That's Gangsta.....I Guess

What's gangsta? Killing someone? TV & radio images? That's gangsta?..... I guess

"Don't even talk about guns! The only Nine you got, 

                             is a five dollar bill with four ones!"

                                                         Canibus, "Patriots" 

 

 

THAT'S GANGSTA!....

     .....I GUESS

 

by    Bridgey "O.G. Bobby Johnson" Crewe

 

THAT'S GANGSTA, I GUESS

Your whole chest, left in a mess

      Or your n***a bout to confess, you're under arrest

                            And that's O.G. Triple O.G. homie

You's a clown, you gave the prosecution reason to proceed

                               Sold weed back in '03 and got 2 years of Pro B

Then found a big homie to go see

He "Upgraded You" like Knowles B.,

he thinks you can peddle heroin to the streets

 

AND THAT'S GANGSTA, I GUESS

 

Grandmama dying from stress

Believed every word you said til reality sets

and now her whole check is gone, man

                          right to the bondsman

And you promising not to do it again

 

BUT THAT'S BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!

You too "gangsta" to quit!

You rather "Die tryin' to Get Rich"

 

AND THAT'S GANGSTA, I GUESS

 

"I rest my case!" says the D.A., paid to put you to waste

 

As you cover your face

 

With your new suit, locked in chains, the b***h in you?

Tuck that s**t away kid, you headed upstate

 

AND THAT'S SOOOOOO GANGSTA,

I suppose

 

You shot a man just for, stepping on your toes?

Couldn't let that s**t slide cause the streets watching

Now the C.O. watching you in the shower, while you're washing!!!

You're too gangsta for your " Stop Snitchin' " shirt

Til the cops interrogate your boys and they do you like Michael Vick and it hurts

Super Thug Thug, pushing the drug drugs

until you're shot dead or a "shot" that's a Mug, Mug

 

(singing) To the left, to the left...Everything in your pockets in the package TO THE LEFT!

 

Fingerprints are next, then a cell, you're a mess

And your hood doing what they were before your arrest and/or your death

 

And that's Gangsta..............

I guess

 

Author's Note

So I'm watching Scarface with my 18 year old cousin and his friend when Tony killed Manolo. My cousin and his friend start screaming "That's gangsta nigga!" "That's gangsta!!" I'm tickled by his perception. I know that it's primarily a youth thing, but in a lot of cases, young men(black, white, whoever) get caught up in the life. And without going into what I've been through and have seen where I'm from, maybe I'm just getting older, but today, if that's "gangsta", I guess....

Reviews

[Lalli]

Bro!!! this is POWERFUL!
PREACH ON--SPEAK THE TRUTH... EXPOSE THE SIMPLE MINDED CONTROLLED BY PRIDE

I understand this to the fullest.
being an ex-herb pusher for many years, until i was sold up the river as well and sentenced 6 months county time.

That was actually an expression i heard CONSTANTLY , "Thats Gangsta!"
God forbid, we be ourselves instead of worrying about what other people think.
God forbid, we realize the pain that being "Gangsta" really causes.

This is an EXCELLENT piece my friend, hit hard.... speaks true on SO MANY LEVELS... keep up the good work

much love n' respect

-Lalli

[Fear Corrupts!]

Heeey,
this is kind of good.
You have a real neat way of sending(?), delivering(?), showing(?), a message.
Great flow, like always,
& of course the rhythm is perfect.
More praise?
Keep up with thy good, down to earth work.
You're a smart guy,
you can turn any world issue, or whatever, into a clear spoken work of art.

Good Write,

[ Fear Corrupts! ]

[Sinceer]

Extra ordinary...na...Extraordinary...


this was on point...

it spoke volumes, an what you were portraying was so real..

thats how most experiences for not just young kids, but for anybody who still got that drug tainted, stunted mentality....

thanks for the great read..

keep em comin

pC

[jay-lyse]

in today's society pride is almost like a requirement, something that most can't afford to just let slip away ... the reality in your words is so true, nowadays situations occur over things that really shouldn't be given a thought ... good write ... it really made me think

[~angelalala~]

i really like this one. raw, honest, real. this is my favorite i've read from you so far. i like the intense honesty you put into all your work, especially this one. many poets (i am one) spend most of our time writing about fantasy, tip-toeing, sugar-coating, spinning metaphors around the truth. you write reality. very unique. a great piece.

[Kenji Light]

I agree with you. Who wants to be gangsta anyway? I have seen some s**t. Prolly nothing like what you've seen, but it isn't a contest. I mean, when you see things like high school beatdowns or people peddling drugs, you don't want to know what the fascination is with today's culture and the approval and appreciation of violence. You make very good points in this piece. I mean, what ever happened to people trying o get along with one another. There is no reason that people can't survive without selling drugs or robbing people. In all fairness, it's the people who have everything that have to take more. It's this social idea that you have to always have so much more than you need. I mean, I know that that isn't always the case, but at the same time, people need to change and just appreciate what they do have. At the same time, people who have a lot need to get a freaking clue and start sharing it around. I know that I do. I hope that this poem teaches people that they aren't getting anywhere through lives like this.

[cigale]

You are more talented than you know.

I love the flow of your words and there is always a pleasent suprise waiting in lines like:

"To the left, to the left...Everything in your pockets in the package TO THE LEFT"

Thank you for coming real in your poetry.

[Phibby Venable]

Very, very interesting & witty. Lots of lessons here.

[Fidheallir]

I really enjoy your writing, especially how you use your very sharp sarcastic wit to get at very serious topics. Sometimes I think it's more powerful to use humor.

[Xeru]

Man, Man, Man... you did it again smithers! The rhythmm in this poem is original. Your thought process is definately original. I have to say this is the most favorate joint i've read of your's thus far. Who are n***a'z trying to impress? Some s**t just happens. And then there is the dumb muthafucka that is more worried about gettin street cred from people that dont give a real f**k about him. hahahahahaha. And you tell that s**t exactly the way it is. Dumb s**t. This aint he average jail gangsta story. This is the story of the dude that's trying to prove something to himself. But in regard to your cousin he's a product of New World Order hip hop where our role models are reconstructed snippets of another n***a that wasnt good as a WHOLE artist. lol. Its sad man. Hopefully we get to the point where people just get tired of the same senerio and realize that everybody in the hood isnt exactly the same. And take control of the roots God put in you from jump. Great write really appreciated

[Siddartha Beth Pierce]

A great piece that has volumes to say about what alot of young people think is 'cool' not realizing the full consequences of their actions and where it may eventually lead them. I can hear this read aloud to an audience. Nice work. Thank you for sharing your talent.
Light,
Siddartha