Topenga Ataata
Kupu Tūpato
I once knew a nigga whose real name was William
– I mohio ahau ki tētahi nigga ko Tōna ingoa tūturu Ko William
His primary concern was makin’ a million
– Ko tana tino concangawanga ko makin ‘ a million
Bein’ the illest hustler that the world ever seen
– Ko te tangata kino rawa atu i kitea e te ao
He used to fuck movie stars and sniff coke in his dreams
– I whakamahia e ia ki te patu i nga whetu kiriata me te hongi i te coke i roto i ana moemoea
A corrupted young mind at the age of 13
– He hinengaro rangatahi kino i te 13 o ona tau
Nigga never had a father and his mom was a fiend
– Kāre a Nigga i whai pāpā ā he rewera tōna whaea
She put the pipe down, but for every year she was sober
– I whakatakotoria e ia te putorino, engari i ia tau he haurangi ia
Her son’s heart simultaneously grew colder
– I te wā kotahi ka makariri ake te ngakau o tana tama
He started hangin’ out, sellin’ bags in the projects
– I tīmata ia ki te noho, ki te hoko peke i roto i ngā kaupapa
Checkin’ the young chicks, lookin’ for hit-and-run prospects
– Te tirotiro i ngā tīpuna rangatahi, te rapu i ngā tūponotanga mō te patu me te rere
He was fascinated by material objects
– I tino miharo ia ki ngā taonga
But he understood money never bought respect
– Engari i mārama ia kāore te moni i hoko i te whakaute
He built a reputation, ’cause he could hustle and steal
– I hanga e ia he ingoa, ‘ no te mea i taea e ia te hustle me te tahae
But got locked once and didn’t hesitate to squeal
– Engari i maukati kotahi a kihai i whakaroa ki te hamama
So criminals he chilled with didn’t think he was real
– Na ko nga tangata hara i whakamamaetia e ia kihai i whakaaro he pono ia
You see, me and niggas like this have never been equal
– E kite ana koe, ko au me ngā negro pēnei kāore anō kia ōrite
I don’t project my insecurities on other people
– Kāore au e whakaatu i aku pōharatanga ki ētahi atu tāngata
He fiended for props like addicts with pipes and needles
– I riri ia ki ngā taonga pēnei i ngā kaingākau ki ngā paipa me ngā ngira
And so he felt he had to prove to everyone he was evil
– Na i whakaaro ia me whakamatau ia ki te katoa he kino ia
A feeble-minded young man with infinite potential
– He taitama ngoikore-hinengaro me te kaha mutunga kore
The product of a ghetto-bred capitalistic mental
– Ko te hua o te hinengaro pūmatua i whakatipuhia e te ghetto
Coincidentally dropped out of school to sell weed
– I whakarerea e ia te kura hei hoko tarutaru
Dancin’ with the Devil, smoked until his eyes would bleed
– E kanikani ana ki te Rewera, e paowa ana kia toto ra ano ona kanohi
But he was sick of sellin’ trees and gave in to his greed
– Otiia i ngenge ia i te hoko rakau, a hoatu ana ki tona apo
Everyone tryin’ to be trife, never face the consequences
– Ko te katoa e ngana ana ki te whakaiti, kaua rawa e aro ki nga hua
You probably only did a month for minor offenses
– I mahi pea koe i te marama kotahi mō ngā hara iti
Ask a nigga doin’ life if he had another chance
– A ani i te nigga mahi ‘ ora ki te i ia tetahi tupono
But then again, there’s always the wicked that knew in advance
– Engari anō, kei reira tonu te hunga kino i mōhio i mua
Dance forever with the Devil on a cold cell block
– Kanikani tonu ki te Rewera i runga i te poraka pūtau makariri
But that’s what happens when you rape, murder, and sell rock
– Engari koina te mea ka tupu ina tūkino koe, ka patu tangata, ka hoko toka
Devils used to be God’s angels that fell from the top
– Ko nga rewera i mua ko Nga anahera A te Atua i hinga mai i runga
There’s no diversity because we’re burnin’ in the melting pot
– Kāore he rerekētanga nā te mea kei te wera mātou i roto i te kohua rewa
So Billy started robbin’ niggas, anything he could do
– Na ka tīmata a Billy ki te patu i ngā nigga, i ngā mea katoa ka taea e ia
To get his respect back in the eyes of his crew
– Kia hoki mai ai tana whakaute ki te kanohi o tana kapa
Startin’ fights over little shit up on the block
– Ka whawhai a Startin mo te iti o te paru i runga i te poraka
Stepped up to sellin’ mothers and brothers the crack rock
– Ka piki ake ki te hoko i ngā whaea me ngā tuakana ko te roka pūngāwerewere
Workin’ overtime for makin’ money for the crack spot
– Mahi ‘overtime mō te hanga’ moni mo te wahi kapiti
Hit the jackpot and wanted to move up to cocaine
– Pāwhiritia te pūtaonga me te hiahia ki te neke ki runga ki te cocaine
Fulfillin’ the Scarface fantasy stuck in his brain
– Te whakatutuki I te Whakaaro O Scarface i mau ki roto i tona roro
Tired of the block niggas treatin’ him the same
– I te ngenge o te poraka ka rite tonu te mahi a niggas ki a ia
He wanted to be major like the cut throats and the thugs
– I hiahia ia kia noho hei rangatira pēnei i te cut throats and the thugs
But when he tried to step to ’em, niggas showed him no love
– Engari i a ia e ngana ana ki te takahi ki a ratou, kaore a niggas i whakaatu i te aroha ki a ia
They told him any motherfuckin’ coward can sell drugs
– I ki atu rātau ki a ia ka taea e ngā motherfuckin’ coward te hoko tarukino
Any bitch nigga with a gun can bust slugs
– Ka taea e ngā kōtiro katoa me te patu te patu i ngā kōtiro
Any nigga with a red shirt can front like a Blood
– Ka taea e ngā nigga katoa he koti whero te anga whakamua pēnei i te Toto
Even Puffy smoked a motherfucker up in the club
– Ahakoa A Puffy i paowa i tētahi motherfucker i te karapu
But only a real thug can stab someone ’til they die
– Engari ko te kaitiaki tūturu anake e taea te patu i tētahi ‘ki te mate ratou
Standin’ in front of them, starin’ straight into their eyes
– E tu ana i mua i a rātou, e titiro tika ana ki ō rātou kanohi
Billy realized that these men were well-guarded
– I mōhio a Billy he pai te tiaki o ēnei tangata
And they wanted to test him before business started
– A i hiahia rātau ki te whakamātau i a ia i mua i te tīmatanga o te pakihi
Suggested rapin’ a bitch to prove he was cold-hearted
– I whakaaro a rapin ‘ a bitch ki te whakamatau he ngakau makariri ia
So now he had a choice between goin’ back to his life
– Na inaianei i taea e ia te whiriwhiri i waenganui i te hoki ki tona ora
Or makin’ money with made men up in the cyph’
– Ranei te hanga ‘moni ki te tangata hanga ake i roto i te cyph’
His dreams about cars and ice made him agree
– Na ana moemoea mo nga waka me te huka i whakaae ai ia
A hardcore nigga is all he ever wanted to be
– Ko te nigga pakeke anake tana i hiahia ai
And so he met them Friday night at a quarter to three
– Na ka tutaki ia ki a ratou i te po o te paraire i te hauwhā ki te toru
Everyone tryin’ to be trife, never face the consequences
– Ko te katoa e ngana ana ki te whakaiti, kaua rawa e aro ki nga hua
You probably only did a month for minor offenses
– I mahi pea koe i te marama kotahi mō ngā hara iti
Ask a nigga doin’ life if he had another chance
– A ani i te nigga mahi ‘ ora ki te i ia tetahi tupono
But then again, there’s always the wicked that knew in advance
– Engari anō, kei reira tonu te hunga kino i mōhio i mua
Dance forever with the Devil on a cold cell block
– Kanikani tonu ki te Rewera i runga i te poraka pūtau makariri
But that’s what happens when you rape, murder, and sell rock
– Engari koina te mea ka tupu ina tūkino koe, ka patu tangata, ka hoko toka
Devils used to be God’s angels that fell from the top
– Ko nga rewera i mua ko Nga anahera A te Atua i hinga mai i runga
There’s no diversity because we’re burnin’ in the melting pot
– Kāore he rerekētanga nā te mea kei te wera mātou i roto i te kohua rewa
They drove around the projects slow while it was rainin’
– He puhoi te haere a rātau i ngā kaupapa i te wā e ua ana
Smokin’ blunts, drinkin’ and jokin’ for entertainment
– Smokin ‘blunts, drinkin’ and jokin ‘ mō te whakangahau
Until they saw a woman on the street, walkin’ alone
– Tae noa ki te kitenga o tētahi wahine i te huarahi, e haere ana anake
Three in the mornin’, comin’ back from work, on her way home
– E toru i te ata, e hoki mai ana i te mahi, i a ia e hoki ana ki te kāinga
And so they quietly got out the car and followed her
– Na ka puta puku atu rātau i te motokā ka whai i a ia
Walkin’ through the projects, the darkness swallowed her
– I a ia e haere ana i roto i ngā kaupapa, ka horomia ia e te pōuri
They wrapped her shirt around her head and knocked her onto the floor
– I takaia e rātau tōna koti ki tōna matenga ā ka hinga ia ki te papa
“This is it, kid, now you got your chance to be raw”
– “Ko tenei, e tama, inaianei kua whiwhi koe i to tupono ki te raw”
So Billy yoked her up and grabbed the chick by the hair
– Na ka mau A Billy ki a ia ka hopu i te manu iti ki te makawe
And dragged her into a lobby that had nobody there
– A ka toia ia ki roto ki te rori e kore tetahi i reira
She struggled hard, but they forced her to go up the stairs
– I kaha tana whawhai, engari i whakahaua ia e rātau kia eke ki runga i te pikitanga
They got to the roof and then held her down on the ground
– I eke rātau ki te tuanui kātahi ka pupuri i a ia ki raro i te whenua
Screamin’, “Shut the fuck up, and stop movin’ around!”
– Ka karanga, ” Kia Mau te kino, kia mutu te neke haere!”
The shirt covered her face, but she screamed and clawed
– I hipoki te koti i tona mata, engari ka hamama ia, ka tarai
So Billy stomped on the bitch until he’d broken her jaw
– Na Ka takahia e Billy te wahine kia whati ra ano tana kauae
The dirty bastards knew exactly what they were doin’
– I tino mōhio ngā dirty bastards ki tā rātou mahi
They kicked her until they cracked her ribs and she stopped movin’
– I werohia ia e rātau kia pakaru ra ano ōna kōpae, ā, ka mutu tana neke
Blood leakin’ through the cloth, she cried silently
– Ka rere te toto i roto i te papanga, ka tangi puku ia
And then they all proceeded to rape her violently
– Na ka haere katoa ratou ki te patu i a ia
Billy was made to go first, but each of them took a turn
– I whakahaua a Billy kia haere tuatahi, engari i tahuri ia tangata
Rippin’ her up and chokin’ her until her throat burned
– Rippin ‘ia ake, me te chokin’ ia tae noa ki tona kaki tahuna
Her broken jaw mumbled for God, but they weren’t concerned
– I ngunguru tona kauae whati mo Te Atua, engari kihai i concernangawanga ratou
When they were done and she was layin’
– I a rātou e mahi ana, ā, e takoto ana ia
Bloody, broken and bruised
– He toto, he pakaru, he pakaru
One of them niggas pulled out a brand new .22
– Ko tētahi o rātau ko niggas i whakaputa i tētahi mea hou .22
They told him that she was a witness of what she’d gone through
– I korerotia e rātau ki a ia he kaiwhakaatu ia mo tana i haere ai
And if he killed her, he was guaranteed a spot in the crew
– A, ki te patua ia e ia, ka whakawhiwhia ki a ia he wāhi i roto i te tira
He thought about it for a minute, she was practically dead
– I whakaaro ia mo taua mea mo te meneti, kua tino mate ia
And so he leaned over and put the gun right to her head
– Na ka piko ia ki runga ka whakatakoto i te patu ki tona matenga
I’m fallin’ and I can’t turn back
– Kei te hinga ahau, ā, kāore e taea e au te hoki whakamuri
I’m fallin’ and I can’t turn back
– Kei te hinga ahau, ā, kāore e taea e au te hoki whakamuri
Right before he pulled the trigger and ended her life
– I mua tonu i tana tangohanga i te pū, ā, ka mutu tana oranga
He thought about the cocaine with the platinum and ice
– I whakaaro ia ki te cocaine me te platinum me te ice
And he felt strong standin’ along with his new brothers
– A i kaha ia ki te tu tahi me ona tuakana hou
Cocked the gat to her head and pulled back the shirt cover
– I werohia te tatau ki tōna matenga, ā, i tangohia te taupoki o te koti
But what he saw made him start to cringe and stutter
– Ko te mea i kite ia i hanga ia tīmata ki te cringe me te kōkōkō
‘Cause he was starin’ into the eyes of his own mother
– ‘No te mea i titiro ia ki nga kanohi o tona whaea ake
She looked back at him and cried ’cause he had forsaken her
– Ka titiro ia ki a ia, ka karanga ‘ no te mea kua whakarerea ia e ia
She cried more painfully than when they were rapin’ her
– He nui ake te mamae o tana tangi i te wā i tūkinotia ai ia e rātau
His whole world stopped, he couldn’t even contemplate
– I mutu tana ao katoa, kaore i taea e ia te whakaaro
His corruption had successfully changed his fate
– I angitu tana pirau ki te huri i tana mutunga
And he remembered how his mom used to come home late
– A ka mahara ia ki te wā i hoki wawe mai ai tōna māmā ki te kāinga
Workin’ hard for nothin’, because now what was he worth?
– He mahi uaua ki te kore, nā te mea ināianei he aha tana utu?
He turned away from the woman that had once given him birth
– I tahuri atu ia i te wahine i whanau ai ia i mua
And cryin’ out to the sky, ’cause he was lonely and scared
– A ka karanga ki te rangi ,na te mea he mokemoke ia, he wehi hoki
But only the Devil responded, ’cause God wasn’t there
– Engari ko te Rewera anake i whakautu, ‘no te Mea kaore Te Atua i reira
And right then he knew what it was to be empty and cold
– A i taua wā tonu ka mōhio ia he aha te mea kia noho kau kia makariri
And so he jumped off the roof and died with no soul
– Na ka peke atu ia i te tuanui a ka mate kahore he wairua
They say death takes you to a better place, but I doubt it
– E mea ana rātau ka kawea koe e te mate ki tētahi wāhi pai ake, engari e ruarua ana ahau
After that, they killed his mother, and never spoke about it
– I muri i tērā, ka patua e rātau tōna whaea, ā, kāore anō kia kōrero mō taua mea
And listen, ’cause the story that I’m tellin’ is true
– Whakarongo mai, ‘ na te mea he pono te kōrero e korerotia ana e au
‘Cause I was there with Billy Jacobs, and I raped his mom too
– ‘Nā Te mea i reira ahau ki A Billy Jacobs, ā, i tūkinotia hoki e au tōna māmā
And now the Devil follows me everywhere that I go
– Na inaianei ka whai te Rewera i ahau ki nga wahi katoa e haere ana ahau
In fact, I’m sure he’s standin’ among one of you at my shows
– I te mea, e whakapono ana ahau kei te tū ia i roto i tētahi o koutou i aku whakaaturanga
And every street cypher, listenin’ to little thugs flow
– A ko nga kupu huna katoa o te huarahi, whakarongo ki nga kaitiaki iti e rere ana
He could be standin’ right next to you, and you wouldn’t know
– Ka taea e ia te tu i te taha tonu o koe, a kaore koe e mohio
The Devil grows inside the hearts of the selfish and wicked
– Ka tipu te Rewera i roto i nga ngakau o te tangata whaiaro me te kino
White, brown, yellow and black — color is not restricted
– Kāore e rāhuitia te tae mā, te parauri, te kowhai, me te pango
You have a self-destructive destiny when you’re inflicted
– Ka whai koe i tētahi tūponotanga whakangaro-whaiaro ina tukinotia koe
And you’ll be one of God’s children that fell from the top
– A ka waiho koe tetahi o nga tamariki A Te Atua i hinga i te tihi
There’s no diversity because we’re burnin’ in the melting pot
– Kāore he rerekētanga nā te mea kei te wera mātou i roto i te kohua rewa
So when the Devil wants to dance with you, you better say never
– Na, ina hiahia te Rewera ki te kanikani ki a koe, ka pai ake koe ki te kore
Because a dance with the Devil might last you forever
– No te mea he kanikani ki te Rewera kia mau koe ake ake
Oh, y’all motherfuckers thought it was over, huh?
– Aue, whakaaro koutou motherfuckers katoa i te reira i runga i, huh?
Well, it’s not, you didn’t count on a fallen angel gettin’ back
– Ehara i te mea, kāore koe i whakawhirinaki ki tētahi anahera kua hinga e hoki mai ana
Into the grace of God and comin’ after you
– Ki te aroha noa o te Atua, me te haere mai i muri ia koe
Y’all niggas ain’t shit, your producers ain’t shit
– Ko koutou katoa, ko nga negro ehara i te mea, ko o koutou kaihanga ehara i te mea
Your fuckin’ A & R ain’t shit
– Ko tōu A &Amp; R ain’t shit
I’ll fuckin’ wipe my ass with your demo deal
– Ka horoia e au taku huha ki tō kirimana whakaaturanga
Yo, Diabolic, take this motherfucker’s head off
– Ko koe, E Te Rewera, tangohia te upoko o tenei motherfucker
Go ‘head and grip Glocks
– Haere ‘ Head me grip Glocks
I’ll snap your trigger finger in six spots
– Ka whatiia e ahau tou maihao pātene i roto i te ono nga wahi
You’ll have to lip lock with hypodermic needles to lick shots
– Ka whai koe ki te raka ngutu ki ngira hypodermic ki te ngingio matā
I’ll watch you topple flat
– Ka kite ahau i a koe e hinga ana
Put away your rings and holla back
– Whakanohia ō mowhiti me te hoki mai o holla
Can’t freestyle; you’re screwed off the top, like bottle caps
– Kāore e taea te kāhua herekore; kua oti koe te kuru i runga, pēnei i ngā potae pounamu
Beneath the surface
– I raro i te mata
I’m overheatin’ your receiving circuits
– I’m overheatin ‘ your receiving circuits
By unleashin’ deeper verses than priests speak in churches
– Ma te tuku i nga irava hohonu atu i nga tohunga e korero ana i roto i nga hahi
What you preach is worthless
– He kore utu te mea e kauwhau ana koe
Your worship defeat the purpose
– Tou koropiko hinga i te whakaaro
Like President Bush takin’ bullets for the secret service
– Ka rite Ki Te Perehitini Bush e mau ana i ngā pōro mō te ratonga tūmataiti
Beyond what y’all fathom, I shit on cats and jaw tap ’em
– I tua atu i te mea e whakaaro ana koutou katoa, ka pa atu ahau ki nga ngeru, ka pa atu te kauae ki a ratou
Show no compassion, like havin’ a straight-faced orgasm
– E kore e whakaatu i te aroha, rite ki te whai i te orgasm tika-mata
Tour jack ’em, have his half-a-10 bitch suck my friend’s dick
– Ka haere a jack ‘ em, ka hopu i tana wahine hawhe-a-10 i te pīpī o taku hoa
In the meantime, you can french kiss this clenched fist
– I roto i te wā, ka taea e koe te kihi french tenei ringa clenched
Diabolic: a one-man brigade spreadin’ cancer plague
– Diabolic: he rōpū kotahi-tangata e horapa ana i te mate pukupuku
Fist-fuckin’ a pussy’s face, holdin’ a hand grenade
– Fucking ‘ he kanohi o te pussy, e mau ana i te grenade ringa
So if I catch you bluffin’, faggot, you’re less than nothin’
– Na, ki te hopu ahau i a koe i te tinihanga, i te pākiki, he iti iho koe i te kore
I just had to get that stress off my chest like breast reduction
– I tika ahau ki te tiki i taua ahotea i toku uma rite whakaiti uma
You motherfuckers are nothin’, you cannot harm me
– Kāore he mea e taea e koe, e kore e taea e koe te whara i ahau
I’ll resurrect every aborted baby and start an army
– Ka whakaarahia e au ia pēpi kua whakamutua, ka tīmata i tētahi ope taua
Storm the planet, huntin’ you down, ’cause I’m on a mission
– Ka rere te ao, ka whai i a koe, nā te mea kei te mahi au
To split your body into a billion one-celled organisms
– Ki te wehe i tō tinana ki te piriona o ngā rauropi pūtau kotahi
Immortal Technique’ll destroy your religion, you stupid bitch
– Ka whakangaro Te Tikanga kore mate i tō whakapono, e te wahine poauau
You’re faker than blue-eyed crackers nailed to a crucifix
– Kei te tinihanga koe i nga keke puru-kanohi i werohia ki te ripeka
I’m ’bout to blow up, like NASA Challenger computer chips
– Kei te hiahia ahau ki te pupuhi, penei I NGA maramara rorohiko Nasa Challenger
Arsenic language transmitted revolutionarily
– Te reo arānei i tukuna i runga i te hurihanga
I’m like time itself: I’m gonna kill you inevitably
– He rite ahau ki te wā: ka whakamate tonu ahau i a koe
Chemically bomb you, fuck usin’ a chrome piece
– Ka whakaekehia koe e te matū, ka whakamahia e koe he wāhanga chrome
I’m Illmatic, you won’t make it home, like Jerome’s niece
– He Mate Ahau, e kore koe e hoki ki te kāinga, pērā ki te tuahine o Jerome
I’ll sever your head diagonally for thinkin’ of dissin’ me
– Ka tapahia e ahau tou matenga ki te taha ki te whakaaro ki te whakahē i ahau
And then use your dead body to write my name in calligraphy
– Na ka whakamahi i to tinana mate ki te tuhi i taku ingoa i roto i te tuhi
This puppet democracy brain-washed your psychology
– Tenei maripi manapori roro-horoia koutou hinengaro
So you’re nothin’, like diversity without equality
– Na, ehara koe i te mea, pērā i te rerekētanga, kāore he ōritetanga
And your crew is full of more faggots than Greek mythology
– A he nui ake ngā pākiki o tō kapa i te pakiwaitara kariki
Usin’ numerology to count the people I sent to Heaven
– Te whakamahi i te tau ki te tatau i te iwi i tonoa e ahau ki Te Rangi
Produces more digits than 22 divided by seven
– Ka nui ake ngā mati i te 22 e wehea ana e whitu
You’re like Kevin Spacey: your style is usually suspect
– He rite koe Ki A Kevin Spacey: ko te tikanga he whakapae to kāhua
You never killed a cop, you, not a motherfuckin’ thug yet
– Kāre koe i whakamate i tētahi pirihimana, i a koe, ehara i te tangata kino
Your mind is empty and spacious
– He koretake, he whanui hoki to hinengaro
Like the part of the brain that appreciates culture in a racist
– Ka rite ki te wahi o te roro e mauruuru ahurea i roto i te racist
Face it, you’re too basic, you’re never gonna make it
– Face it, you’re too basic, you’re never gonna make it
Like children walkin’ through Antarctica, butt-naked
– Ka rite ki ngā tamariki e haereere ana i Antarctica, e noho tahanga ana
