Nipsey The Great: Status Symbol Forever

You know how we do around here by now … AH Track reviews, we get into everything from the beat, and those lyrics…. lyrics that, unfortunately tell the story of how Nipsey lived, and would eventually die.

Put myself in the game but batteries sold separate
Question, since when do real niggas come second?

Still mourning here in L.A. as I write this review. Just days after we all lost a living inspiration to us all. At the end of this track, is a scene that probably describes what happened in Nip’s last moments.  A man of the poeple, accessible, allowing others in close … too close. Lyrically, this original of 3 parts, tells the story of L.A. gang life like no other.

It’s not just a bunch of ‘criminals’ with no education being ignorant. The truth is, most black men and women born into these streets, want nothin but to get out of them. Because there are a few people running around the hood who don’t seem to care about anyone at all. Nothing is being done about those threats, and conditions that produce these mindsets seem to be promoted, rather than destroyed. Nipsey tried to explain that to the world through his mixtapes, and his Grammy Nominated Album, Victory Lap.

As do so many others … the question is, are we truly listening to tales from the hood?

Me? I’m gettin’ back rubs from these leather seats (Yuh)
Negotiatin’ equity positions you’ll never be (Nigga)
Rap sheet full of felonies (Yeah)
Status symbol on my set of keys, they say I was sellin’ dreams
Back to the brick wall, I’m inhalin’ trees
Visualizin’ hella cheese, you can smell the weed
Niggas doubt, pessimism ain’t affectin’ me
Fuel to the fire, took it higher than they ever see
Frequent flight seat like seven seas
Shoppin’ spree spent about eleven Gs
Eyes bloodshot, I don’t ever sleep
My niggas act on instinct, we don’t ever think
When confronted with a problem, we don’t ever flee
We connected at the bottom like the letter V

How many MC’s, talking about negotiating equity positions?

So accustomed to the pop, we don’t even blink
When them shots go off, get the Glock, show off
Yellow tape a nigga, he grew up to hate a nigga
Nothin’ major, nigga, just a demonstration, nigga
Within the matrix, nigga, I drew illustrations with him
Words, that is, for sure, that is
Look, that nigga got his off the curb, that is
So how the fuck is niggas so concerned with his?
I be baffled by the fact when niggas burn their bridge
And try to double back like, “What the fuck is that?”
Like, Niggas want this rap life way too bad

… as a Status Symbol, Nipsey represented the hopes and dreams of so many people in the hood. Owning his own business, successful, living the life so many hope for. Sadly, we find ourselves ‘looking back’, asking if he … got Rich and comfortable. The same things he spoke about in his songs, and too many songs like it, because it’s real out in the streets of Los Angeles. In other places like L.A. similar situations are occurring daily.  As we see, all the money in the world, cannot save us when the ‘conditions’ of our neighborhoods continue to produce these dangers and threats, to us all.

here’s Lil Cade at the end of Status Symbol ‘spittin for Nip’ ….

These gangbanger’s serious, shit got me curious
Losin’ homies to bullshit, this shit got me furious
My brother gone too, he ain’t never comin’ back
How you think that make me feel, nigga? All I do is rap
Anytime I spend money, all I do is make it back
Anytime I’m in these streets, all I do is watch my back
‘Cause niggas’ll wet you up, chicks’ll set you up
You think your days ones with you but niggas be switchin’ up

The Chorus by Buddy, also hits home. “We’ll be okay, for now…”. Let’s hope Buddy is doing okay, as he is featured on all 3 Status Symbol songs.  Telling stories about the streets, without glorifying what goes on, is noticeable here. Sadly, too many people completely ignore these stories. How can any of us help the hood, if we aren’t hearing what the hood has to say? Meanwhile, those who do make it, become status symbols for the hood. Inspirations, much needed inspirations. Gave this one 4 lit flames;