Cover art for Shallow Days by Blackalicious

Shallow Days

Blackalicious
Track 7 on Nia 

Produced by

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Shallow Days Lyrics

[Verse 2]
I said "Don't you know the powers that be
Are using people as pawns, devouring we
Until they see us all gone and outta the scene"
And as I passed the chronic, he said "look at where I be
I tried to get a job for real
But all the homies hit liqs and rob and steal
And keep fat pockets caught in a rut to catch ground
This way's in, plus who could you trust?"
I said "I'm all about protecting mine
But neglected minds be gettin' left behind
Why don't you change your environment?"
He said "This is all I know
Plus my fam's all that I got, I can't go"
I said "You gotta make it for the fams"
"Damn," he said "I didn't make the ghetto
The ghetto made the man"
I said "You're more than just that,"
Shook his hand, said "Damn, you gotta find a way
To break the devil's master plan, peace"

[Chorus]
Shallow days, you never wanna
Let a brother be a brother
Fully inner to the outer
Caught up in all them hollow nights
Can't escape cause everywhere that I look
People front, and it just ain't right
(repeat)
[Verse 3]
The word "peace" is just an expression
Used to say bye when it's time to jet

And them red black and green medallions
Was all just part of the trend, I guess
Hardly ever them around brothers' necks no more
Instead of that gold, gats;

Inspiring gangstas and macks
Who at the young age of four
Be seeing more drama than war veterans
Instead of learning God's laws
And hip-hop is a voice that we enlisted
To express how we be feeling about this and that
But music does reflect life
And kids look up to what you're portraying
And mimic what you act like
It's time for a new day
An era in rap, conscious styles
Makin' them aware of the happenings
But their ears seem more steered towards
Self-annihilation so then they might laugh
And write this off, like I'm out here just
Blowing wind, maybe label us soft or unreal
Something they just can't feel,
while they yell
"murder murder murder, kill kill kill"

[Hook]
I just keep movin' on (moving on ...)
I just keep movin' on (moving on ...)

[Outro]
Shallow days / hollow nights
(repeat)

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Genius Annotation

This song is about how shallow most rap and hip hop music is today, and how we should be careful what we say because it influences people’s behaviour, especially children.

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