"HERE II STAY (interlude)" by Kenny Mason captures a restless, dangerous routine: running on empty through a sunless block with a gun tucked in his jeans, fueled only by a gas station glow and inherited hardness. He drifts out of his body, asking his partner to promise permanence while loading a shotgun and counting money that might not last. The repeated hope that love and cash will stay collides with the certainty that fake friends will turn, leaving him suspended between wanting stability and bracing for betrayal.
HERE II STAY (interlude) Lyrics by Kenny Mason
Runnin’ on E up and down the street
Gun in my jeans
Ain’t no sun on my street
But Sunoco, uh, thug in my genes
I done had—
Runnin’ on E up and down the street
Gun in my jeans
Ain’t no sun on my street
But Sunoco, uh, thug in my genes
I done had—
Out my body, floatin’ away
Me and my shawty, tell me you here to stay
Loadin’ my shotty, catchin’ my day
Countin’ up money, hopin’ it’s here to stay
Hopin’ it’s here to stay, hopin’ you here to stay
Hopin’ you here to stay
Don’t talk to me like, yeah
Don’t go run in your bag
Soon as I count up these racks
Know you turnin’ right back
Know these niggas be fake
Know they gon’ turn if I lack
I know I told ’em I’m done
I know I’m going right back
I ain’t even really no southside nigga, but I might gotta hit a whole gnat
Know the stick came from Iraq, huh
Got a blick right in my bag
When in the fuck am I not in my bag?
When in the fuck should I care about that? (Huh)
Who the fuck care about me? (Huh)
Who should I care about back? (Huh)
Who should I care about when
Out my body, floatin’ away
Me and my shawty, tell me you here to stay
Loadin’ my shotty, catchin’ my day
Countin’ up money, hopin’ it’s here to stay
Hopin’ it’s here to stay, hopin’ you here to stay
Hopin’ you here to—
Runnin’ on E up and down the street
Gun in my jeans
Ain’t no sun on my street
But Sunoco, uh, thug in my genes
I done had—
Runnin’ on E up and down the street
Gun in my jeans
Ain’t no sun on my street
But Sunoco, uh, thug in my genes
I done had—
Runnin’ on E up and down the street
Gun in my jeans
Ain’t no sun on my street
But Sunoco, uh, thug in my genes
I done had—
Runnin’ on E up and down the street
Gun in my jeans
Ain’t no sun on my street
But Sunoco, uh, thug in my genes
