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Smoke Detector

by Rich Jones

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1.
Chilly 01:57
Chilly day in Chicago We’ve broken the planet Flood waters flowing over the granite Grin to a grimace Green crack in a gremlin At least something is hitting But that’s well tapped a reservoir I take the position 1st or third, pinch hitting Pitch in a pinch Knuckleballs in the dirt Looking ultra rich Super fat, plush and deluxe Triple plays in the field got me feeling a rush Like… I’ve never known I’ve never known I’ve never felt before Know what I love Know what I don’t love What’s bringing me up What’s breaking me down Stopped looking over my shoulder If it’s coming, it’s coming I’m doubling down Until it’s taking me under Tough to call it When most of life’s problems absolved Because of what’s in your pockets Not potential or promise Making bank Making folly out of trauma Who knew back bones could break from a comma? Like… I’ve always known I’ve always known It shouldn’t be like before While we still got a choice Just kidding we don’t If I lose my voice I’ll either die or float
2.
(Rich Jones) Would you like to try the tuna melt I left in the car? I’m parked a block away Hey, it ain’t that far Ya say you’re hungry Ya say you’re hungry Well let’s see how hungry you are (Davis the Dorchester Bully) Oh shoot, the devil's loose Chasin' me down with some blue racks and a golden noose Pick of the litter, Dirty D the golden goose The moorish oompa loop Singing death praises to you Verruca salts, Augustus Gloops Charizma like apple juice break What’s really at stake? One word from my lips Cracked a seal from the good book and made the ground quake So I use these words sparingly Why study what comes naturally? Style ain’t native shit processed like hot lye and potatoes Does you’re gaze go towards your naval? Or to the stars like Galileo? I’m good at these games, i’m kin to Kaiba Seto But still asking the questions Like why do magical negroes still need white saviors? I guess it’s all labor Whether out of love or a venomous nature Shit I don't know I don't know (RJ) Always fought with lovers Never been a puncher no But I heard some chatter lately From some jokers And they think they got my number Don’t put Jonesy in a corner Cause I’ll bounce you off the bumper Sons of Bumpus’ Ain’t no nemesis’s Cool summer I feel followed Trying to spot my hunters Accomplices accomplishing nada Nunca, light showers Heavy sleepage, Life was messy Where I left it Uncompleted Complicated I receded They applauded So I take it That by leaving Now they’re wanting Absences and fondness A correlative study Of the path from total strangers to drinking buddies Wet kisses, feeling buzzy Jet tickets around the country It all felt so deep Wondering how do I sleep? Physical labor and weed But for what or for whom? Do I let consume My moments of ecstasy My to A to Z, 5 days a week 123 say with me This is bullshit I ain’t playing And I quit + I leave
3.
Talk to the hand, don’t talk to the man He’s got other plans Talk to the hand, don’t talk to the man He’s got other plans (Rich Jones) I Take a cool sip of water floating on the surface Refresh Break down Reset Sweat big Recess Stack big Tetris Roll nice Yahtzee! Yahtzee! Yahtzee! Yahtzee! At your own peril Moved past caring if I’m being transparent And the path is feeling narrow Squeezed Time, space, love + money trees Check please Turning at the cemetery for my pet peeves Leaving things dead and buried Birds getting drunk off juniper berries I’m feeling baby jealous Selfish Seldom Second helpings of the pile on 3-2-1, pull the fire alarm Rainy exits In search of a nexus The truth is out there and it’s ambidextrous Talk to the hand, don’t talk to the man He’s got other plans Talk to the hand, don’t talk to the man He’s got other plans (Joshua Virtue) Funny how life is mad expensive Yet the violence free Headless n*ggas waddle down the street, reminds me of me Too upset to go to bed and then too tired to sleep Too hungry to hit the blunt and then I’m to high to eat These days bishop or rook look the wrong way, get your shit took Big whoop Normalized it cause have to adapt, just like when I started rapping, When my rapping was whack Little bean was all it take to bring the giant down And planet earth was 25k miles around till dial up dialed it down But fuck it What’s another hundred trillion transistors? You ain’t getting off that phone without your hand blistered Like was it worth it? Perks, earnings, World burning Was it worth it? They mutter curses and sing to you in cursive A wizard is the universe’s servant not it’s master These n*ggas had it backwards We thought that OxyContin was the magic word, the password, Nothing ever made me feel like that Nibble on the darkness hard enough it will bite back Let the cauldron brew im sipping black soup Necklace dangling with my dead cats tooth Truth The bones will act as proof This one’s for you Talk to the hand, don’t talk to the man He’s got other plans Talk to the hand, don’t talk to the man He’s got other plans (IL. Subliminal) Gumshoe gung fu Swine flu mooshoo Dumb smooth fly tooth Hung to time booth Phantom toll atom stole Matador actin swole In Madripor Landau, Luckman, and Lake Asshole stuck in the cake. Clams be fuckin the bake Royal Casino, Don’t seem so evil When the dead walk awake Hold my phone people, I’m goin to take My bitter time Spit a rhyme in the grime Get in line for the brine Vinegar state I’m bout to swim on a date More like the whirlpool Sittin’ in wit you’re girl fool Adrenaline, make the curls drool Like activator, Lost in Grenada. I’ll be you’re waiter Hand grenade salad toss Olympic game stake For the name sake A month later, Have you lost Pressin License plates. Not the nicest fate, Boss Dumb haters Wonderin how much sense my Artistic license makes awww Scratch the crossfader I dont need rap for my Dough to bake But you gon need a nap For this tag, Yo toe gon take What a strange spell to fate What dreams may sell? Poor Eurich knew too well The hell he couldn’t escape from Hamlet head ass n*gga dont be actin fake dumb What did the face say to the Palm, fingers and thumb? Hamlet head ass n*gga dont be actin fake dumb What did the face say to the Palm, fingers and thumb?
4.
Speed Bump 01:41
Better get out your own way They cried as they passed I thought to myself Why? It was the end anyway Better to leave on my own That’s a choice for another day A choice for a holiday Better get on my own time as my life passed If I don’t get that What was the point anyway? Speed bump ahead SPEED BUMP AHEAD High hopes Met with low bars High hopes Speed bump ahead SPEED BUMP AHEAD Was on a mission for a minute Something was missing Unidentified objects of desire Detected but uninspected Expectant Imminence Diminishing By the 2nd Denial Put me on trial for my enthusiasms While others get off on hurting people And get off anyway Almost like rules don’t apply Naive Since Eve Someone’s always holding something up their sleeve Speed bump ahead SPEED BUMP AHEAD
5.
Life Goes On 02:48
6.
What do you got? When you strip away The lies you've told yourself to stay warm Lies passed on from others To keep one foot in front of the other Yes, it's dark but you're not alone (Rich Jones) Watching the world pass by My favorite pastime I was going places once I could show you how to run away But I really hope you like yourself Keeping my head down There's no lifelines We were going places once But what's the point in running now? What's the point in running now? (Yomí) The souls of my shoes Have run down to the ground Let’s go on the skin of our toes Whatever it takes just to go The souls of my shoes Have run down to the ground Let’s go on the skin of our toes Whatever it takes just to go (Curly Castro) Most people want a third Eye, I wanna Third Tongue Speak the unspoken we lost once the Earth’s Dun. Wakandan Old Testament God Ba’ath with Raw Papes The one who remains Rach Summers with the Scarface Excaliber cut Blunts, the wound Heals, Last audible for Flame, I quote Some Bob Seal My Flannel can handle three Hollows, from Bishop’s power trip Fortified Live, stole the Jumper from my man’z Steel Lost my Dad’s Reel to Reel to a Black Widow Rant, or a Shadow Cabinet, you can deal, Cuz I can’t. Journalist Gonzo, Hunter S. Is Rolling up Fronto Fake out Supreme drop, they took My red & white Tonsils Underground Rails, cocaine, Provided by Chapo Burnt my nose at both Ends And got the power of Grayskull Spelled-out Skeletor with Black Phillip Staff Black folks swear (that) they ain’t good, But I’ll do the Math. (Semiratruth) Feet running Feet running They scared of me like I wear a pumpkin Hoes cover cracks in the story String line long cause I'm clueless The blues cover ruthless Mad cause I'm misunderstood Missing tooth is The truth is The soil match the soul Growing words out my lymph nodes Creepy how it dissects I've gotta digest it all Appalled by the black light Be back by 9 or so I'ma go til the wheels fall off A dirt road Tell me where the peace lost Many see Only few wanna face off Sweaty face cloth (sweaty face, sweaty face cloth) What do you got? When you strip away The lies you've told yourself to stay warm Lies passed on from others To keep one foot in front of the other Yes, it's dark but you're not alone What do you got? When you strip away The lies you've told yourself to stay warm Lies passed on from others To keep one foot in front of the other Yes, it's dark but you're not alone
7.
Dream Life 02:35
A sunny beach A place I’ve never been before Season’s done And everywhere is closed A sandy walk My friend’s pointing out the boats off shore He’ll paint em nice One day I’m sure Those winding roads Misty from a little rain (a little rain) No danger felt at all, (at all) I’m with friends after all Cigarettes 2nd hand, I take it in A chapter’s getting closed Goes unsaid but not unknown Of all the truths Those dollars looking mighty short But for the memories I'd say it's well spent Take me back please Take me back please Take me back please Take me back please Take me back please Take me back please To my dream life
8.
(Rich Jones) Big goals Been froze in the red zone (Convertible Ashley) Gotta stay woke Like Donald Glover on "Red Bone" (RJ) 2 choices, 1, 2, Yes, no (CA) Best flow since the West Coast Gave us Death Row (RJ) Peaks and valleys Camouflaged by weed smoke (CA) Blunted off of three tokes Find myself on Pico (RJ) 600 Paid and I'm walking away (CA) Then I exit off the stage like there's nothing left to say Like there's nothing left to make When both of our verses laid (RJ) Squeaky wheel gets the fade Then I hit the buffet (CA) My plate consists of the whole fucking tray Oh what a day (RJ) Sauces, dips Fried, broiled and baked 600 paid and I'm walking away With at least a half thing And a little bit of trade Yeah, uh huh Ok, damn Talk your shit Ok, yeah Lemonade in the lobby I think I need some new hobbies (CA) Sativa hit my body (RJ) Not a damn thing could drop me I'm feeling it man (CA) Got em shaking like a Spirit Airplane when it lands (RJ) 600 paid and I'm walking away (CA) Like I tripped walking down the street And hope nobody peep They running in the rat race That's infinitely steep I'ma sip this tea And say a prayer for you before I sleep Yeah, uh huh Ok what Talk your shit Ok, damn (Together) 600 paid and I'm walking away 600 paid and I'm walking away
9.
They got a gun to your head? You try turning yourself off and on again? Off and on again Awful lot grin for something so grim If nothing else I control my expressions Got a hand in your pocket? Try turning yourself off and on again? Maybe then they’ll stop it But that’s as likely as a goal in stoppage If nothing else I control my ascension in Ha Energy’s low wattage Back doors no red carpets Neutral parties still a target Victor’s + marks No martyrs In this caper Look sharp I’ll explain later Pop tart sweet For sweeps week Weak kneed We need We want more Inside the fricassee Gumbos dumbo I dunno man Make it jumbo I’m trying to switch back on, yeah Hit power 2-3 times And all I’m seeing is blinking lights Trying to switch back on, yeah And all I’m seeing is blinking lights They got a gun to my head Deer hunter shit Russian roulette Coq au vin at dawn It’s last crumbs Game set Paths of glory Yo, all hollow They yelled mahalo Then tried to give me a halo Bouncing slugs off my flower wreath Limousines loaded with baby chocolate Heath Counted my chickens too early Like LeBron when he joined the Heat 82 games plus a post season B Whiskey in the beer was a potion for me Until my guts too hurt Acting way too sure About the route that I’m lured What’s the allure When your most secure In a state too blurred To recall the words That you’re sharing with a person That you swear is your family 4:30 am everybody’s rambling Scrambling for last dances With melted ice When you turn me back on again Better leave me wiped
10.
(Rich Jones) Do what I gotta just to cross the finish line What then? Do what I gotta just to cross the finish line What then? Party time Party time Party time Thought it was given that I’d see next summer The way we disappear I’m starting to wonder What’s around every corner Got my neck feeling sore From looking over my shoulder On the way to the store What for, what for I don’t wanna guess Dirty butter or they didn’t like the smell of my breath I’d just heard they’d sent for me Shit Fade in I’m faded for the 3000th day Mr. 3000, trading card Hall of Fame Party time What you got inside that paper plane? Stupid question Stupid dank Like it was grown in the depths Of oceans, Go + see it, need a scuba tank Or a submarine Suicide missions, Might as well stay serene A living version Of the “Everything’s fine” meme (Defcee) C-note boat to a cocaine paradise. Richard Pryor Fahrenheit. Minks keep the Farrahs right Are those spinnin mirrors or thinnin ice? Winkin lights shinin like Christ upon righteousness and sin alike White lines, double yellows, and wide lanes Fine blades Ichabod Crainin the Pai Meis Village torches burn in glass Late bloomers learnin fast For history to repeat, you gotta earn the past Ask for more Gasp as the body parties crash The floor. Gold confetti, tag the toe First to try, always last to know The clinic reattached your nose The devil stole it Hard to grow away from stems with your petals folded, And the vials in the concrete are never roses. High off your own supplier Bounced from Studio 54 by the other Michael Myers A backstage eight ball is your ticket for showtime, Meanwhile you’re up shit's creek, swimming in low tide Goldmine of cosigns tried to make you go to rehab, And you sure did, insides like a rope bridge. Change gon come, and here you are ten years later, Still waiting on that solstice. Least you got no kids, just a lease on a garden apartment you ain't lived in since '06 So much money So much space So much time So little grace You and your discipline are going at it like middleweights. Sayin sorry, on step 9, with a twitchy face. Smoking cigarettes tryna write songs Outside the studio in your Impala While everybody inside is rolling up ganja, You’re calling up your sponsor Your biggest enemy's nostalgia.
11.
(Rich Jones) Some day is here and I’m letting it Weigh me down But what’s new It’s a life of etc’s Whatever’s ahead of us Whatever’s ahead of us It doesn’t seem friendly It doesn’t seem merciful, It doesn’t seem friendly It doesn’t seem merciful, I wanna be friends so Please be kind, be kind (Lord Cartel) So no need to even the score Came in at 16, But my demeanor said more There's a flood Give FEMA a call Reality checks Get kicked to the chest Like Kareem Abdul Jabar Even some more I just hope I get my point across Cuz when they looking for the real They ain't never point at y’all How you fake & comfortable up in ya own skin? You feeling lucky give that coin a toss Yeah I Light the sage So I don’t rage Keep the gremlins in the cage And we smudging all the hate Smoked gouda & some grapes I can’t front I’m feeling great And she surely fill my plate Can’t feed my ego Oh no man that tends to sky scrapes (RJ) Be kind Be kind All my thrills are free If I just let it be Too many on the mind Get a rest in peace Relief fleeting That’s a recipe For a lost month or 3 Damn dude I’m zooted A pollution or a curing of my choosing The conclusion Inconclusive Let’s just say I hope I know what I’m doing It don’t just be glory or ruins As the options Mediocrity comes for all No matter the size of the star And I’m just trying to stall Feels like I’m falling through time I'm at once at the front and behind the ball Working my way through Peace be with you Show kindness to all Show kindness to all Write down who you are Because of what you might do, They may not be so kind So kind So kind So kind
12.
13.
Who here among us Is getting out alive? I seen the top of your head And the bottom of your hide Where you running? I’ll hitch that ride So nice to see you When I see you All the time Heading out tomorrow Catching a ride I’m going down to New Orleans Taking Lake Shore Drive I give a wave And a kiss goodbye So nice to see you When I see you All the time So nice to see you When I see you All the time Keeping my head down A buck 65 Weight I was hitting at But I had to climb You see in this life Keep it close to the hip So good to see you When I see you all the time I need my moments To get my grip Got a bag of dope And I’ll roll all of it Empty bottles I’ll pour out for you So nice to see you When I see you All the time So nice to see you When I see you All the time So nice to see you When I see you All the time

about

The album 15 year old me would've wanted me to make. Pairs well w/ Topo Chico and pot.

credits

released June 15, 2022

Words: Rich Jones*
twitter.com/jonessoruthless
IG: @richjones_music
Music: Iceberg Theory
Mix: Rich Jones**
Master: MJC
Art: Rich Jones
*Except where otherwise noted in song titles
**Except songs 3 & 13 mixed by Steel Tipped Dove

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Rich Jones Chicago, Illinois

Rich Jones is a prolific Chicago artist, community figure, and veteran of the cultural scene. Known for his versatile and evolving style, his latest album How do you sleep at night? finds him returning to his Hip Hop roots as he tackles class complacency, complicity under American authoritarianism and the value of human life vs. what’s profitable. ... more

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