A rap eulogy in 32 bars (give or take 5%)

April 30, 2011 3:31 PM

"On November 22, 1997, there was a party at 635 Logan Street, Steubenville, Ohio. Hubbard attended this party. At the party were several members of the gang known as the Crips. It is contested whether Hubbard is a member of the Crips. During that evening, Wise God Allah, a.k.a. Grier Montgomery, was walking down the street outside of the party. Wise God Allah was known to be a member of the rival gang the Bloods. Hubbard and up to nine other men began shooting at Wise God Allah. One of the shots hit Wise God Allah. The gunshot wound was fatal."*

"On one record I did called 'Wise' that didn't make the album the Supreme Clientele—I couldn't use it, they took it off**—I cried writing it. I wrote it on the beach. And I cried. And it started raining when I was crying. It was in Miami. I cried writing it, and then when I went to go record it, it had some tears coming to my eyes too, recording it, because I had to zone out, I couldn't really do it in front of everybody. I don't like to record in front of a lot of people especially when I'm writing emotional stuff." - Ghostface Killah [audio interview]

"Wise (In the Rain)" [mp3 | mixtape version feat. Stevie J & Mr. Dalvin]

I think it happened on a Saturday, I heard the phone ring
Vring, vring, vring, vring, vring, "Who this, 'Vine?"
"Yo, Wise got killed last night, by the tracks"
It was them same old wild niggas, teamed up, sent 'em back
We shoulda drilled a long time ago, we went disaccording
Now we owe, the devil slid through without an intro
"Yo, 'Vine, it can't be, Wise guest starring me
In 'Can It Be...'" We both got hit, God's legendary
He a General, he survived Adolf
Hard to even picture God aten by grey dogs
He stated his word, and he solemnly swear
To tell the truth, that his bond was like pure outta Peru
Wise God Allah, Warrior, XY chromosomes
Sat heavy on the throne, touched something for ya
Ya Steubenville niggas fucked up
Because bitches is talking, they live
And I'm twisting your alley back
You killed my man, you killed my man, and you sent him back
After this day, watch your hats
Slugs flying everywhere, you smell havoc in the air
You can never get the God's chair, emphatically
Now cipher, you've been thriving off the same battery
We had, back in '91, that got you hyper
God been beautiful, God been great
God fed you, you die, if he survive that take
You killed your king, Wakim Allah gave him his life
He was your offspring, camouflaged, all day with greens
One righteous man, fought for his right, God's pupil
Yo, that's my fam, he snatched me out of big head van
We taught you how to get gates, from sayin' "peace God"
Islam translates Allah's tongue, spit the language hard
Alex Haley thoughts, identical twin, my A-alike
Gas mate, the hate grows, the day's closed, hide your loaf

Yeah, think fast, get trashed / Uh-huh, yeah, stoned to death / Thou shall be stoned to death, muthafucka / Cast out the heavens, though shall not kill / Eye for an eye, though shall not kill / You fool, it tells you, you betrayed God, eye for an eye / Then it's all good, the beast is gone, beast is gone / That's right...

Love you Wise! Love you Wise! Love you Wise!
But I love you Wise... in the rain...
Love you Wise, in the rain...

posted by jng (11 comments total)

I cribbed most of the lyrics from here but cleaned up what I could. But there are still some lines I'm not sure about, because, shrug, he's Ghost, the stuff he says can be so elusive (and allusive).
posted by jng at 3:32 PM on April 30, 2011 [1 favorite]

Man, this is such an awesome post.
posted by koeselitz at 3:33 PM on April 30, 2011

Was really expecting Hubbard to be L. Ron.
posted by orthogonality at 3:34 PM on April 30, 2011 [1 favorite]

Love Ghost, love this, thank you.
posted by Divine_Wino at 3:36 PM on April 30, 2011

*stoned* He probably took the tape.
posted by BeerFilter at 4:02 PM on April 30, 2011

Ah a post after my own heart. Related: Raekwon - State of Grace - EXEGESIS
posted by jcruelty at 4:23 PM on April 30, 2011

I always think of it as "In the Rain," but yeah it's a great song.
posted by paisley henosis at 5:25 PM on April 30, 2011

This same story is on Chicagobreakingnewscom, seven days a week.
posted by timsteil at 6:16 PM on April 30, 2011

Just for the record, a lot of the more cryptic lines (cipher, "peace god", Wakim Allah [perhaps Rakim Allah?]) are references to The Nation of Gods and Earths (aka The Five Percenters), in case anyone was wondering.
posted by jng at 10:59 PM on April 30, 2011

Great stuff, jng. Hadn't heard this before. Thanks.
posted by GamblingBlues at 11:09 PM on April 30, 2011

Love me some Ghostface Killah. Thank you, jng.
posted by blucevalo at 11:42 AM on May 1, 2011