Product Of The Environment Lyrics - The Cactus Album - 3rd Bass

Alright coming up now another request 

This time from the boys down at Anna's Pizza Paradise 

A new arrangement of a great oldie in rhythm and blues 

In the heart of the city you was born and bred 

You grew up smart or you wound up dead 

Things moved fast, but you knew the scoop 

And your savior was a rhyme and a beat and a rap group 

A modern day production of the city street 

You said I didn't have it that I couldn't compete 

So the sleeper did sleep but the sleeper shoulda woke up 

Now you're in my sight, the Buddha sees you smoke up 

That's the element you carry your rhymes on 

That style of rhyme won't let you live long 

'Cause a strong song to you is what I sent 

'Cause I'm a product, of the environment 

There it is, black and white 

There it is, black and white 

On the streets of far Rockaway Queens 

Seagram Boulevard, B-17 

Redfern houses where no MC would ever go 

Is where I did my very first show 

Had the crowd had the rhymes going, I never fess 

His reward, was almost a bullet in his chest 

And on that stage, is where I first learned 

Stick out my chest to be a kid and get burned 

You're so foolish, but I think you knew this 

That on the the microphone punk I can do this 

And doing this, is what life meant 

'Cause I'm a product, of the environment 

There it is, black and white 

There it is, black and white 

Back in the days when kids were mack daddies 

Striped Lee jeans, playboys and Caddies 

Long Beach, the M.O.K. center 

He almost caught a bad one when he tried to enter our way 

Bang! Bum rush the back door 

Then scatter, onto the dance floor 

Me and my boys, skeezin' the cuties 

Never had static, cuz everybody knew me 

Local DJ's, tearin' up the wax 

And out on the corner, some kid gets taxed 

After the party, crack open a forty 

Vicked it from the store yo the man never caught me 

Went up to the arcade, cranked the bass 

And then the five-oh chased us from the place 

Hop on the railroad, play the conductor 

Everywhere I went I always tucked 

A marker in my jacket to tag where I went 

'Cause we were just products, of the environment 

There it is, black and white 

There it is, black and white 

I wanna tell you something that gets me kind of mad 

It's about my dear old dad 

He's tired, and worn, and works a nine to five 

Clockin' thirty G's a year to survive 

But I know kids who in a month or so 

Make that money sellin' ya-yo 

Pushin' a drug, I can't understand 

Destroyin' a life with a buck in the hand 

Play rotten slum chain, local street hero 

But if you ask Serch, you're just a bunch of zeros 

Too bad 'cause when you're older, you won't have a cent 

'Cause you're a product, of the environment 

There it is, black and white 

There it is, black and white 

You hear it in the strength of my voice and in my rhythm 

Now you know, how I was livin' 

It happened to me, like it happened to Serch 

Prime Minister Pete Nice'll kick the verse 

In Bed-Stuy with my boy, Kiwai Height 

The K to A Kingston, Wednesday night 

To the Empire, show slammin' 

Open for Dana, crew flamin' 

Mouth open wide, or listenin' 

Dumb dope with a forty in my system 

Unprotected but respected for my own self 

'Cause of talent, no shade, or nothin' else 

A time of tension, racially fenced in 

I came off and all the brothers blessed him 

I left more than a mark, I left a dent 

'Cause I'm a product, of the environment 

Serch, skin is just a color of the mind and the soul 

And a brother ain't a brother if his heart is cold 

You know what I'm sayin' fellas? 

Word and I think we need a positive Kause in a much damaged society 

Word up man nubians killin' nubians, brothers just don't understand 

Word maybe it's some of that crime that's stoppin' the growin' 

The drug pollution and all needs to calm down 

Word man, cause that's what we need, we need Griff Productions 

We need a K.M.D. man to uplift the race and bring 

Kause in the beginnin' and a Posse called, 'Get Yours' 

Yeah there it is, to all y'all bigots who want us to bend 

We're just products of the environment, peace, hopefully 

There it is, black and white 

There it is, black and white