go against the states sacred ritual
But I'm breaking out this poverty
Coup de ta' working class robbery
Will this struggle go on forever?
I don't know but, shit, probably
Now I ask you, are you down to follow me?
This whole life been nothing more
Than a magnificent anomaly
And I choose to contemplate
Better alone than in bad company
Been a cool minute
Since I last chilled comfortably
Like always in the presence of a friendly enemy
That's always testing me
Don't ever under estimate
The peasant in me, cos the peasant in me
Always over comes ever so griddy
Don't test the love I have for my city
Intelligent and witty
Spoon feed you ugly,
Cos the shit ain't always pretty
But the shit is always lovely
The lord as my witness
That hovers high above me,
No lie, consultant to the ones that's struggling
Till my very last breathe Imma do my own thing
Imma maintain this grin till
We muthafucken win,
Don't you dare try and stop me
Tired of this poverty
So you best believe
I'm jackin my freedom like it's all out
Strong armed robbery.

From Now to Eternity (Know the Ledge Cover)

From Now To Eternity (Eric B and Rakim Sample) by ElGrasshopper

Another Level

Photo Courtesy of David A. Phillips.
(www.witheveryblink.com)

Sometimes scared cuz i roll w/ sacred death
she stares at my essence and I hold in my breath
where was she, when i was at my lowest
body on the concrete
just before my spirit damn near left?
don't judge lest ye be judged
she said, "my dude, watch your step"
i'm on another level,
few can handle shady deals w the devil
the fallen however are several
here i rise, harsh truths, see through lies
how do you think i made it out the ghetto?
gotta create with the rubble
so goes life in and out of the struggle
pray and at all times remain humble
refrain from those who maintain
true to their constant stumbles
through this trip many minds flip
rest in peace to all my aunts and uncles
murked by a system bent on making bank off
their undocumented hustle
politrickin chicken shit politicians
always tryin to kill dreams we envision
gotta watch out
its not always gold just cus it glistens
many fronts not all
come with bow ties and ribbons
but united we become an iller role call
all in together getting out our mental prisons
whatever it takes to leave our grain of sand
for our grand daughters and sons to live in
forever watched over by a greater spirit
smarter methods of getting lifted
gotta guarantee the seeds remain gifted
so i blatantly live life to
uncover all of its hidden secrets
peep it, i live life and
constantly grim reap it
that's my quest and imma keep it
like giving a pledge to live life on the edge
certified madman with nothing more than
linguistic tongue twisting message
not quite the bad atheist,
not quite the good christian.