Stream here: songwhip.com/brotherali/ottomans
From the forthcoming album and animated film “Love & Service" coming April 2024 on Travelers Media
Produced, Illustrated, Animated, and Arranged by Justin “unJUST” Herman
Written, Recorded, and Arranged by Brother Ali in Istanbul Türkiye
Mixed by Eddie Sancho, Kenny Segal, and Brother Ali
Mastered by Dave Cooley
Lyrics:
“KNOW YOURSELF”
FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE METROPOLITAN TO THE HOME OF THE OTTOMANS
THE GLOBE IS MY OTTOMAN TOES UP ON EVERY PART OF IT
I AIN'T DROP A DOLLAR ON MY DOCTORATE I PROBABLY GOT A SCHOLARSHIP
COPPED OUT THE YARD WHERE THE ROCK IS CHIPPED
WE ALL LIVE WITH GENERATIONAL TRAUMA
WITH FOREFATHERS THAT BEEN RAPING ENSLAVED MAMAS
THEY TOSS A ROBE AROUND EM AND THEY CALL EM YOUR HONOR
HE’S HANDING OUT SENTENCES NO PERIODS OR COMMAS
JUST PUBLIC DEFENDERS MEANING THE OPPOSITE ARE OFFICERS GOVERNMENT OFFENDERS
BUT ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT ALLAH’S GONNA REMEMBER
LIKE HOW’S A PIMP A SINNER IF DOLLARS ARE LEGAL TENDER
THEY JUST WANNA LET THAT LOCK CLICK IN A BOX LIST YOU LIKE SCHINDLER
THE CHANCE FOR YOU TO WIN AGAIN IS SLIMMER THAN VIRGINIA
BUT THE AKH’S A LOCKSMITH WHEN I'M IN THAT COCKPIT
MY BETA 58 IT’S GOT A RUBBER GLOCK GRIP
OPS POPPING S**T GOTTA ADMIT I'M NOT CONVINCED
I USE TO KINDA WONDER I'M NO LONGER ON THE FENCE
I'M ICONOCLASTIC MY NOVELS ARE GRAPHIC
USING MY RIVAL'S IDOLS AS TARGET PRACTICE
STATEMENT SO SACRED THEY SCRAPING IT ON A TABLET
REMEMBER WE WERE BABIES WE PISSED AND FLIPPED THE MATTRESS
NEVERMIND THE ELITE SEATS THAT I SIT IN
BELIEVE ME THESE JEANS STILL SMELL LIKE FRIED CHI-KEN
IF YOU'RE MUMBLING WHEN YOU'RE RHYMING THEN WHY LISTEN
MY OWN LINES RUNNING THROUGH MY MIND WHEN Y'ALL SPITTIN'
IF YOU’RE GONNA SKAT DON’T CAP JUST CALL IT SINGING
BILLIE HOLIDAY DID THAT BUT IT SOUNDED DIFFERENT
THE CLOCK TICKING THE PLOT THICKEN SHOTS RINGING OUT ON DARK-TINTED BLOCK FROM HARD LIVING
I’M ONE OF THE MOST AUTHENTIC THAT EVER DID IT
TO SPIT THE INTIMATE INNER VISION
I DIP MY PEN IN A WELL OF TEARS AND SCRIBBLE TILL HELL APPEARS
THEN I REPENT AND SMEAR MY RECORD CLEAR UNTIL HEAVEN HEARS
IT'S BEEN TWENTY YEARS ENGENDERING CHEERS
THEY KNOW THE LOAN IS INTEREST BEARING WHENEVER THEY LEND ME EARS
LIKE GIVE ME THREE MINUTES AND TWENTY SECONDS AND HERE’S
MY HIGHS LOWS JOYS WOES AND ANY PENT-UP FEARS
I DON’T HAVE MANY PEERS ON ANY HEMISPHERE
THE ONLY THING I APPEAR TO BRING TO THEM IS FEAR
VIOLATOR SEE I DONE MADE THE MESSAGE PLENTY CLEAR
MY OMEGA MY ALPHA CLAP IT ALL IN THE CHAPTER
I’M ABSOLUTELY NOT A PASTOR I’M JUST PASSIONATE ABOUT THE SOUGHT-AFTER HEART OF THE MATTER
YOU ARE NOW ROCKING WITH A TRUE AND LIVING MASTER
WELCOME TO THE EXTRAVAGANZA
#BrotherAli #HipHop #NewMusic #Rap #officialvideo #officialmusicvideo #animation #animator #shortfilm #handdrawing #art #single