by Vaughn Lowery
AL HALABAN is an eerie yet dynamic piece of work from French beatmaker, JMT-PROD and features Morrocan lyrical genius, MAWKLEY. The opening of the record pulls you in and is extremely cinematic (with Saudi Arabian ambient street sounds in background); however, the love of hip-hop is prevalent throughout the track. Very reminiscent of Wu-Tang with a dash of Dr. Dre from the 90’s. When you combine almost 30 years of sound making alongside of a griot who’s been spitting fire since the ripe age of 10, magic happens. Although the song is a foreign release, we had the opportunity to get our hands on a lyric sheet and were blown away. Concurrently, the two of them narrate a story about self-destruction, poverty and hopelessness. If you are seeking something powerful, provocative and perhaps soon to be award-winning look no further.
#360WatchList #360Recommended
http://www.jmt-prod.com/AL_HALABAN/
*Lyrics
INTRO :
IN A TIME WHERE INJUSTICES ,THE POWER OF SHADE AND DOMINANCE BECAME MORE
COMBINED THAN EVER,
WHERE RAIDS DARED THE EXTORTION OF MASTERS OF PAST AND PRESENT
CIVILISATIONS, AND THE LEADERS OF HISTORY.
IT BECAME MORE THAN NECESSARY TO GO BACK IN TIME AND TO DIVE IN THE
HOLLOWS OF MEMORY TO LOOK FOR THAT LUSTER EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEEN
BLOCKED BY MASSES OF ASH FOR A LONG TIME.
VERSE 1 :
I’VE LEARNED LETTERS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE SHEEP
USING A DULL KNIFE..CHOKRI GAVE ME DRY BREAD TO USE
AS A WARM COVER THE MICROPHONE BECAME AN ADDICTION
THEY SAY : GO AND GIVE UP !
MY SWORD IS IN THE FACE OF ANYONE WITH A SWORD UP
I WANT TO LIVE LIKE THIS !
FILLED MY HEAD WITH KNOWLEDGE
TELL ME WHAT THEY DID TO YOU WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG
A PLASTIC SANDALE
A SILLY SOCCER BALL , FIVE ELECTRICITY TOWERS , BIG ROCKS
AND WE PLAYIN’ 5 AGAINST 5
BEATEN BY YOUR FATHER AND YOUR TEACHER DID THE SAME
BONGOS, P’TIT SWISS, PRE-SCHOOL LULLABIES
CHAOS IN THE HOOD
NEIGHBOUR CAME OUT AND PUNCTURED THE BALL
FELT SAD, WENT AROUND THE CORNER, BOUGHT A NEW ONE
PLAYED NEXT TO HIS HOUSE AND HE CAME OUT BACK AGAIN…
RAIN POURED, EVERYONE HAD A STICK TO DRAW
IN THE WET DIRT, TAKING TURNS
MY STICK STABBED MY FRIENDS KNEE, HIS DAD PASSED BY
AND FOUND OUT
QUICKLY CAME THE AMBULANCE
NEVER SAW HIM WALKING AGAIN
HE BECAME « HALABAN”
Hook (Refrain) :
HALABAN…..THE SOMEONE WHO IS IN TRANSE WANT TO BE KNOWN
HALABAN…..DANI DAN….JUNKY-MAN……HALABAN
HALABAN…..NOTHING MATTERS….NOTHING HAPPENS…HALABAN
HE STILL NEED A HASH-JOINT….THE SOMEONE WHO IS LEARNING WILL BE KNOWN 2X
VERSE 2 :
FIGHTING IN THE HOOD TO SMOKE AND TO HAVE ENAUGH HASH
YOU BECOME ANORMAL WHEN YOUR PARENTS MAKE YOU DOING A DENTAL SURGERY
NIGHTS LIKE DAYS DRAWIN’ IN ALL WALLS….JUNKIES GRAFFITI!
YOU ARE USED TO STEALING…SCHOOL BECAME THE REFUGE
YOUR DAD HAD A HEART ATTACK, WHNE HE KNEW YOU SNUCK OUT
SHAMEFUL OUTSPRING !
YOU’RE A WASTE OF MONEY AND EFFORTS
YOU’RE NOT UNIQUE…THERE ARE SO MANY !
ADDICTION LEAD TO PRISON..BLAME IT ON THE DEALER
HE WILL BECOME HALABAN LIQUOR IN A PLASTIC BAG
SHOP OWNERS FIRED HIM, CAUSE HE SMELLS BAD
JUNKIES TASTED HIM, WANT TO MAKE HIM LADY
THEY GAVE HIM RIPPED SOCKS AND THEY RAPED HIM
Hook (Refrain) :
HALABAN…..THE SOMEONE WHO IS IN TRANSE WANT TO BE KNOWN
HALABAN…..DANI DAN….JUNKY-MAN……HALABAN
HALABAN…..NOTHING MATTERS….NOTHING HAPPENS…HALABAN
HE STILL NEED A HASH-JOINT….THE SOMEONE WHO IS LEARNING WILL BE KNOWN 2X
OUTRO :
WHEN THE RHYTHM OF THE PUNCHES OF TIME FASTEN..REALITY CAN’T OBEY ITS
RULES,
BE LIKE CANCER AND WATER, AND DON’T LET THE DAYS PLAY WITH YOU AS IT
WISHES,
GIVE ME A PIECE OF PAPER AND A PEN AND LEAVE ME WITH TIME.
KISS KISS THE BEE
MAWKLEY
