People Who Inspired Me To Rap: Scarface

🎶Life goes on in the streets of my hood when you die

But some cry, and gets by, while others choose to wonder why..

His life was took at such an early age

A young nigga who lived in a rage died by the gauge

He used to hustle on the street corners

His mom would always beg him to quit, but he didn't wanna

As he got older, he got even worse

Till a real nigga showed him the purpose of a hearse

A cold night in his hood, he had a tangle

The brother he was squabbling with, had broke his ankle

Laid him out in the driveway🎶

Some people knew he wouldn't survive, but hey🎶 - Scarface ( A Minute to Pray and a Second to Die).

Those are the powerful lyrics of rapper Brad Jordan, better known by his stage name Scarface. He’s one of the most influential rappers of all time and when talking about our famous top five favorites he is definitely one of mines.

Brad “Scarface” Jordan was born on November 9, 1970 in Houston, Texas. He came from a notoriously troubled background in his youth. While in high school he dropped out and became a drug dealer and dealt with a lot of mental health issues which led to him ending up in a psychiatric hospital. Brad also had deep love for the then newly popular culture of Hip Hop and began rapping and DJ-ing as a teenager. He adopted the stage name Scarface from the 1983 gangster film of the same name and in the late 80’s he joined the Houston rap group known as the Geto Boys after one of their original members left the group.

I started small time, dope game, cocaine

Pushin rocks on the block, I'm never broke, mayn

Sportin jewelry and the shit that came with rollin' hard

You try to school me, you'll get fucked up with no regard

Boy, don't test me, 'cause I'm tired of teachin lessons

So muthafuck you and that bullshit that you're stressin'

'Cause it ain't nothin' but the money flow in this camp

And if you fuck me, you'll forever wear a stamp

So watch your back and prepare for the hitman

Life of the black, and the Ak won't take no shit, and

You'll be bumped off, bucked off, no trace

On the for realer, my nigga, just call me Scarface🎶

The Geto Boys became one of the most prolific gangsta rap groups of the late 80’s and early 90’s. Scarface would then venture into a solo career and it was here that he caught my attention.

As a kid my first notice of Scarface was on the 1995 soundtrack to the comedy classic film Friday. This soundtrack has always been one of my favorite movie soundtracks and Scarface’s song on the soundtrack titled “Friday Night” was the best song on the soundtrack for me. Something about this song just feels like the perfect summary of a Friday night. While songs like “Friday Night” appealed to my personality, it was the song “On My Block” from Scarface that spoke directly to me as a person.

🎶Everyday it's been the same old thang on my block

You either working or you slanging cocaine on my block

You had to hustle, cause that's how we was raised on my block

And you stayed on your hop until you made you a knot

On my block, to hang out was the thing back then

And even when you left out, you came back in

To my block, from Holloway, Bellfort, to Scott

Reed Road to Phlox, we know the spots

Smoke weed and rocks, drink all the blue dots

On yo' block you prolly bred a Fat Pat or 2Pac

Or Big Pun, or B.I., ya homeboys from knee, high

And even when it was storming outside, that nigga'd be by

That's me, dogg, on my block, I ain't have to play the big shot

Niggas knew me back when I was stealing beers from Shamrock

And my nickname was Creepy, if Black June could see me

He'd be tripping, and I'd bet he still try to tease me🎶 - Scarface (On My Block)

“On My Block” came out in 2002 when I was nine years old. It was the leading single off Scarface’s latest album The Fix. This song gave me a serious understanding of who Scarface the man was and in that same regard I learned that he and I have a lot in common. In this song Scarface documents life in the ghetto and the impact that it has had on him. Listening to his commentary on this song had me like “yep I’m right there with you, Face”.

Following The Fix I learned a lot more about Scarface. I got into his music more and more as I grew over the years. Through his music I learned that he wasn’t just a tough guy Gangsta rapper, but that he was very socially and politically conscious. He rapped alot about the issues plaguing the Black community on a daily basis and he did it with a powerful delivery that really landed on your heart and mind. He also talked alot about his relationship with God and his faith and with all of this put together he was a bright and shining example of the type of emcee that I wanted to be.

To this day Scarface is one of the most celebrated greats in Hip Hop history. He was a pioneer for the southern region in Hip Hop and the powerful emotion that reverberates through his listeners played a big role in elevating Hip Hop. The baritone of his voice empowered me as a fan and his relatable content inspired me when I was working hard to be better in my life’s ventures. Scarface is not only one of the greatest rappers of all time, but one of my biggest heroes in Hip Hop who inspired me to wanna rap.

🎶Dear diary I'm havin' a little problem with my mind state

How many bullets would it take to change my mind? Wait

Sometimes I want to end it but I don't though

They tell me see my pastor but I don't go

'Cause they all be on this one street

So I take it on myself to thank him one deep

And give my money to the most needy, uh

And never put it in the hands of the most greedy

Cause their puttin' a price tag on a man's word

And it's a fashion show, so the men flirt

The world is endin' so they try to make us switch fast

And they openin' up these churches for some quick cash

And usin' the money fo' they new cribs

While Brother Johnson just got kicked out where he lived

I follow no man, 'cause man be phoney🎶 - Scarface (Mind Playin Tricks On Me 94’).