When you’re hungry, any food at all will suffice. However, in this context, it is meant in a more figurative sense. “Scraps from the table” can mean minimum wage jobs, welfare, petty crime and other insufficient means of sustenance. Though insufficient, it kept them alive.

These are the most basic and most important things one needs in life to live comfortably. Everybody has the right to have these things, so don’t let the system keep them from you.

“Bunchy” Carter was an African American activist who was killed on January 17, 1969. He is celebrated by his supporters as a martyr in the Black Power movement in the United States.

Dead Prez are admittedly aligned with Socialist ideals and political philosophies, which focus on making sure every single member of society benefits from the system and has equal living conditions and thus equal opportunity to thrive.

Commissary is your jail bank account, pretty much. Getting out of jail before you ever have a need for commissary is the best policy. Besides, you can’t make money if you’re in jail, so it’s necessary to spend the least amount of time in there as possible so you can get back to the money.

He puts his family first and above all other things.

The word ‘every’ is shortened from ‘everything’ to keep the rhyme scheme going.

This could mean one of two things:

He met his wife (to be) during dark times and she inspired him to over come his struggles.

Or,

His wife faithfully stood by him during dark times and helped him get out of them, whether financially, mentally and emotionally or otherwise. (“they thought they had me buried” could be referencing jail time)

Lenny Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actor and arranger, whose “retro” style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads.

Porcelain is clay and breaks easily. R.A. will break your spine when he touches the mic.