This song, off of Boogie Down Production's first album Criminal Minded, is one of the first rap songs to involve graphic violence. KRS-One, the lyricist, has named it as a forerunner of Gangsta Rap. However, KRS-One (and his supporters) has often been accused of overstating his own importance. It is up for future rap historians to decide the truth of the issue.

The song itself is somewhat bizarre. It involves a chant of La la las, and has a somewhat techno reggae beat thing going on. Given the history of rap since then, it might be easy to overlook the fact that this song came out at a time when violence was not a big large part of rap, so KRS may have been trying to write a purposefully weird song. Even compared to later songs, the violence is described in such a direct manner, that it is dissimiliar to later "egotisitcal" rap violence.

Another interesting facet of the song is that KRS-One would only a year or so later record a song called Stop the Violence and later form a movement with the same name. And even at this point, he mentions on his album that he doesn't eat meat,an ethical lifestyle that seems incongruos with humming to yourself while blowing people's heads off.

I think a lot of the incongruity can be explained by looking at KRS-One's background in the Krishna movement. His name is even a form of the name of the Lord Krishna. Many legends about Lord Krishna involve people trying to kill him, and Krishna using his magical powers to escape, and to take revenge on ihs attackers. There is an entire religious symbolism here that goes beyong this node, but I have always thought that was one interesting explanation of this song.

Here are the lyrics of the song, without the "la, la, la":

Me knew a crack dealer by the name of Peter
Had to buck him down with my 9 millimeter
He said I had his girl, I said "Now what are you? Stupid?"
But he tried to play me out and KRS-One knew it
He reached for his pistol but it was just a waste
Cos my 9 millimeter was up against his face
He pulled his pistol anyway and I filled him full of lead
But just before he fell to the ground this is what I said...

Chorus: Listen to my 9mm go bang...etc...

Seven days later I was chillin in the herb gate
But seven days too much when the gossip has to circulate
Puffin sensemilla I heard "knock knock knock"
But the way that they knocked it did not sound like any cop
And if it were a customer they'd ask me for a nick
So suddenly I realized it had to be a trick
I dropped down to the floor and they did not waste no time
They shot right through the door so I had to go for mine
They pumped and shot again but the suckas kept on missin
Cos I was on the floor by now, I crawled into the kitchen
Thirty seconds later, boy, they bust the door down
The money and the sensemi' was lyin all around
But just as they put their pistols down to take a cut
Me jumped out the kitchen, went "buck! buck! buck!"
They fall down to the floor but one was still alive
So I put my 9 millimeter right between his eyes,br> Looked at his potnah and both of them were dead
So just before he joined his potnah this is what I said...

Chorus

I gathered all the money and I ran up the block
I said "This is a perfect time to meet with Scott LaRock"
But Scott is either psychic or he has a knack for trouble
Cos Scott LaRock showed up in a all-black BMW
I jumped inside the car and we screeched off in a hurry
And Scott said "What is wrong? Relax, tell me the story"
I said "You remember Peter? Well his posse tried to kill me
I'm all right now because the sensemi' fill me"
Scott just laughed, he said "I know they're all dead
And just before you pulled the trigger this is what you said..."

Chorus

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