Phantom

[Verse 1: Mr. Lif] Check it out I been waitin', playin', for a long time X amount of thoughts carried out in my mind I turn on the TV, I see crime Script written diligently and aired on time Push the power button, now I'm to devour somethin Opened up my fridge and found nothin Tipped to my room with an aura of gloom Wishin' I could write another tune But my hands are paralyzed, plus my eyes Wanna shed tears, but it's not possible, there's The burden of things I couldn't bear Feelings weren't dealt with properly Remorse follows me With his good friend, the threat of poverty Here's where I am, versus where I think I oughtta be There's a certain chance I'm a victim of circumstance I take a look at myself and at first glance I see who I recently thought to be me Based on identities public and private Behold the radio pirate, ya nigga A felon, chillin' with a gun to your melon A pimp with his pockets swellin', a jester A slave with wounds that fester, the wanna-be Pre-med 3-D dread an academic reject Hoping to detect why we wrecked what God gave Human laws are laid, we go to war Come back and come up with more I'm kind, friendly, your worst enemy Charming, crass, and potentially Dangerous, have you ever heard of such? I'm invisible and impossible to touch [Refrain: El-P] This is not my beautiful melting identity The thoughts that I can't manipulate for the safe line Is personal, one amongst many is the macro Made from the pain of the fragile Made from the pain of the fragile Made from the pain of the fragile Made from the pain of the fragile [Verse 2: Mr. Lif] I still say fresh dope and things of that sort I don't shoot up, smoke crack, or take shorts Your thoughts are always welcome, I seldom Won't enter another's perspective, corrective lenses Are somethin' that I wear, so I can see the globe real clear Look, there's famine over there, plus the families in fear Of disease and distress that lingers in the air These are the words of a man in purgatory Words of a simpleton living in oblivion Is this the model for life you will envisionin Free as can be in a world of imprisonment? I dare you to check new territory American dream? Time for another story One where I don't choke to keep afloat I'm sick of livin' on false visions of hope With a knife to my own throat Stick of dynamite inside my overcoat Because I know the ropes Reality in this world is bought and sold A very limited scope of life is shown And I'm just one of the mold, fully controlled Left to erode in my humble abode You won't hear me because I got no loot You don't hear me because you won't compute I'm docile, psycho, have you heard of such? I'm invisible and impossible to touch [Chorus: Mr. Lif] Single mother, who are you? (I phantom) Office worker, who are you? (I phantom) Caught up in the system, who are you? (I phantom) Tryin' to earn a living, who are you? (I phantom) Depressed and uninspired, who are you? (I phantom) Hard-workin', broke and tired, who are you? (I phantom) Seekin' education, who are you? (I phantom) Can't get ahead no matter what you do? (I phantom)