"Respiration" is a song by American rappers Mos Def and Talib Kweli, collectively known as Black Star. It was released as the second single from the duo’s eponymously titled 1998 album (see 1998 in music). It features a guest verse from fellow American rapper Common and guitar playing by DeChown Jenkins. The song’s production was handled by Hi-Tek, who sampled "The Fox" as performed by Don Randi. In addition, the song's introduction samples a monologue from the hip hop documentary Style Wars. It is found on Best of Decade I: 1995-2005, a compilation of Rawkus Records' best songs. It can also be found on Howie B's compilation album Another Late Night: Howie B. The single reached #54 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
lyrics
Lyrics
The new moon rode high in the crown of the metropolis
Shining, like who on top of this?
People was hustling, arguing and bustling
Gangsters of Gotham hardcore hustling
I'm wrestling with words and ideas
My ears is picky, seeking what will transmit
The scribes can apply to 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 narcotic
Strength in metal and fiber optics
Where mercenaries is paid to trade hot stock tips
For profits, thirsty criminals take pockets
Hard knuckles on the second hands of working class watches
Skyscrapers is colossus, the cost of living is preposterous
Stay alive, you play or die, no options
No Batman and Robin (what?)
Can't tell between the cops and the robbers
They both partners, they all heartless
With no conscience, backstreets stay darkened
Where unbeliever hearts stay hardened
My eagle talons stay sharpened, like city lights stay throbbing
You either make a way or stay sobbing, 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 to savages, NASDAQ averages
My narrative, rose to explain this existence
Amidst the harbor lights which remain in the distance
So much on my mind that it can't recline
Blasting holes in the night 'til 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 breathing
Chest heaving, against the flesh of the evening
Sigh before we die like the last train leaving
Escuchela, respirando como yo
Ojos sinceros, escondiendo pena y temor
El silencio de mentira, tocando al hogar
Escapando sentimientos entre ella y yo
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
Mixing down emotions, struggle I hadn't mastered
I choreograph seven steps to Heaven (what?)
Inhale 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 (yeah), just to touch home
From the crib, I spend months gone
Sat by the window with a clutched dome
Listening to shawties 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, creating 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
It's deep, I heard my man breathe in his sleep
Of reality, I touch, but for me, it's hard to keep
So much on my mind, I just 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
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 leaving
The debut from Brazilian musician, songwriter and producer Pedro Guinu is a rich amalgamation of Brazilian music and African rhythms. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 8, 2022
30 tunes from the Tru Thoughts crew (incl. Quantic, Alice, Seshen, etc.) for less than the cost of a bag of fish-n-chips. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 30, 2015
