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Storytelling ep

by Fres Thao

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1.
Freeze frame, let me edumacate these weak brains When the DJ flips the switch and the fader Gets the beat booming like the big bang theory Lock and loaded lock locked and loaded with a handful of ammo Grip the handle, flip the channel, turn the volume up If the nights right, then we bound to make you bounce Fres on the mic, on the tables shortround I step on the stage with the swagger of a staggering fool Acting the cool one got some loose screws Fed up, yea, but we headed towards bliss With the death grip on the vinyl mat slips gotta bad itch, so he scratch with the tips And for breakfast we’d eat baby back ribs But lack of finances and lack of cabbage Makes this rapping - makes this scratching Makes the passion, seem ever lasting Digital feed back, error syntax Keep you in the loop like a noose as your necklace Give the respect and get the respect kid Get the message or leave with a fat lip Starving artists and we’ll give you 3 minutes Causing ruckus shortround on the mix Yo, I get my fix on, (is this kid on drugs? - shortround) In a bit son, I’m only getting warmed up Maneuver like a blue bird in the blue sky When the crusaders meet – situation do or die An un identi fied rhyming object of desire Afternoon delight yea spark it with the fire Rewire the explosives in the process Getting nautious but never giving up kid Sunny side up and no onions on the omelette Use my gauntlets, toe to toe with these monsters Locked and ready to go steady and focus Options, never to fold, only to conquer I’m the rock star on the third planet sun beam Eating caviar like a fish in the stream When the bboys and the bgirls dream We dream in high deaf like 1080 p
2.
Here’s the daily routine, get the paper, get the / green way before the days he became a teen / ager way before the days of mixtapes and pagers back when the local arcade was the hangout sweating and pedaling on the paper route just to earn another buck, living a kid’s life’s / rough but kid’s like / us / who fist fight / punks give life two thumbs up and take a puff yea, he’s ready with gloves on, prepared to do the work heavy load on his back, ready to spread the word see this kid weathers the storm, treks through the dirt rain, snow or sunshine, it’s really no concern back alley ways, he bikes on through the dark with his headphones on, he straight ignore the world and to some, it’s absurd and to him, it’s his purpose gotta do the work, yea, he leaves it on your door step the paperboy mentality pedaling half a sleep crack of dawn grinding, riding through the streets paperboy mentality, pedaling half a sleep worked hard for mines, can’t take that from me An early earning lad with a paperboy bag / Strapped over his shoulder, 50 pounds on the back Up early morning while everyone’s still in bed In the heat, in the blistering cold earning his bread Brought the latest scoop, newspaper rubber banded If it was raining, slipped it in a plastic bag and Deliveries right on time, right on point The early morning bandit could not disappoint / The paperboy mentality, paperboy salary Fat shoe laces and back pack full of tapes broken walkman with the volume maximized He don’t speak often and seldom cracks a smile Grease the gears and pump the tires on the bike See him in the mirror, he’s a hardworking hustler With the money on his / mind / gotta keep / grinding Gotta do the work and get to class on time the paperboy mentality pedaling half a sleep crack of dawn grinding, riding through the streets paperboy mentality, pedaling half a sleep worked hard for mines, can’t take that from me he work hard and play hard Up in the schoolyard with a whole crew who stay out after dark who spar in the parking lot of menominee park in the boom box, ATCQ, bugging out he leaving in a while, but for now, they getting down out the morning after howling in the evening circulate the wordplay he back while you’re sleeping hop the curbs for kicks, toss it on the porches growling at the dogs, stopping to smell the roses the perfect sun rise, yea, that’s what gets him going and he didn’t get an allowance like most of em clowns did 2 bedroom duplex with 4 hungry kids pass me downs and fingers pointed at him gotta do the work and this is HOW HE DID IT the paperboy mentality pedaling half a sleep crack of dawn grinding, riding through the streets paperboy mentality, pedaling half a sleep worked hard for mines, can’t take that from me
3.
Love Lost 02:53
Lounging on the train - street SMARTS of mark twain When the fog lift the bloodSTAINS still remain I’m leaving home, on the ROAD, heading who knows -- where? In the eye of the STORM nobody sheds a tear No CARE in this life and no FEAR of this cruel world It’s a fool’s choice to be living like WHIRLWIND - BUT This boiling kkkettle cccconsist of ALLL that’s infinite Mr FRES SAWYER digs deep, PROVIDES the anguish Now the scores settled when the symphony assists And the MISERY persist -- with the plot change and twist The whispers that you hear seem to be what you had wished And the grapevine delays TIME with all this fiction Yes, it’s the addiction, a ppppurely ppppperfect rendition A tragedy of -- your caliber to keep you guessing That, I’m not your stepping stone, I’m solid concrete The ink starts flowing and unfolds the story of the (killer) got a rain cloud that follows me around (See) the sun don’t shine when you’ve hit rock bottom I’m a killer, got to get out of this town cuz the sound Of the scream seem to keep giving me all these problems I’m a killer, got a rain cloud that follows me around (See) the sun don’t shine when you’ve hit rock bottom I’m a killer, got to get out of this town cuz the sound Of the scream seem to keep giving me all these problems See I’m not a bad person, just misunderstood With a bloody knife and a pool of blood on the floOR It’s moore than the love lost, it’s the unspoken Emotions buried under the surface slowly Eroding into nothing, the blood then starts rushing Wondering why it’s come to this, I malfunctioned Let the dust settle, the thought bubble combust And we’re caught in the middle of a romance corrupted The MURDER of a MELODY – the Conductor’s passion Turn another page to reveal the blank chapter The loneliness we feel, lingers inside the absence The message remains the same and everlasting THE only way -- we’ll break way is through destruction The love went astray, dazed and left disgusted But underneath the murder mystery we gained something Lock the memories in the dungeon and keep running (killer) got a rain cloud that follows me around (See) the sun don’t shine when you’ve hit rock bottom I’m a killer, got to get out of this town cuz the sound Of the scream seem to keep giving me all these problems I’m a killer, got a rain cloud that follows me around (See) the sun don’t shine when you’ve hit rock bottom I’m a killer, got to get out of this town cuz the sound Of the scream seem to keep giving me all these problems
4.
Whiskey 04:57
So bartender, give me a triple shot to remember A bit under the weather, down without the feathers The blues got me, the boose is obviously Fluid in the bloodstreams fuel for this body Conversations, face to face I’m dazed and Confused and amazed at the same moment I choose To / erase / what I’m holding The potion / elixir in the fist of the mister ~ Wizard of odd, with high, hopes and a pitcher ~ Crack open the barrel of the shotgun hero Jesse james and the giant peach on the barstool Glass on the lips of the one they call / a fool Pass you a tip for feeding the cesspool ~ See up until it’s past happy hour I’mma stay cool Small talk with a tall one til they hear me - Bourbon whiskey, shot of scotch and beer please Bourbon whiskey, shot of scotch and beer please That’s all I need when I’m fishing the high seas Cigarette smoking, polluting the air see Bourbon whiskey, shot of scotch and beer please Bourbon whiskey, shot of scotch and beer please That’s all I need, a triple shot to fix me An alcoholic and if you ever meet me Bourbon whiskey, shot of scotch and beer please Heels over head, dead bolts on the neck Stitches in the forehead, holding in my / breath Tongue bit with fangs, blood dripping and draining - The life out the psycho angelic conscience White picket fences, green / fields of nothing ~ Tumbleweeds crumbling, rolling over the hill Seldom see summers that remain beautiful ~ Home of the landfill / garbage disposal World on the shoulders, ready to sink or swim Instead I come to a conclusion that / I drink ~ Sooner but later I might be needing to go home Barstools warm / I haven’t gotten to know you _ Lady from a stranger with a short memory Let me acquaint you with the taste ``` No vodka, tequila – rum - gin or brandy Just a bourbon whiskey, shot of scotch and beer please (Now) if you see me stumbling, it’s a sign of relief _ At the bar with another story to bore you with The warrior with a holy grail full of grains - The 80 proof with no chaser to the brain Jim beam and Johnny walker helping me move on Jukebox music player singing a new song I’m a laid back fella so quit all of that yelling Keep the drinks coming til the room starts spinning - Hell in case you didn’t know, I’m on a mission ~ Free the soul from the mind frame and listen Keep the train on track whistling from a distance Til the liver collapse, filling myself with liquor dirty up the sleeves, you can call me hopeless motto of the bold, illustrate and focus I’m not just hungry, I’m a little bit thirsty Bourbon whiskey, shot of scotch and beer please
5.
Bad Kids 03:02
bad kids, do back flips on mattresses Strike matches just to turn objects to ashes Stay fresh, but they want us caged up children of the war, the secret walks among ya you see these earth worms --- fingers full of mud In your apple tree, sling shot killing doves Grizzly bear feet in the gravel til it hurts Grass stained jeans, tee shirt full of dirt Baseball cap, worn out dope sneakers At the payphone, collect / calling to strangers Fast to act real, with the bad kid attitude Smash glass windows on classic automobiles Steal tape decks cuz minimal pay checks Got us craving for something we can’t get BUT We not gangstas, we just tired of this racism What can I say, we just raised differently bad kids, do bad things with good intentions ~ learn lessons in a life that’s unforgiving ~ never spoiled / and never rotten slaackers, we not; work with what we got bad kids, back up the talk with real action bad language, yea, we cause damage ~ put up your dukes -- get loose, no silver spoon, just blood, sweat and bruises Bad KIDS SEE, we didn’t join little league Join the boy scouts, we just hung out in the streets Sensory overload so we / learned to release In the office throwing punches with the dean Under street lights, spray paint, stolen / bikes Way before mics was a part of this life Earned our marks with fist fights in closed parks Paid our dues with black eyes and cold hearts close knit family, Swing with accuracy No knives or guns see, just pride and energy Let the skill speak, strength, agility and speed If you feel me, then you let it all un -- leash On the real see, our lives’ll never be complete they can call us names in the street but they easily crawling on their knees, they all in with a ---- bluff / We the bad kids, THEY the kids WE call shmucks bad kids, don’t raise our hands up in the class stay absent no excuse and skip detention no attention span for your trash and we clash with prep kids and jock straps that think they fabulous get your nap in, ya mama’s baby boy we the bad kids, the type they try to avoid in the bathroom, graffiti on the wall skipping prep rallies cuz we not one of ya’ll free lunch and cutting in line, see they bring gourmet meals in-a paper bag and complain bet it’s nice when you got real nice things while we trading lunch tickets for buss passes and ice cream we the bad kids live a life full of trouble sugar rice water suffice when we got hungry never take to heart IF they call YOU A failure we the bad kids and bad kids stick together
6.
Gravel Roads 03:05
I conjure a word - let it fly through the reverb Hit the speakers - get it tweaked until the tweeters. Pierce your ears, it’s the fever that I’m spreading Bust the up rock, flares hit the ceiling Get the feeling like the fingers on the record Hit your white wall with the aerosol flicker See, these knights behind me, blind you with the style see Fat tipped sharpies, footwork do the smiling Apologies not accepted for all those sorry Toys, I’m a Bboy extraordinaire on thin air It’s the fear you feel for me, that’s why I’m here Sharing in your wealth’s not part of my agenda --- We’re here to build our own, not trying to be a member Ya’ll not ready for us, but we’ll keep it coming and when push comes to shove, pull yourself up see them in our tracks, caught up in our dust See I been hungry, yea, I been starving Had this dream from the days they called it art and traveled the gravel roads trying to get the name known Seen most give up and and hang up the lab coat I’m not half way there, I aint mad that you don’t care just on a mission to finish what I started here hit the floors back first, hands still in the sky it’s a court order, they told me to be fly we keep the beats banging like nomadic cavemen spin it then I spit it, contagious and salivating hey man, wait a sec, give me a minute I’m not here to rap in your ear, or get acquainted I’m not here to piggy back or get your mans on the track I’m not here to interfere, just reaching for the goodyear the word coordinator, the extra ordinary Stretch the vocal chords, the sith lord, fres vader One hand in air like you trying to make a statement Heading bobbing, shake the cob webs from your brain and In a moment, you focus and feel the hot flames sent Through your body, your soul, through the inner conscience Yea I’m pretty wicked, the Brew Cities got me twisted Sick with this - that’s not a figure of speech kid See I been hungry, yea, I been starving Had this dream from the days they called it art and traveled the gravel roads trying to get the name known Seen most give up and and hang up the lab coat I’m not half way there, I aint mad that you don’t care just on a mission to finish what I started here

about

Storytelling ep is also available on CD.

Contact albrathao@gmail.com to purchase a copy!

credits

released July 1, 2011

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about

Fres Thao Minnesota

I am a Hmong American poet, Hip Hop artist, multidisciplinary artist, activist and educator. My life long love of poetry, Hip Hop and storytelling has spawned eight albums, including Illegoalien’s ‘Blank Canvas’ and a vinyl release of my ‘Mind Full Of’ album, and one book, Lullabies for Happiness, A Manual for Love and Peace. ... more

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