Lockdown Songtext
von Dice Raw

Yo, they got us locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Yo, they got us locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Every artist locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Every rapper locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound


Man, it used to feel like hip-hop had a lock on my soul
And a deal was the only way I get parole
I got knocked years ago when I wrote my first rhyme
Ever since then, I′ve been locked down doin time
Payin dues with a lot to gain, but more to lose
I play the game, but they keep changin the rules
The studios are holdin cells for lyrical criminals
Doin demo tapes, hold mics like shanks
Battlin, that's like a fight in the yard
Lines chase niggas down like Lieutenant Gerard
But I love it, hearin some say that I′m institutionalized
Freestylin's our only form of exercise
I don't lift weights, lift my mind to a higher state
If yo′ shit′s wack, you just can't relate
I have nightmares of bein back in the streets
But when I wake up in my cell, I feel relief
Bein on tour is like bein transferred to jail
And your company′s weak attempt to boost your sales
In my last case, they came at me with a deal
The D.A., I mean A&R, said, "You can still keep shit real
But instead of Raw, be Dice Chill
Give us some hits with some commercial appeal"
I refused, then sent back to my cell
Until next time, a poet's milk bar from jail

Yo, they got us locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Yo, they got us locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Every artist locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Every rapper locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound


The prisoner, verbal incision
They strangle me with barbed wires of fire
Fuck a mainstream vision
The label is the feds, they wanna find me and sign me
Put the market and promotion behind me, but they sly me
My cellmate Dice Raw is nice, y′all
I assassinate rehearsal, if I go commercial, I slice y'all
Studio solitary, so I′m solid terrorizin emcees
Steve Geez, freeze melt, refreeze
Mics get raped on my cell block, we battle for commissary
Parole boards my adversary
I lost the trial, I lost the case
What a waste, judge threw the rhyme book in my face
But my brain left and right is like an unstoppable engine
Locked down, pushin for mainstream like syringes
Fuck the C.O., my shit's gon' go like C-3PO
Ask Kilo, he know we go T-O
The top, this is cell block hip-hop
Know the underground keep the shank hot, locked down
With emcees doin life bids
Beware when the pen zags the ziz, locked down

Yo, they got us locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Yo, they got us locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Every artist locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Every rapper locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound

Aiyyo, it was far from warm, the middle of a storm
And Fifth Dynasty was on the way to perform
It was me, Steve Geez, Dice and the Quick Draw
When we got pulled over, we knew somethin was wrong
The law wasn′t concerned with license or registration
Insurance information, or our point of destination
But peep, they got us up out the Jeep 5D
And took a look and saw the mics up under the seat
And start snappin, flippin this shit like, "Who′s rappin?"
Got on the radio and signaled back to the captain
Who warned 'em we was known for action
Use caution, and get them contracts for when they brought us back in
The fingerprints matched and linked identities
DT′s was like, "Shit, it's the Fifth emcees"
Ain′t no escapin, locked us in a lab and started tapin
Mandatory, the judge said, "Fuck jury deliberation
Maximum incarceration
In these camps for concentration we call radio stations"
A place where hip-hoppin is against the law
Forever locked down within the lower corridor of sound
Where they sniff out cells with bloodhounds
Penalties, emcees remains is found
Picked apart when the record executives surround
Yo, we bubble to the top, not drown
Yo, they got us locked down

Yo, they got us locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Yo, they got us locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Every artist locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound
Every rapper locked down in a cell under the ground
Tryin to push for a mainstream sound