The Setup by Avie Fresh Lyrics
Avatar the Articulate - “The Setup”
[Emcee(s): Avatar the Articulate (AKA Avie Fresh)]
[Producer(s): Avie Fresh (AKA Avatar the Articulate) and One-Take]
[Additional Vocals: Rashida Davis]
[Intro: Storytelling Skit]
Child: Uncle Avie
Avatar the Articulate (AKA Avie Fresh): Yeah
Child: Could you please tell me a story?
Avatar the Articulate (AKA Avie Fresh): Eh. Alright, yo
[Verse 1: Avatar the Articulate (AKA Avie Fresh)]
I was
Dirt-broke, piss-poor, didn’t have two nickels to
Rub nor two dollars—God, I lived in squalor
I washed the windows of an Impala on the interstate
Just to get berated and some change thrown, pennies cas-
-caded, picked ‘em all up, got a buck, figured I
Could pick some bottles up, got a hand-truck, shopping cart
Made my way to the Food Mart to turn it to change
It’s kind of strange how, how it starts to rain now
Seen a man with a black brow, black brim, black
Fedora hat kicking on his rim. I helped him change
His tire. He asked me if I was for hire. Told him
“I got no skills, I’m just a lowly squire.” He said
“I got just the thing for a kid like you. You’re down
On your luck. I could help you make a buck or two.” He said
His name’s Frank, never call him Francis—the last that did
Got his hand stitched—you couldn’t fix it with a bandage
“The plan is you meet me at this spot tomorrow. Here, take
This bag, don’t open it and don’t get followed.” I swallowed
This was my chance to advance. I grabbed the bag in
My hands, then went home to sleep with roaches and rats, but I
Was nervous, tossing, turning. Yo, what was in this bag? Yo, I
Was yearning, I had to take a really quick glance
So I looked in and then, son, my vision was stunned. It was
A gun, a CZ vz. 61
They call it a Škorpion in the slums of the Czech Republic
And next to that was some bricks of a powdered substance
I could of took the bag and just been straight, but I
Was nauseous ‘cause, from the mob, it’s hard to escape, so I’ll
Be cautious, just make the drop and count up my papes. I had
Mad energy, so I just stayed awake. I made
Breakfast, a huge hunk of free cheese and powdered egg shit
I’m restless, so I went early to collect this
I saw Frank hanging with what looked like a detective
By a Lexus tinted out with six antennas
I heard Frank refer to the cop as McManus
He ate bananas and then he told him what the plan is
I hid behind a Humvee, he told the cop he found a junkie
To pin the murder on—“I framed him up. What a dummy”
He should be here about six, he got a bag filled
With bricks, plus the gun and some clips. I thought, “Shit
I really was a fool to just trust that Frank.” I picked
Up the rag and shoved it in the cops gas tank
The explosion was sudden, loud thunderclaps, Frank was running
McManus bought it, a ticket straight to Satan’s dungeon
Pulled out the CZ easy, the smoke billowed, put
A hole in the DT, stepped out the smoke real slow
Not wheezing but hot-squeezing, say, “Bless you, Frank”
The Škorpion was sneezing, but this is bullets, not boogers
I shot him in his tookus, he fell to the ground. We had
Some onlookers now, I tried to calm ‘em all down. I told ‘em
I was police—“nothing to see here, folks.” He grabbed
His piece, I shot him once again in his throat
[Bridge: Avatar the Articulate (AKA Avie Fresh)]
Shootouts are similar to Wild West
Broad daylights, face-to-face without a vest
You know the episodes: thugs, camouflage, and spectacles
Please, God, this ain’t the life that the Devil sold
See, it was written but was never told
Peep the jewels, black man—it’s even better than gold
Niggas roll with iron, police roll in hot pursuit, trying
To stop the loot. Fuck jake—cock and shoot
[Outro: Rashida Davis]
Another day, another dollar
More money, more murder
Fuck this shit
BK up in the house
Roping niggas up
‘Cause our clique is thick
[Emcee(s): Avatar the Articulate (AKA Avie Fresh)]
[Producer(s): Avie Fresh (AKA Avatar the Articulate) and One-Take]
[Additional Vocals: Rashida Davis]
[Intro: Storytelling Skit]
Child: Uncle Avie
Avatar the Articulate (AKA Avie Fresh): Yeah
Child: Could you please tell me a story?
Avatar the Articulate (AKA Avie Fresh): Eh. Alright, yo
[Verse 1: Avatar the Articulate (AKA Avie Fresh)]
I was
Dirt-broke, piss-poor, didn’t have two nickels to
Rub nor two dollars—God, I lived in squalor
I washed the windows of an Impala on the interstate
Just to get berated and some change thrown, pennies cas-
-caded, picked ‘em all up, got a buck, figured I
Could pick some bottles up, got a hand-truck, shopping cart
Made my way to the Food Mart to turn it to change
It’s kind of strange how, how it starts to rain now
Seen a man with a black brow, black brim, black
Fedora hat kicking on his rim. I helped him change
His tire. He asked me if I was for hire. Told him
“I got no skills, I’m just a lowly squire.” He said
“I got just the thing for a kid like you. You’re down
On your luck. I could help you make a buck or two.” He said
His name’s Frank, never call him Francis—the last that did
Got his hand stitched—you couldn’t fix it with a bandage
“The plan is you meet me at this spot tomorrow. Here, take
This bag, don’t open it and don’t get followed.” I swallowed
This was my chance to advance. I grabbed the bag in
My hands, then went home to sleep with roaches and rats, but I
Was nervous, tossing, turning. Yo, what was in this bag? Yo, I
Was yearning, I had to take a really quick glance
So I looked in and then, son, my vision was stunned. It was
A gun, a CZ vz. 61
They call it a Škorpion in the slums of the Czech Republic
And next to that was some bricks of a powdered substance
I could of took the bag and just been straight, but I
Was nauseous ‘cause, from the mob, it’s hard to escape, so I’ll
Be cautious, just make the drop and count up my papes. I had
Mad energy, so I just stayed awake. I made
Breakfast, a huge hunk of free cheese and powdered egg shit
I’m restless, so I went early to collect this
I saw Frank hanging with what looked like a detective
By a Lexus tinted out with six antennas
I heard Frank refer to the cop as McManus
He ate bananas and then he told him what the plan is
I hid behind a Humvee, he told the cop he found a junkie
To pin the murder on—“I framed him up. What a dummy”
He should be here about six, he got a bag filled
With bricks, plus the gun and some clips. I thought, “Shit
I really was a fool to just trust that Frank.” I picked
Up the rag and shoved it in the cops gas tank
The explosion was sudden, loud thunderclaps, Frank was running
McManus bought it, a ticket straight to Satan’s dungeon
Pulled out the CZ easy, the smoke billowed, put
A hole in the DT, stepped out the smoke real slow
Not wheezing but hot-squeezing, say, “Bless you, Frank”
The Škorpion was sneezing, but this is bullets, not boogers
I shot him in his tookus, he fell to the ground. We had
Some onlookers now, I tried to calm ‘em all down. I told ‘em
I was police—“nothing to see here, folks.” He grabbed
His piece, I shot him once again in his throat
[Bridge: Avatar the Articulate (AKA Avie Fresh)]
Shootouts are similar to Wild West
Broad daylights, face-to-face without a vest
You know the episodes: thugs, camouflage, and spectacles
Please, God, this ain’t the life that the Devil sold
See, it was written but was never told
Peep the jewels, black man—it’s even better than gold
Niggas roll with iron, police roll in hot pursuit, trying
To stop the loot. Fuck jake—cock and shoot
[Outro: Rashida Davis]
Another day, another dollar
More money, more murder
Fuck this shit
BK up in the house
Roping niggas up
‘Cause our clique is thick