Black Star — Respiration

[Intro] "What'd you do last night?" "We did, umm, two whole cars It was me, Dez, and Mean Three, right? And on the first car in small letters it said 'All you see is…' and then, you know Big, big, you know, some block silver letters That said 'crime in the city', right?" "It just took up the whole car?" "Yeah, yeah, it was a whole car and shit..." Escúchela, la ciudad respirando Escúchela, la ciudad respirando Escúchela, la ciudad respirando Escúchela... [Verse 1: Mos Def] The new moon rode high in the crown of the metropolis Shinin', like "Who on top of this?" People was tusslin', arguin' and bustlin' Gangstas of Gotham hardcore hustlin' I'm wrestlin' with words and ideas My ears is pricked, seekin' what will transmit The scribes can apply the transcript Yo, this ain't no time where the usual is suitable Tonight alive, let's describe the inscrutable, the indisputable (What!) We New York, the narcotics, draped in metal and fiber optics Where mercenaries is paid to trade hot stock tips for profits Thirsty criminals sic pockets Hard knuckles on the second hands of working-class watches Skyscrapers is colossus, the cost of livin' is preposterous Stay alive? You pay or die, no options No Batman and Robin Can't tell between the cops and the robbers They both partners, they all heartless, with no conscience Back streets stay darkened, while unbeliever hearts stay hardened My eagle talons stay sharpened, like city lights stay throbbin' You either make your way or stay sobbin' The shiny Apple is bruised, but sweet And if you choose to eat, you could lose your teeth Many crews retreat Nightly news repeat who got shot down and locked down Spotlight the savages, NASDAQ averages My narrative grows to explain this existence Amidst the harbor lights which remain in the distance [Chorus: Mos Def, all] So much on my mind that I can't recline Blastin' holes in the night 'til she bled sunshine Breathe in, inhale vapors from bright stars that shine Breathe out, weed smoke retrace the skyline Heard the bass ride out like an ancient mating call I can't take it, y'all! I can feel the city breathin' Chest heavin', against the flesh of the evenin' The sigh before we die like the last train leavin' [Verse 2: Talib Kweli] Breathin' in deep city breaths, sittin' on shitty steps We stoop to new lows, Hell froze the night the city slept The Beast crept through concrete jungles Communicatin' with one another and ghetto birds Where waters fall from the hydrants to the gutters The Beast walk the beats, but the beats we be makin' You on the wrong side of the track, lookin' visibly shaken Takin' them plungers Plungin' to death that's painted by the numbers With Krylon applied pressure Cats is playin' God, but havin' children by a lesser baby mother But fuck it, we played against each other like puppets Swearin' you got pull When the only pull you got is the wool over your eyes Gettin' knowledge in jail like a blessin' in disguise Look in the skies for God, what you see besides the smog Is broken dreams flyin' away on the wings of the obscene Thoughts that people put in the air Places where you could get murdered over a glare But everythin' is fair It's a paradox we call reality So keepin' it real will make you a casualty of abnormal normality Killers Born Naturally like Mickey and Mallory Not knowin' the ways'll get you capped like an NBA salary Some cats be emceein' to illustrate what we be seein' Hard to be a spiritual being when shit is shakin' what you believe in For trees to grow in Brooklyn, seeds need to be planted I'm askin' if y'all feel me and the crowd left me stranded My blood pressure boiled and rose 'Cause New York niggas actin' spoiled at shows To the winners, the spoils go I take the L, transfer to the 2, head to the gates New York life type trife, the Roman Empire state [Chorus: Common, Mos Def, all] So much on my mind, I just can't recline Blastin' holes in the night till she bled sunshine Breathe in, inhale vapors from bright stars that shine Breathe out, weed smoke retrace the skyline Yo, don't the bass ride out like an ancient mating call? I can't take it, y'all! I can feel the city breathin' Chest heavin', against the flesh of the evenin' The sigh before we die like the last train leavin' [Spanish-speaking woman] ¡Escuchela... Respirando como yo… Ojos sinceros, escondiendo pena y temor… El silencio de mentira, tocando al hogar escapando sentimientos entre ella y yo… [Verse 3: Common] Yo, on The Amen, corner I stood lookin' at my former hood Felt the spirit in the wind, knew my friend was gone for good Threw dirt on the casket, the hurt, I couldn't mask it Mixin' down emotions, struggle I hadn't mastered I choreograph seven steps to Heaven In Hell, waitin' to exhale and make the bread leaven Veteran of a cold war; it's Chica-I-go for What I know or what's known So some days I take the bus home, just to touch home From the crib, I spend months gone Sat by the window with a clutched dome Listenin' to shorties cuss long Young girls with weak minds, but they butt strong Tried to call, or at least beep the Lord but didn't have a touch-tone It's a dog-eat-dog world, you gotta mush on Some of this land I must own Outta the city, they want us gone Tearin' down the 'jects, creatin' plush homes My circumstance is between Cabrini and Love Jones Surrounded by hate, yet I love home Asked my guy how he thought travelin' the world sound Found it hard to imagine he hadn't been past Downtown It's deep, I heard the city breathe in its sleep Of reality I touch, but for me it's hard to keep Deep, I heard my man breathe in his sleep Of reality I touch, but for me it's hard to keep [Chorus: Mos Def, Mos Def and Talib Kweli, all] So much on my mind, I just can't recline Blastin' holes in the night till she bled sunshine Breathe in, inhale vapors from bright stars that shine Breathe out, weed smoke retrace the skyline Yo, how the bass ride out like an ancient mating call? I can't take it, y'all! I can feel the city breathin' Chest heavin', against the flesh of the evenin' Kiss the odds goodbye, I'm on the last train leavin'