Runnin’ like a parkin’ meter on its last minute
At the point ya just can’t tell how much is left in it
You could run this village down to the grain
Tie it up in handcuffs, but the color doesn’t fade
Or answer to your highness, lights and sirens
Drillin’ the surface to find another Osiris
Criminal minded or survivalist
This ain’t the East, South, West or North side of it

This is just lopsided math
This is the other side of the badge
This is the other side of the badge
I said this is the other side of the badge
Your lieutenant gots a band vendetta
Slams the office door twice a mornin’, I think he’s fed up
Rookies on the squad just don’t seem to let up
And the DA’s back on the bottle with Celexa

Shoot’s the afternoon at the range with a Stella
Kill’s a few brain cells, drains the beretta
Tries to forget it, so goes the city
Ghetto gorgeous, but ain’t a damn thing pretty
So enormous that can’t a damn frame fit it
Some try and hold it, but they can’t lift
Threatenin’ to jump off the curb again
Shiiiit, it ain’t nothin’ but an urban ledge- it goes

Church is closed and the time for prayer is over
Brother, I don’t understand what ya waitin’ for
They gonna reach for their piece ‘for your reachin’ Jesus
Your lord ain’t the one in charge
Ooooooh, yes it’s on
It’s all about what ya can’t afford
This is survivin’
My, my, my

Born unadorned, against the wall, underneath a storm
Baby, don’t blame nobody for defendin’ what they call home
Holdin’ a gun up against the law

So, it goes simple
As full names and info get blown, exposed and swindled
Through the wire shootin’ fire, barterin’ with souls
Makes me wanna throw the fuckin’ kitchen sink out the window
Still in limbo, they’re still on patrol
You’re in the middle of a building tryin’ to build a home
And it’s irony entirely the building is owned
You’re doin’ everything you can between a ceiling and floor

Maybe home isn’t the place to bleed the cash just to sleep in
Dreamin’ of just the feelin’ to walk the kingdom
Maybe it’s the hole in the floor you wake up to and ask the question,
“Where the hell’s it all headed?
How much longer can we walk in this war without sweatin’,
Holdin’ a weapon as our only leverage?”
Our chest’s holdin’ our hearts in a deadlift
No objective- Just death and acceptance

Either your patience is runnin’ paper thin with rough edges
Or life is just a rough draft without the edit
Whatever. Kids are gettin’ shot before high school
A low-income life lost, but what was it to you?
What was it to you?
What was it to you?
What was it to you?
What was it to you?
What was it to you?
What was it to you?
-
Chorus
I’m walkin’ twilight
In a blind fight
Might be your law
But it ain’t mine
-
Eric Floyd seemed to got the drop on your boys
You say he better run, but runnin’ ain’t a choice
Get smart, drop the gun, let’em claim a coward
This side of the equation been runnin’ since the Mayflower
Nobody ain’t about to wait for your approval
Before they wipe the slate clean with blue stain removal
One cop, two cop, three cop, four cop
Got the whole squad kickin’ in the door knob

We say “hold up” to make time stretch
Countin’ cash or countin’ on a blind guess
Subsidized housin’, but it’s still high rent
Payments of innocence, time- payin’ with debt
Payin’ with childhoods, daylight, spray paint and sweat
Payin’ to death, but still paid no respect
Ghetto war veterans sittin’ still
Either waitin for a bus, or waitin’ for a miracle

I can hear the shrills, the prayers, affirmations
The conflict of stoplights and tires against the pavement
Broken safe nets and morals
Where no grand jury can tell between the Joes and the Cobras
Lock our hopes up, but we keep alive yet
For runnin’ so much you’d think we were destined for flyin’
Findin’ peace in a losin’ game
Believin’ in the water in a city of loose flames

Chorus