[Intro: Martin Luther King Jr. & The Florida Mass Choir ]
A long life—longevity has its place ( Storm cloud rising )
I just want to do God’s will ( Let's go home )
And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain ( I see— )
[Verse 1: Ghetts]
Mum, I know you cringe when I make out like we was poor
Like I only had a meal or two when it's really three or four
You my Donda West, my Afeni Shakur
Sons hardly live with dads, but who was needed more?
Dad, I know you cringe when I make out like you weren't there
Like I only ever saw you Christmas' and New Year
Men will be men, what I witnessed ain't too rarе
You're my nigga if you care ( Yeah )
Granny probably watchin' ovеr me in disbelief
Disappointed in me every time she see me
You know the sayin', "Practice makes perfect"
Well, I'll be perfect if I practised what I preached
It wasn't like a TLC that made me creep
It was a sister with a voice that made me weak
It was a childhood destiny who made me free
Now, I couldn't stop the sugar babes, it make me sweet
Have you ever picked a rose just to analyze the thorns?
Have you ever played chess just to sacrifice the pawns?
I've seen the Devil in the flesh and tried to grab him by the horns
It's been death after death without havin' time to mourn
Have you ever been in Hell and given Paradise a thought?
And felt paralyzed when tryna push the man inside forward
Growin' up, all my brothers wanted to be filthy rich
I went legit and got a sanitized fortune
I got brothers with spare time watchin' the clocks
I know trappers turn traders, watchin' the stocks
Dumb bitches with smartphones as common as dogs
I see them gentrify the ends, demolish the blocks
And then televise offence, you can watch from your spot
Hard to recognize my friend when he forgot who he was
I said, "How can I depend on any plot that's been lost"
See, every night, I just repent and pray God isn't gone
I'm from the bad block, shootin', stabbings, crack spots
If bro and dem can't find your team, they'll shoot the mascot
Pussies can't walk in my shoes, man are Sasquatch
And, you ain't never bet on yourself and hit the jackpot
[Verse 2: Kano]
Drop sixty on jewels, this kettle Cameron, it's already tripled itself
Shh, I grew up weird, who was there?
Question never gets the truth, you dare
Talkin' in the station wasn't cool unless it's cool offence
Talkin' 'bout the flavours déjà vu 'cause when the cools' there
Who knew that all this pain up in one room would make us fortunares?
So many artists backs to wall, it's like the Louvre there
You can swim or you can snorkel there, sinkin' ain't an option 'round this ruthless-sphere
They grew up square
If you not been Turkey, teeth out, bet the lawyers want a souvenirs
I got some readies in my pocket
Water down your content, got some Skellies in my closet
Between tellin' and the tourin', know you smell on me is profit
The only thing that's promised is we'll end up in a coffin
Hope you stood for something or fall for everything
Just in, just in the top threes if I ain't restin' it, but the creds legit
That's the vibes, got you all in check like I was Busta in his prime
Shooters dem on deck, but I gain confidence in these shines
Man'll loopin' off your necklace, best you tuck in all those diamonds
Survivors guilt
I didn't learn 'bout the Bible skill
But, I know the big man up there blessin' me, but time's a snitch
'Cause, eventually, time will tell
Protect legacy
Worth a couple quid so I can comfortably decline
Sell out offers 'cause these companies be tryin' it
Just buried nan, he held a shovel, it was hirin'
Witnessed my mother be a daughter, weepin' Iris'
Became a father after nan had closed her eyelids
Twelve days before my son, they didn't meet
After my MoBo speech, I went to watch her sleep
One day, we'll duppy your white, pour-out beverage
But look in the sky, that's where Heaven is
[Verse 3: Wretch 32]
Dear Sky, why you take long to reply to my messages?
All this teenager shit got you movin' insensitive
Yeah, they say I'm in my feels, she's my sanity therapist
But until you have a daughter, you won't understand anything
Everyone can run the game from on the side of the pitch
Niggas tryna call the shots, I'll get you shot for a drink
If it's a dog eat dog world, I'm on some Doberman shit
I go realer on you apes and put my hand on you chimps
You ever seen badness in the form of a gift?
A man will give a man a box so he can rob him for it
The word ginnals made me know what bein' talented is
Now, man are gettin' paperwork to make it work in their favour
I'm out the game
It ain't about all of the times that I got to play
The real win was havin' the freedom to start again
The business is in profit and Green Machine is the name
I'm selling weed over the counter, I'm shottin' ounces again
Argh, full circle
I ain't blamin' shit on my race, we can all hurdle
Went from bein' underground in my shell like a small turtle
Now, I'm Michelangelo and I'm paintin' the colour purple
My rain can make my mother retire, but that's a job in itself
She rather work herself to death then let me give her the world
Already saw the women, King watchin' you father the girls
So, along as I'm your prince, I give you diamonds and pearls
The Bible itself is nothing in my life I withheld
They're livin' for the Queen's head but wouldn't die for the tails
I'm givin' all my team bread, forgot a slice for myself
I really had to wear the trousers, had to tighten my belt
They tailor fit, in the verses, I'm Jadakiss
I made a flick sellin' Bobby Brown and Taylor Swift
I make 'em sing like I'm Ghetts with his greatest hits
Man, this ain't the last supper, this is caterin'
The actual lyric is “You my Donda West, my Afeni Shakur”
Donda West is the mother of popular rapper and entrepreneur Kanye West.
Afeni Shakur is the mother of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur.
Both mothers were important and essential to the lifestyle and story of both rappers.
Ghetts is comparing his mom’s importance in his life to them.
This introduction is an excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech on April 3, 1968.
This particular excerpt focuses on King alluding that he has seen everything that he needs to see (“He’s allowed me to see the mountain”) and therefore he expects life to be difficult moving forward.
Towards the end of this speech he discusses the possibility of an untimely death. He was then shot and killed the next day.
Ghetts is using this speech to show that he has been in the music industry for a long time and has also seen and experienced many things. Many consider Ghetts to be on the “mountaintop” of UK Rap (with Kano and Wretch), hence the song title “Mount Rushmore” – a presidents sculpture on the Black Hills in South Dakota, USA.
Ghetts then goes on to discuss his trials and tribulations on the way to the top of “the mountain” as well as the possible threats that may cause his demise.
Nice wordplay by Kano:
1) Knocking out someone’s teeth may get you sued and their lawyers will want to get paid well (souvenirs)
2) “Turkey Teeth” is a slang term often used to refer to extremely white veneers. Hence, the lawyer wanting sou-veneers.
Cool FM was a pirate radio station, allowing many up and coming music artists to hone there skills. Its referred to as the only ‘station’ where people can talk, unlike a ‘police station’- a place where many people may not ‘talk’ to avoiding assisting the police
Kano is referencing Ghetts last verse on his Mad About Bars freestyle.
Artists often put their sugnatrure on the back of their paintings whcih would mean the back of the art (where the ignature of the artist is) is to the wall. This is a double entendre meaning that a lot of music artists have their backs to the wall due to not being able to get out of the environment they are currently in
Kano is referencing Busta Rhymes 1996 hit"Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check"
Chorus:
When I step up in the place, ayo, I step correct
Woo-hah! Got you all in check (ha, ha!)
‘Underground in my shell like a small turtle’ refers to turtles, stating that he is back in his comfort zone- shell, like the Ninja Turtle.
Extending this to the next line, he mentions Michelangelo, the famous Italian painter who painted the The Creation of Adam painting.
Another layer that distills the entendre in the first line is that Michelangelo is also the name of one of the four Ninja Turtles, tying it to the previous line.“My rain” can also be interpreted as “My reign”,
insinuating that his reign, when he steps up to the ‘job’, would make his mother, who would be the ‘Queen’, retire. But that’s a job in itself.
Another meaning would be that the ‘rain’ in this context would be rain of wealth or cash, which would make his working mother retire, but that’s a job in itself.
A reference to Dipset members Juelz Santana and Cam’ron. Kano’s watch (kettle) is something he acquired because its already tripled itself in price