RIP Gift of Gab -- His was the music of political and personal survival.

[ancianita]

Blackalicious -- "Shallow Days"

I just keep moving on (moving on...)
I just keep moving on (moving on...)

Time and time, a brother asks why
The rhyme is not laced with a gangsta touch
I said "simply because I don't live that way
Still kickin' them rhymes rugged and rough"
"But that won't sell,
'Cause you gotta keep it real
So that we can feel
Where you're coming from
Because these streets is ill so if you ain't
Killing niggas in rhymes
Your whole sound's just bubble gum"
I said "I won't contribute to genocide
I'd rather try to cultivate the inner side
And try to evolve the frustrated ghetto mind
The devil and his army never been a friend of mine"
"But niggas don't wanna hear that shit" said the brother
Who was obviously totally misled and yelled out
"Murder murder, kill, murder" instilled in the influential parts

Of our kids' heads

Shallow days, you never wanna
Let a brother be a brother
Fully inner to the outer caught up
In all them hollow nights
Can't escape 'cause everywhere that I look

People front, and it just ain't right
Shallow days, you never wanna
Let a brother be a brother
Fully inner to the outer caught up
In all them hollow nights
Can't escape 'cause everywhere that I look
People front, and it just ain't right

I said "don't you know the powers that be
Are using people as pawns, devouring we
Until they see us all gone and outta the scene"
And as I passed the chronic, he said "look at where I be
I tried to get a job for real
But all the homies hit licks and rob and steal
And keep fat pockets, caught in a rut to catch ground
This way's in, plus who could you trust?"
I said "I'm all about protecting mine
But neglecting minds for getting left behind
Why don't you change your environment?"

He said "this is all I know
Plus my fam's all that I got, I can't go"
I said "you gotta make it for the fams"
"Damn, " he said "I didn't make the ghetto
The ghetto made the man"
I said "you're more than just that"
Shook his hand, said "damn, you gotta find a way

To break the devil's master plan, peace"

Shallow days, you never wanna
Let a brother be a brother
Fully inner to the outer caught up
In all them hollow nights
Can't escape 'cause everywhere that I look
People front, and it just ain't right
Shallow days, you never wanna
Let a brother be a brother
Fully inner to the outer caught up
In all them hollow nights
Can't escape 'cause everywhere that I look
People front, and it just ain't right

The word "peace" is just an expression
Used to say bye when it's time to jet
And them red, black and green medallions
Was all just part of the trend, I guess
Hardly ever see them around brothers' necks no more
Instead of that gold gats
Inspiring gangstas and macks
Who at the young age of four
Be seeing more drama than war veterans

Instead of learning God's laws
And hip-hop is our voice so we enlist that

To express how we be feeling about this and that
But music does reflect life
And kids look up to what you're portraying
And mimic what you act like
It's time for a new day
An era in rap, conscious styles
Makin' them aware of the happenings
But their ears seem more steered towards
Self-annihilation so then they might laugh
And write this off, like I'm out here just
Blowing wind, maybe label us soft or unreal
Something they can't feel, while they keep yelling
"Murder murder murder, kill kill kill"

I just keep movin' on (moving on ...)
I just keep movin' on (moving on ...)

Shallow days
Hollow nights

Gift of Gab, the nimble rapper in Bay Area duo Blackalicious known for his clever wordplay and tricky rhyming acrobatics, has died at the age of 50.

“It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear brother, Timothy J. Parker a.k.a. “The Gift of Gab,” the hip-hop collective Quannum announced Friday. “Tim peacefully departed this earth to be with our ancestors on Friday, June 18, 2021. He is survived by two brothers, one sister, many nieces and nephews, countless friends, and fans across the globe. We ask that the family’s privacy is respected as we mourn the tremendous loss of our dear brother.”

A representative for Blackalicious confirmed to Rolling Stone that Parker died of natural causes. In recent years, the rapper suffered from kidney failure, undergoing dialysis multiple times a week until finally receiving a new kidney in January 2020, which also marked Blackalicious’ final concert prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/blackalicious-rapper-gift-of-gab-dead-1189400/