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

[THE LOST ROSE]

The poem spoke of most urban neighborhoods. To travel down the road of the things I experince not done is frightning. But we surrounded by Gansta in our daily life. Politicians, Preachers, Policemen, etc. They are a different type of Gansta but yet still gansta. Your poem brought the truth to the reader hard but like smooth flowing water...pure. Man keep dropping the hits like a DJ. The inspiration is dancing in my head with the many ideas I have.

[poetic soul]

You shot a man just for, stepping on your toes?
Couldn't let that s**t slide cause the streets watching

nice lines.. and the theme was very good.. but i guess somewhere in the poem, the sync was lost but you made it up by the end.. good read.....

Regards,
Poetic Soul

[Li Li]

I've been blessed to grow up in an area where I see it all.... The ego can become the biggest interruption of success in the hood.

I must say, I really liked the way you used abbreviated words to bring forth the rhythm of the piece. You seem to have an understanding of more than just poetry.... you've grown to put it with soul. This is very admiral in a writer.

Some don't understand that swag comes with intellect... not just owning the streets while wearing the finest gear the bootleg store has to offer.

THis had my attention throughout the whole piece. Not many are capable of grabbing me in such a way.

Great work.

Love!
~Li

[Nik'aule]

The scene with your cousin sounds like a scene from the boondocks... lol... "That's GANGSTA!~!!"

the poem was on point... somebody has to see things clearly in this day and age and relate that to the masses.... young people especially are so impressionable all it takes sometimes is a "that's not cool" to set them straight because they thought no one gave a f**k...

So what is gangsta?? Getting an education? Thinking for yourself? All that good stuff? Something to think about... loved the Beyonce references and double entendres tied throughout the poem... now THAT's GANG-STAAA!