Squeeze the Trigger

By Ice-T

On Rhyme Pays

Released on November 4, 1987

5K Views

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Yo Evil, what's up man? They be buggin', they won't play our records on the radio, man, say we violent, man. They need to look at the news, you know what I'm sayin'? Somebody need to kill that noise. Man what you doin' with that up under your shirt? Aw, man, it's time we put some head out, word. Let's get busy, E. Come on, home boy

Squeeze the trigger

Man I'm tired of this nonsense, sweatin' my crew, tryin' to come to the show, searchin' my car, man I'm sick of the cops

Rampage on stage, my crew's in a rage

Searched my posse, found the Uzi but missed the 12 gauge

Maniac, I'm a rhyme brainiac, livin' on the edge of a razor, remember that

Cold rollin' thick as a shake, I'm rockin' hard as a quake

I can live on bread and water or lobster and steak

My mind's a riot gun, there ain't none bigger

About to unload the ammo, E squeeze the trigger

("You fight...") Got 'im! ("...to live.")

"Police still have no leads for the apprehension of the south side slayer. Death total stands at ten."

"Has it ever occured to you? The president might be the one who wants you dead."

They say I'm violent, they should watch the T.V

You say I'm brutal, you should check your P.D

You made me, now your kids rave me

I rap about the life that the city streets gave me

Murder, intrigue, somebody must bleed

Miami Vice is small time, L.A.'s the big league

From the Rollin' '60s to the Nickerson G's

Pueblos, Grape Street, this is what I see

The Jungle, the '30s, the V.N.G

Life in L.A. ain't no cup of tea

And they be sayin' I'm illin', yo

Squeeze the trigger

Got 'im!

"Violence erupts at a Los Angeles hip-hop concert. Rap music is blamed for violence

Violence erupts at a New York hockey game. Hockey is blamed for violence

Violence breaks out at a European soccer game. Soccer is blamed for violence

Violence breaks out at a nuclear peace rally. Peace is blamed for violence."

I've been dogged out by cops, shackled and socked

Paid my dues to the streets, took my hard knocks

Disrespected by snobs, damn near trampled by mobs

Persecuted by squares workin' nine to five jobs

But like a panther I prowl, like a lion I growl

Learn to see behind my back like the head of an owl

I'm the voice of the youth, the prophet of truth

What I speak is reality though some may say ruth-

-less tactics are takin' by me to awaken

People to life but I feel no fakin'

No jivin', no lyin', no frontin', no playin'

Say exactly what's up, understand what I'm sayin'

Ban me, try it, you might cause a riot

What the radio won't play, the underground will supply it

I'm an MC pirate that's loud, not quiet

Radical as they make'em, make a rule I'll defy it

Critics may say I'm wise, some may call my words lies

I've lived more in one day than they will in their lives

With most due respect the words I inject

Kick credit for realism and the truth I project

Because I could bust rhymes for fun, or cut MC's like a knife

But the topic I love is the drama of life

So don't diss me don't dare, I feel you should care

You may think I'm soft but you're just unaware

Of the wrath of the Ice enraged, prepare

For a true nightmare

Squeeze the trigger

Cops hate kids, kids hate cops, cops kill kids with warnin' shots

What is crime and what is not? What is justice? I think I forgot

We buy weapons to keep us strong

Reagan sends guns where they don't belong

The controversy is thick and the drag is strong

But no matter the lies we all know who's wrong

Homeless sleep on the city streets

Waitin' to die with nothin' to eat

While rich politicians soak their feet

In the pools at their ten million buck retreats

People hate people for color of face

No one had a choice in the race we were placed

A brother in Queens was beaten and chased

Murdered cold in the streets, a goddamn disgrace

Just because of his race, his life went to waste

And not one went to jail when the court heard the case

Justice or corruption? It's all interlaced

How can you swallow this? I can't stand the taste

Squeeze the trigger

"L.A. drug war continues. Three killed in execution style murders. Film at eleven."

"All flights are delayed at LAX, due to terrorist bombings. Five adults and two children are dead."

I get paid for illin', cold makin' a killin'

My pockets keep fillin', I got dollars to the ceilin'

Got a safe in my floor, car got bullet-proof doors

Every time I rock the mic I leave you wishin' for more

'Cause my raps ain't bull, got cold stupid pull

You wanna eat my rhymes like candy, 'til your mind's over full

But most MC's today ain't got nothin' to say

A to the motherfuckin' K

Get him!

Yo E, man, i'm tired of this, let's call up the posse, let's end this noise, word

Now you think you know what time it is? Word, we out of here

"Los Angeles rapper Ice-T's records banned because of his blatant use of reality"


[Outro]

This album is dedicated to Rhyme Syndicate

They hear my records before they're made

When they're just on paper, when they're demos laid

At 6am when the cops run their raid

We don't worry about suckas 'cause they will get sprayed

PEACE