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Live '95

by Mega Ran

supported by
blzdoom
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blzdoom Westside Gunn adlib on the beat.. Mega Favorite track: CRAIG HODGES (prod by DJ DN³).
J-MoneyRollaz
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J-MoneyRollaz This entire album is fantastic and Tractor Beam has an earnest quality to it that I just love. Favorite track: Tractor Beam [prod by Mega Ran].
curtcake5k
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curtcake5k Great album. I can't wait for my physical copy to arrive. I don't even care about basketball, but Mega Ran's passion bleeds through the music and makes you feel passionate about it. I even shared this album with friends who love basketball and grew up with me in the 90's because I knew it would resonate with them. Favorite track: Comeback Player Of The Year (prod by DJ DN³).
sd71000
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sd71000 Smooth beats, classic flows, and an album that evokes nostalgia of the days many of us spent on the basketball court, however improvised it may have been. Mega Ran is back in a big way. Loved it. Favorite track: 1995 (Generation Of Miracles) [prod by G1ToTheRescue and NY Brass].
Darris Parker
Darris Parker thumbnail
Darris Parker The most relatable man in hip-hop takes us back to '95 and it's beautiful. Favorite track: CRAIG HODGES (prod by DJ DN³).
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  • Digital Album
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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Glass replicated CD in digipak case
    Contains bonus track “Over/Under”
    Lyric booklet

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Limited Orange and Black Splatter vinyl! Only 250 pieces will be made. Estimated delivery date: July 2022.

    Please note: The images are mockups, but the final product should look similar. Due to the natural handmade process of the way these records are made, there will be variation in the way each record looks.

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    “Basketball Court” Grey & White Moonphase LP

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    180 gram vinyl
    Green & milky clear galaxy LP
    Lyric insert
    Download card
    Exclusive artwork to this variant!

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  • Cassette + Digital Album

    Live 95 on orange shell cassette with Dolby B noise reduction. Contains bonus track "Over/Under"

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  • Live 95 Signed Compact Disc (edition of 100)
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    100 CDs will be signed and sold, contains bonus tracks. 25% of CDs are randomly packed with a limited edition Topps card.
    get yours!

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  • Live 95 Limited and Signed Test Press
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    ONLY TWO AVAILABLE! A full 12' signed test press version of the Billboard-Charting album, coming to retail vinyl in 2022. Ships in 3 days. Includes instant download.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Live '95 via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.
My hero wore a blowout on the cover of Slam Not even 6 foot tall yet he feared no man Took a hobby and perfected it; used it to feed his fam Got dragged through the mud so players today could stand Ever since the night mike switched hands on the Lakers We been on the move like bank robbers that’s pulling capers Before I was staying up late grading papers Momma said to cut the noise so I ain’t wake Up the neighbors, yeah I remember it all, Summer 95, 3 years after the Sixers had traded Charles We would pray to the Gods for some favor to fall Maybe alter the direction of that lottery ball On Point, feeding off these emotions Heart rate thumping and bumping just like Barkley and Moses I’m David Stern when I'm approaching the podium, A silence falls over the crowd at the moment they notice him I’m from where they hold toast, And argue all day about who’s the goat MJ Bron or Kob’ But we rebuild, a process, new beginning Been a Couple struggle seasons, but now my dudes is winning Gotta power forward, but my Guards in the center A stand up dude, that take a charge like defenders Hooping at the park till the street lights flicker, Timed the route to make it home so I could eat my dinner mama celeste pizza for one, microwaveable Couldn’t touch the stove, though I was probably capable We ain’t have money for skates, rackets or pads, But a basketball was only 20 dollars on the ave We would split it -No hoop no net, no problem, we grab an empty milk crate and hammer out the bottom, Stock life, nobody in my neighborhood was balling Best friends prolly a game boy and that Spalding Scuffed up knees from glass on the court But we’d still rock religiously for the love of the sport Copping instrumental tape from the African stand Nothing to gain but we were so passionate man It Infiltrated the hood like - liquor on closed campuses Bouncing basketballs off my living room oak paneling Life happens, just handle it, no panicking 5 kids just two beds, that’s load management Struggling to make it like high pressure free throws Couldn’t ask a soul for assistance, man that’s the ego My upbringing was gun slinging, intense living Only cat in Philly that didn’t shoot was Ben Simmons If you know what's up, you know I never sold a drug But Do I know the plug? I give that Jordan shoulder shrug, It’s me Ex sinner, Guinness award winner, Balling repeatedly, highlights on sports center What's up
2.
It’s like, Grandmama with the cons on, wig blowin in the wind, gold tooth getting its shine on, I’m from where legends are forged in the dirt, not born You gone wanna see this, now hold on to your popcorn I used to have a handle on life but then it broke off Went from being busy and booked, to getting no calls I been sitting up in the house what seems like so long Now Me and DN3 back, sorry we had to prolong But we gone make it worth it Thank you for the purchase, Or stream, cause we, keep it hot just like a thermos I Should be facing fines for What I do to mics Kevin Harlan would say I had no regard for human life Man We too precise, pushing limits further and further Even Kevin Durant gotta spread the word on his burner Training Camp was murder almost thought I couldn’t hack it, From the bench to Jacking starters in a starter jackets Yes I been booed and I been cheered Yes I been loved and I been feared Yes I been down but yes I’m still here Guess I’m the comeback player of the year Down thirty It’s still early Clear the way I close deficits in a hurry Down but not out, and that be a fact That I’m the I’m the equivalent of being undrafted, And playing overseas, Averaging 30 and never making it to the league, Still Traveling first class like I was part of the team Even Getting my own sneaks, like still living the dream Not quite broke Though the salaries ain’t close But ask anybody who’s anybody , I bet hey know I'm a triple double threat, DJ, Produce and I rap Basically the less athletic and shorter version of Shaq Outstanding, So clear the lane and watch me take off Without landing We Quarantined but still no days off Without planning, who else could write a song about a Knicks Player And then be rapping at the Garden a few years later? Sheer favor, hard work and discipline Black socks and baggy shorts like I’m at Michigan Rap fans stay stressing me out Spitting game like Marv Albert; yes and it counts! Yes I been booed and I been cheered Yes I been loved and I been feared Yes I been down but yes I’m still here Guess I’m the comeback player of the year Down thirty... It’s still early Clear the way I close deficits in a hurry Down but not out, and that be a fact That I’m the comeback player of the year I'm like Tracy McGrady cause I-- nah, just kidding y'all do we still fade out? do we still fade out? Alright, fade me out.
3.
I remember the first pair that I seen up close On the foot of a local hustler who would be on post Right by the bodega on ogontz and Chelten ave Turned the heads of everybody who happened to walk past, $100 bucks or more but it was worth it Cause that kind of attention justified a purchase As you know I was an only child Any thing I ever wanted was copped, momma would hold me down.. But when I asked for the Jordan’s She didn’t say she couldn’t afford them She told me they weren’t important Cause Dude makes a fortune And targets minorities who Kill each other for them I thought that was a little bit harsh She aint know what it was like on the yard Getting no love for something you had no control of Making up for that everyday as a grown up She said it’s unimportant to front When you get a job, buy all the Jordan’s you want… Yup So that’s just what I did And now they can’t fit in my closet but I take flight Mom I know it just ain’t right I wish I could just take flight The bills past due gotta put something down on the lights But ya boy wanna take flight The envy and stares, the attention That’s what I like And that’s why I wanna take flight 40 years old and I still wanna be like Mike I wish I could just take flight (Tina Estes) Sometimes I dream That he is me You've got to see that's how I dream to be I dream I move, I dream I groove Like Mike If I could Be Like Mike *Mike said Republicans buy sneakers too Lebron took his fortune and built the Promise school > When they ask who’s the GOAT it ain’t hard to tell who But I just wish Bron made cooler shoes, dude I read a quote that says nostalgia’s undefeated And we must know our history or be doomed to repeat it Believe it I just spent 200 bucks on this Just to be like homey you ain’t up on this Proud hypocrite l don’t regret it… I guess if you could help it, it probably wouldn’t be described as a fetish The Alarms I’m setting, Saturdays at 6:59 Just to hop inside a virtual line Pay ridiculous amounts for a simple design Just cause they told me itd be there for a limited time It’s in the front of my mind Did he really say “eff them kids” And would it change my opinion it did? Well, I’m afraid that it’s not that simple My accessories grew to a global status symbols To the point most brothers got a box of dunks They keep on ice, haven’t even rocked em once Slip my self esteem on one foot at time, Just to hope a stranger gimme the nod What a life, Step on mine expect to get in a fight All because ya boy wanna take flight Let’s Take flight Mom I know it just ain’t right I wish I could just take flight The bills past due gotta put something down on the lights But ya boy wanna take flight The envy and stares, the attention That’s what I like And that’s why I wanna take flight 40 years old and I still wanna be like Mike I wish I could just take flight (Tina Estes) Sometimes I dream That he is me You've got to see that's how I dream to be I dream I move, I dream I groove Like Mike If I could Be Like Mike
4.
It’s dangerous like Running with bulls The lessons that I give you they don’t come in the schools Then I hit the gym and Shoot the lights out In a dashiki at the White House Like I’m Craig Hodges Fist up They don’t like it when I’m honest.. yea Said I was dope, somebody thought I was trafficking Put on a Kente cloth, They thought that i was African Cats on my old block be like Random’s back again Cops pull me over I’m reminded that I’m black again I used to take the long way to get to school Risking my life avoid gangsters from different crews Did every assignment in every textbook, Couldn’t change a tire and couldn’t balance a checkbook They told me that college would be the best look I Put the up numbers I’m disrespected like Westbrook No matter how different the outfit, Or how many ways they try to flip it and bounce it This country so divisive, throw stones then play victim Tell you pointing out racism is racism Guess Theres always another layer Like We wouldn’t know George Floyd If it weren’t for Darnella Frazier Even though we had the Proof, just knew that they would find an excuse. But it hit different when it’s truth so um It’s dangerous like Running with bulls The lessons that I give you they don’t come in the schools Then I hit the gym and Shoot the lights out Rock a dashiki in the White House Like I’m Craig Hodges Fist up They don’t like it when I’m honest.. The stuff these dudes spit in a rhyme It’s like a, strategy guide to committing a crime Cats Lack honor, then wonder why they attract drama Cause now Black Trauma’s a movie and rap genre The country got hype over Biden But now the White House is so silent, dog, where is you hiding If I get jammed up dragged out a show in some handcuffs, I gotta wonder who gone stand up I’m paranoid they gone come for me Short Trial, Hung Jury, 2020s is looking like the 40s We made in God’s image So why is that so hard to envision, A tradition as old as white privilege It’s Poison like Mike Bivins, I make it my life’s mission To put you in position Like goggles with Night vision Rich folks is trying to make it to outer space While my people trying not to get kicked out of their place And not everything that's faced can be changed, But it’s a fact nothing can be changed until it is faced, yeah It’s dangerous like running with bulls The lessons that I give you they don’t come in the schools Then I hit the gym and Shoot the lights out In a dashiki at the White House Like I’m Craig Hodges Fist up They don’t like it when I’m honest.. yea Then I hit the gym and Shoot the lights out In a dashiki at the White House Like I’m Craig Hodges
5.
(Mega Ran) I'm the Shawn Michaels of the song cycle The Paul Bearer of the Small Era Bout to start a reign of terror Like Trips in 02, crossing me is something ya just don’t do Taking overdue respect Whenever these 2 connect Float over beats like Barry Wyndham on the superplex - who’s next Independent we did it without a gimmick You critics can’t diminish energy you never invented (STD) I'm a bad man, head full of fire like I'm Bam Bam I mug the Kickboxer star, I rob Van Damme Vengeance in a cape and a mask like I'm the Batman Only off the roster if I cross the McMahon clan (Mega Ran) Somebody tell 'em come with better devotion, They know my hood slam just like it was developed in Oakland You jealous I’m coasting, I Come of age, Alundra Blayze I take your belt to a better promotion (STD) Blood gush, leave you cut like you were Lio Rush Beat you with your crutch, kick and punch you a whole bunch Concussed like CM Punk losing his lunch Even Ax and Smash had to add in a Crush (Mega Ran) Better bow to your leaders, Who can see us When we hit the arenas, it’s hectic as the Collision in Korea Michaels and Diesel, two dudes with attitude Like created players we done maxed out the attributes (STD) Face it, I hold the glory y'all are chasing I watch a superstar fall in a Blue Blaze, and I take it, I've been waiting since way back in the days when The guys in the southeast promotions were still blading Put you over? Naw, jobber, I put you under Survive Thanksgiving and then Slam you in the Summer Chuckle at a youngster trying to drop a Diamond Cutter When they Stone Cold land on their ass and call it a Stunner (Mega Ran) Yo... I heard that They been Raven about my even flow Holler if ya hear me, guess it’s time we let the people know We front row you recline on a sofa Been a legend like Manami Toyota One time for the culture (STD) Who's that new cat with the badly bruised back? You knew that a death match with New Jack would do that Your new mask leaves a crimson stamp on the blue mat Now move back up north where the dungeon built by Stu's at (Mega Ran) Throughout my pro career I never hit a lower gear The real MVP you aint hurting business over here Hit the gym and the performance center, go prepare, Worse than a boo is silence, cuz that means no one cares (STD) Your act's glamorous, pyro and extravagance But what's inside my burlap sack is hazardous Go take a peek and good luck with your paralysis A victim of your greed, wallow in the muck of avarice (Mega Ran) Rappers is timid, we like Barbarian and Meng All hands on deck like we Burying a king Who off the IR looking better than before Hold the ring ropes whenever I'm stepping through the door (STD) Your act's glamorous, pyro and extravagance But what's inside my burlap sack is hazardous Go take a peek and good luck with your paralysis A victim of your greed, wallow in the muck of avarice (Mega Ran) Yo... Brock Lesnar used to the pressure Mega leaving amateurs future endeavored Greg the Hammer meets Tito Santana Rancid, got em leaking like they Mass Transit Just Another sports tragedy I’m chillin my hands in pocket like orange Cassidy Now we got em all moving back IRS on the books, Scott Steiner do the math, what
6.
I never say never unless It’s bout something I will never forget But nevertheless, I will never suggest You do something you will ever regret, Or its something I would ever object, to So Give my respect to Anyone goin against the grain, Tell them that Mega feels your pain Cause back in the beginning I was doing the same My focus was games, Everybody told me it’s lame Prince changed his name adorn his face with Slave Now Paisley Park's open for visitors It’s a shame How wishes ain't acknowledged So I’ll just say it now, anybody I ain’t rock with, Don’t put them on my projects, Posthumous, ain’t the wave Gimme the flowers now, Not on top of a grave cause everything fades Promises are made and people gotta be paid, It’s Just another day huh And I guess it’s in the game Keep your mental strong and focus clear And Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear, And I heard life is like a mountain but the goal is not the top It’s to find your path and never ever stop (Ain't nothing else to say man, I guess it's in the game) (EDI Mean) I'm a 5 star fella, certified big stepper Could teach a class with these bars I lecture Got a certain standing and principles that I follow Ain't trying to be a role model I just go after the goal and follow the code That was handed down to me, Standing on the shoulders of giants A living legend, Edi Repping this legacy till they bury me And even when I'm gone they gone remember me (Young Noble) Speaking of the clowns, yo the game's quite full of them Climbing up the ladder, old friends start to pull on you Trying to stop your progress, scared you gone leave them behind Worldwide, got us teaching through rhymes Feed my listeners with substance, wisdom in abundance Turn off the garbage, find alternatives to the nonsense We all searching for love, peace and happiness We Outlawz staying focused through this madness It's in the game Keep your mental strong and focus clear And Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear, And I heard life is like a mountain but the goal is not the top It’s to find your path and never ever stop (Ain't nothing else to say man, I guess it's in the game)
7.
I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic Fab 5 mad live blow up the spot Get the paper take the shot But we still get the props (Mickey Factz) Guess who it is, none other than mickey from the bronx Who steady put it down in this pretty renaissance I been jiggy from the start, like select screens, mc’s Know the pen bleeds on the paper when i just breathe Pet peeve is haters who wanna test these So they act nuts like testes, im wesley Snipe competition while sprinting on top of 10 speeds That's excitebike for you fresh dweebs, i been leagues Ahead of the talent, you fine wine im pepsi Mixed with jack minus the dempsey, i kept these Lyrics on display for the next G’s, impress me Until then catch me on jet skis It’s Mickey, Factz (Alfred Banks) Aye yo Ran I cut to the chase and that made em all ran Ironically I’m headed to the bank when I land Out in Phoenix I got booked at Shine like a sun so They had to Devin book that Never ever look back First round pick Made it to Zion riding on a pelican That feeling is setting in I’m about to get it in Cuz I gotta represent so you know I’ll never sit Ima stand up guy like I’m going for the block Then rock the fastbreak no candy when I jot And I’m from a great city And they not NO, LA, Alfred Banks all day What’s up I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic Fab 5 mad live blow up the spot Get the paper take the shot But we still get the props (MedafORACLE) Son’s tearin all the mics up So peep the book of rhymes like Devin in a cypher They comparing us to Right Stuff I simply laugh and flip the script like IG telling you to swipe up Aight listen, they ask who’s the best I stare in the mirror and Point forward like Pippen (what?) That’s why nobody’s running fades Like a barber who claims he left his Clippers like Griffin I’m quite gifted, I’m type different on tight writtens I like spittin’ flows, untouchable like white privilege Listen… y’all better stop, I’m nice Jordan hooked on crack, I simply rock the mic (Esoteric) lines 95 Live and Eso never switch shooting like Drazen Petrovic with the extra clips listen Your legacy is very brittle, like the knees on Kerry Kittles What you're doing that amounts to very little Rappers read every tweet but can't read the room Lest we assume they outta pocket about to meet their doom like FF #5 or Latverian tour guides or the Gas Face feature straight ether how I trash they're speakers (tell 'em) shit is real while you fake or fictional like Vincent Vega yes it's in my nature to blaze mics like Craig Sager in a blazer not a Drexler one (no) symbiotic how we rock it, weapon is a tongue I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic I shall, proceed and continue to rock the mic Fab 5 mad live blow up the spot Get the paper take the shot But we still get the props (Mega Ran) I ain’t never selling my soul for airtime So I keep it sharp, like Jalen Rose hairline My style is, unpredictability personified when they said it couldn’t be done, I said imma try I was plotting on Pixels and polygons Way before the first time i stepped into a comic con, When it’s my time to rhyme I morph to Mega Oppenheim, turning stages in mushroom clouds like Atomic bombs I spent 30 years tryna blend in Always been chubby so I never had thin skin, Philly cats been the hardest things since Ben Grimm I picked up a comic and knew that I was different since then Now we step over like Iverson did Ty Lue Running thru your city like a Kaiju My crew Itchin to set it, opposition getting instantly shredded, Back in the game it’s like ya boy got infinite credits what
8.
Back in 95… when I rapped I used to start it off like The R is up in the building All arms is to the ceiling Next album imma hit Kickstarter for a million I coached eighth grade basketball, and wish I could say that was the last time that I was in an argument with children But alas I’m tryna rise above it Rolling with the punches that’s how a true fighter does it I touch a mic in public Fans fall down like Michael Douglass Rent just going up I gotta make a tighter budget 2 choices like or love it In 95 I was rhyming on a 4 track Laid away for 5 months before I could afford that Wrote more raps, in sharp contrast of the format No place to perform at, I’d be labeled a doormat Now I’m on a warpath, Before I was invisible like Kuroko, reppin the generation of miracles First cut, so disappointed that I ain’t make the team Grew up in the crack era, my block was a crazy scene Barely making green, scraping for our daily needs Pure innocent never been touched like AC Green Fast forward I’m on campus, midterms about to start, Trailways ticket to the Million Man March But my professor was a hater, he said go, be my guest But it’ll be a shame if you miss this test So I stayed. One my sole regrets, my fear was gross neglect Of the college education I nearly sold my soul to get Now he got the coldest set, live shows is surgical Hit the stage with an aggression he took it personal Crash man stage, My scrolling was strictly vertical I know it’s irking you, we So universally versatile Since I was catching the 55 bus to willow grove I ain’t ever need the glory just happy to fill a role Come back to the block and nostalgia fills the soul And just for a second, I wish that I was still at home When we used to gather at moms house on Monday nights Watching raw without a care in the world just loving life No dirt sheets, so everything surprised me Now I’m in the garden, and Okada recognized me Diesel held it all year, haters say he didn’t draw, It’s kinda funny how the viewpoints different when it isn’t y’all Step outside see cats plotting on robberies, Moms playing the lottery Thinking man there’s gotta be A better way then then this, sent me for hire learning But seeing the inner workings only kept my fire burning Like Miami heat, glen rice to Rony Seikaly My fathers psyche, made insanity highly likely Playing pool at Temple not a minute from his clinic But my stubbornness would never let me take the time to visit Now he’s gone, and I’ve had the hardest time letting go Though I found it hard to cry for someone I ain’t never know Handled funeral arrangements, and procedures like a pro Slowly getting better day by day only through setting goals So I took the slower lane and learned from all the growing pains Hard work is Right up my alley like bowling lanes Now I watch them go insane, like the Magic in the finals, Shaq chasing dream In the form of a first title My transition was vital, cause it was time to mature Most improved player who finally set to score, Tracy McGrady, hitting shots stretching the floor A hybrid unlike anything you ever before Had witnessed, with your own eyes Guess it was time to ride... It's just another night in 1995
9.
10.
I say Mega - the mayor, I get busy with my constituents Spit limitless, residue carcinogens long sufferers get that soul food like southerners (Del) Rap governor, pulling the rug up under ya tumble dry your tumbler roll up who summoned ya? shot caller, all actions absolve my squadron only take responsibility for my involvement particle solvent, abominable stomping Gollum Crossword solving, the crossroads is calling He jovial and like to joust, He'll need chromium after I strike his mouth Toucan Sam, too nosy, shoot that man Fruity Loops couldn't make his band Roody Poo, I dominate that class, dead ass Once I bomb explode on his dome like meth labs (Kaboom) (Mega Ran) Guess who stepped in the room, we SWV left troubled MCs All weak in the knees Minus 32 degrees,ice cold Meets Hollywood cole, we cut a promo and then it’s go mode Face lock stepover toehold, Who is this, Never been new to this Dr Bombay explode like Vesuvius cover Pompeii You've Outlived your usefulness One armed fugitive , Slash Rap pugilist - The movement is to move against the stupid-ness Sweet chin music in stereo Super kicks Every match is a squash no butternut Buckle up we Upper crust Never runner-ups (Del) Uppercut, sucker punch the succubus Shuch the fuss, can't muffle the blunderbuss Dance around the camp of clowns Up under the tent, the big top And let it live on TikTok Short form, video imagery teleport from Abort with blunt force, leaving his retort numb Force that butt over the hump, Bootsy Collins Named me player of the year, with more to come (Mega Ran) Meanwhile I’m at the hater ball, next to buck nasty, None pass me, Need directions just ask me Curb server lay it flat with no curvature 3 TVs, 2 PCs and no furniture Servers in the basement, pinky finger big charms Running till it’s Looking like a Spotify click farm Roll it down the hill till it’s Gigantic, Writing the 4th law of thermodynamics - why panic? All the things you like to give And all the things you like to steal All the things I like to share And all the things that you don't care about All the things you like to give And all the things you like to steal All the things I like to share And all the things that you don't care about Drink all the booze, hack all the things Drink all the booze, hack all the things Drink all the booze, hack all the things Drink all the booze, hack all the things Drink all the booze, hack all the things Drink all the booze, hack all the things Drink all the booze, hack all the things Drink all the booze, hack all the things
11.
I wish that it never happened…. I wish that I could rewind, its on the front of my mind and i’m backtracking My foundation is crackin’ Seconds away from a shatter And Losing the only thing that I know that matters While everyone's looking at me so proud Like I’m the greatest Meanwhile I got complacent, And honestly, i hate it I paid the cost to be the boss Yet I never prepared for such a loss So im taking it hard I wish i never known, Or that i never grown Can;t make sense of it like i might need a Rosetta stone So unforgettable, One day I’ll be heading home It's darker when a light goes out Than if it never shone So.. (Keep rising to the top) Im trying to But everywhere that I turn I’m being lied to forced to play this hand that they Provide you Tryna get out of this box that I’m confined to What should I do What should I do? Man if ain’t one thing it’s 5, sakes alive Same thing that makes ya smile can make ya cry, don’t want this to end cause I hate goodbyes What goes up eventually takes a dive Just hopin the pools deep enough, Last place in the rat race, but I never cared about keeping up Just wondering when will I be enough I’ve taken every blow I could I’m so beaten up On the floor Figure four tryna break a joint See how far I gotta go just a make a point Done Had all I could stand with no plan No chance I would make it without reaching my breaking point If Bad things happen to good people Then I Guess all men aren’t created equal Too many folks deceitful, But I stay peaceful And hope for better luck Maybe in the sequel (Keep rising to the top) Im trying to But everywhere that I turn I’m being Lied to forced to play this hand that they Provide you Tryna get out of this box that I’m confined to What should I do What should I do?
12.
If I had a tractor Beam I would use it to bring you right back to me And I’d fix everything Unsatisfactory so let me just get One more try (One more try) For One Step forward, There’s 2 steps backward Our love was so solid And now it’s fractured We Stuck together We like some magnets Lost our Attraction Don’t know what happened I hear every word you say I won’t let this go away I don’t know how I’ll get through the day.. But I know this love is strong And I know I was so so wrong Don’t know what ya got till it’s gone If I had a tractor Beam I would use it to bring you right back to me And I’d fix everything Unsatisfactory so let me just get One more try (One more try) Now I don’t play no baseball So when I’m at the plate no I don’t play it safe y’all I’m Tryna knock it out the park Take a walk Make my mark Grabbed my amigos and now we bout Take off I’m off set like once a blue I don’t get no idle time I got Something to do Everyday check one to the two Try to bring home something for you Can’t run from the truth That - things just aint the same for gangsters Or entertainers mayne this games just thankless Day ones can turn to stranger danger Now you telling me GHETTOUT straight changing faces Yeah I used to run from the fact, That, as a youngster I thought love was just wack, Took my eye off the ball, didn’t just fall But Somehow I fumbled the pack Come back If I had a tractor Beam I would use it to bring you right back to me And I’d fix everything Unsatisfactory so let me just get One more try (One more try)
13.
Before the million dollar pots, we would do it for free Goldeneye, late nights almost blew my degree I can’t quite pinpoint what make me feel this way Deontay - still playing games till this day before that, you would know where Ra be at Down the block at the bodega or laundromat Putting quarters on the cab, to claim I had next Street Fighter 2, NBA Jam we catch wreck Round the same time, bit by the radioactive bug hip hop had me cutting and actin tough started dabbling writing some raps and stuff but money wasn’t coming in fast enough But I did it for the love not the pay check Just to hear my voice coming out the tape deck Safe bet that if I never made a dollar wit it I’d still bother with it, you know the steez World health Org had the nerve to call it a disease, Pandemic hits, then they say its all that you need To get by, If now for games and hip hop my heart woulda been stopped For the love of the game If the papes come yo yo I won’t riff If they don’t come no no I won’t trip If its one thing you can take from me… That’s.. Run from your fears and chase your dreams Come on (DN3) For the love of this thing I cant get enough of this thing It don't matter about the ruckus it bring See, I be up in this thing The feeling when i spin that platter All of a sudden, my life troubles just don't matter A matter of fact, i like to rhyme to shatter a track But even more...I like to put the beats to the raps I love the feeling. Mr Murdock is a witness to that We don't do this for the dollars And for counting our stacks. That's right. Spinning jams for the people at night Somebody even told me I saved their life last night Aight...I be connecting with the people at jams House parties, street fests, and even rocking with Ran You think I like bumming cheese from K?? Nah, that's my brother, ok! We make the joints and it'll stay that way See I appreciate the love of my fans Aint nothing risky.... World tour with my mans touching the city. If the papes come yo yo I won’t riff If they don’t come no no I won’t trip If its one thing you can take from me… That’s.. Run from your fears and chase your dreams Come on (Mega Ran) On some days I wanna quit Most days I’m in love with it It used to feel like a punishment, Not as fun it - used to seem Now everyday is like a lucid dream Same feeling back when Stan brought his PlayStation over Final Fantasy 7 summons blew me off the sofa Dusted myself off and picked up the controller This wasn’t a game it was Culture Cause back in 95, we were influenced By, only built for Cuban Linx and Infamous, and Zane used to play them on the stoop so loud Mr Sunny yelling at the boys to turn that down So we put up a basketball hoop on a tree Had to pause every 5 mins, for the cars coming down the street But it was lit, the whole neighborhood would come around Mr Brewster threaten to shut it down Chuck was ambidextrous, big fundamentals, 6 foot 4 he always played in the middle, He was Alonzo mourning and I was Larry Johnson Skins was Tim Hardaway, Todd was John Stockton, Running out of options Most went to work, Some went to the block and some went to church Me I went to the pad, starting writing a verse Practice made perfect climbed out of the dirt Made a little paper, shook off the haters And I’m still doing 20 years later Even when it brought me nothing but pain Thank God for the love of the game Thank God...
14.
I been overlooked, undervalued, underrated Overruled in court, Understated with every statement Overburdened at school, understood what I was told but got overconfident Caught up in the undertow, I would overindulge, couldn’t weather the storm Work would then overflow, then I would underperform Start over making beats didn’t know what do to do The underground cats called my tracks overproduced So many layers underneath, they would overreact Overconfident, I just knew that they would be back Underestimated the moments I had with my friends Overwhelmed with joy when i do I see 'em again Overworked for years at tons of underpaying jobs Underdeveloped skills made changing vocations hard I didn’t understand, my girl was so overdramatic Wanted me to undergo some changes, she had had it I had oversold a dream that was highly underfunded Overcompensated for skills I lacked because i wanted Her to entertain it, I was so underestimated Then she explained it, hip hop is Oversaturated You gotta be different, that’s when I underwent a change Focused on an underserved segment of the rap game Now we overjoyed, under scrutiny of the culture Like undertaker at mania I’m going over When it’s too high to get over And it’s too low to get under You gotta find that middle ground Cause we ain’t getting no younger Yo Duke, you're dead wrong You'll never have the skills like mine I write the ill type rhymes Now I'm reaching my prime 360 dunk in your face You can't compete, you're just a basketcase Let's separate the men from the boys And put your money where your mouth is No time for toys Your game is weak, you geek, so don't sleep Cuz I'll be checking and wrecking ya When I start to creep Through the backdoor I know I caught you out there You got no clout here And I doubt there Is anyway that you can stop the beatdown You better play the background And sit back down Chumps like you, I gotta keep'em in line So prepare to suffer boy, cuz now you're mine I'll fake you left and go right Straight down the lane Here's one in your eye You feel pain, you strain To put together some strategy But you're raggedy, and i'll be glad to see The frown on your grill when i drill and thrill Set out my offense, commence to kill I'll be leading from beginning to end And after I pound ya You're gonna wanna make friends And make amends for the silly trash you were talking Take a walk and your shots I'm swatting With ease, and the ladies are swooning Clocking my swiftness, why you drooling? You oughtta practice up and get your game refined I been waiting to dog you, and now you're mine Hurry up, sucker Go ahead and pick your squad Try to play hard, but I'ma rob You of your crazy notions to defeat me You're weak see, I'm rough hardcore And even get down to give you a rematch After I wax and tax y'all rap stars I slam the alley-oop You can rally troops But I play the awesome defense I'll pick your pocket And send you to the bench With tears in your eyes as you realize The prize is for me Yes all the money Son, my form is too nice My handle's precise I'll take you right or go left Because my game's so def, and now you're mine

about

Mega Ran's 11th solo full length album release explores the intrinsic relationship between hip-hop, basketball and the inner city cultures that have allowed each to thrive.

"90's hoops were just as influential as any video game or comic book I picked up," Ran says. "Now I get to give back."

Through tracks interspersed with words of wisdom from several Hall-Of-Fame level former NBA talents and analysts, the Philadelphia born MC weaves playful innocence with the storytelling and hopefulness that have made his fans proud over the past ten years. The album shines a light on many of the traits required to be a champion... from coaching to hard work, and even a little luck.

Now is the time to suit up and bring it home.

credits

released October 22, 2021

Written by Raheem Jarbo
Recorded at HKS Studios, Phoenix, AZ
Recorded by Michael “Bag Of Tricks Cat” Gamarano
Additional Recording "Tractor Beam" by Luis Perez and Mixed by Matthew Weiss
"Godly Dreams (Keep Risin')" mixed by Michael Gamarano
Assistant Engineer Brian Gigerich
Assistant Engineer Vernon Coleman
Mastered by Matthew Weiss

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS:
Raheem Jarbo
Jeff Moses

SPECIAL KICKSTARTER EXECUTIVE VIPS:
Zero Serenity
Brooks Ray
Kevin Lockleer

Photography by Chas "MedafORACLE" Wright

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Mega Ran Phoenix, Arizona

“Mega Ran's proven he can excel in storytelling, punchlines, poignancy, freestyling and, well, pretty much any other way you can measure an MC.”

— LA Weekly

An incredible impromptu "freestyle" MC, Ran's unique combination of fantasy and introspective hip-hop has found its way all over the world, into leading press outlets and most recently, into the Guinness Book Of World Records.
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