Gospel Gangstaz - I Call Your Name Lyrics
Lyrics
(Verse 1)
Please oh please try to feel my vibe
Haters give 5 feel, y'all kill my vibe
Forced to hustle and use muscle in this cruel world with no guidance
So I really had no choice but to resort to violence
Strike the lanes in a '83 Caddy Brougham
I got to look up to my G'z cause my daddy's gone
My momma was daddy I bought her a card on father's day
Though she showed me the path of safety, I choose the harder way
Hit the streets got some heat proceed to get paid substantial
I had to hit the block and set up shop for my financials
My grant is cancelled and I don't play sports I'll never see college
So I hang in the hood and got a little street knowledge
Sometimes I wonder why I always missed the task raid
And why I don't die when they blast me with the gage
And why I'm not the same changed drastic in my ways
I know the reason why momma fasted and she prayed
Told me to get your wealth look out for sell and watch your health
And whenever in time of need just call on God for help
Stack your mail aviod a prison cell
Now faith in God and paying tithes got me living well
Don't kiss and tell but your fools got me crossed up
This my creation player hation get you tossed up
And it's a shame if you don't leave the game
You're bound to meet the flames
you better hit your knees and call his name
(Chorus)
I call your name when I need you
And you always see me through
(Verse 2)
I'm ginuwine not a copy and you bustaz can't stop me
All you can do follow the rules take notes and watch me
Bail pick up the phone gossip make a gang of cells
Tell'em Gospel Gangstaz here to take it all you hope I fall
I'm not the fall guy homey you picked the wrong guy
Your mind done tricked you into believing your own lie
Look I keeps it Gospel and Gangsta at the same time
You get sick I pray you disrespect and I'm a take mine
Cuss God and this westcoast gangish made me famous
Beats and lyrics offl the hezzy for shezzy but can you blame us?
Runnin like a wild pack of coyotes you can't frame us
Property of committee soldiers but you can blame us
Trying to own benzes and skyscrapper paying tithes with high paper
Got the whole industry trembling while I'm chewing Now n laters
They can't fade us don't get mad because the played us
I'm down and dirty bout my scratch making fools take haitus
(Chorus)
(Verse 3)
The notion believed is that we are on some other type stuff
But the fact of the matter is we just tuu rough
I can talk about this but I choose not too
Cause the rules of the crew is rhat you stay loyal & true
Don't break rank dogg put God first see that's all we can do
Never have loose expectation because that'sbeing unture
See I done left the game but Game never left me
And when a thug comes off the street
he can never really shake his rap sheet
my whole purpose is being right and making cheese
and I know in order to do that I gotta stay on my knees
having a paid for home and a navigator that ain't bad
but uh catch me if you can
(Chorus)
(Verse 4)
Meanwhile everybody laugh and played they games
I just sit back with my pad taking names
Seems strange looking back as I reminisce
on how it changed and that's has come to this
vide I get this rhyme I get begins
my mind just flips this phyco never end
life's a trip if I could get away from the game then I would switch today
and change my ways
it's just a phase I must go through
if your mind start playing games what you gonna do?
(Chorus)
Video
I Call Your Name
Meaning & Inspiration
Released on May 18, 1999, as part of their album *I Can See Clearly Now*, Gospel Gangstaz’s "I Call Your Name" stands as a potent anthem of transformation and divine dependence, delivering a raw, uncompromising narrative straight from the heart of the streets to the throne of grace. The song wastes no time in plunging into the stark realities of a challenging upbringing, painting a vivid picture of a young man navigating a world devoid of paternal guidance. He describes being "forced to hustle and use muscle," making choices that led him down a path of violence out of a perceived lack of alternatives, a testament to the harsh environments many face without strong, present role models. Despite his mother’s tireless efforts, even filling the role of a father figure and showing him "the path of safety," he candidly admits choosing "the harder way," pursuing street knowledge over collegiate aspirations after his grant was canceled.
The narrative takes a powerful turn as the artist begins to reflect on his miraculous escapes from danger – missing raids, surviving gun blasts, and experiencing a drastic change within himself. He attributes these profound shifts not to chance, but to the fervent prayers and fasting of his mother. This realization marks a spiritual awakening, highlighting the enduring power of a praying parent, echoing the sentiment of Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it," and James 5:16, where "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." His mother’s subsequent counsel becomes a bedrock of spiritual and practical wisdom: "whenever in time of need just call on God for help." This foundational truth, coupled with guidance on tithing and avoiding prison, becomes his roadmap, leading him from a life headed towards "the flames" to one of "living well" through faith in God. The chorus, "I call your name when I need you / And you always see me through," encapsulates this central tenet, a direct affirmation of God’s constant presence and faithfulness, mirroring promises found in Psalm 50:15, "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."
As the song progresses, a confident declaration of identity emerges, asserting the Gospel Gangstaz’s authenticity and resilience against those who wished for their downfall. The artist boldly states, "I keeps it Gospel and Gangsta at the same time," a powerful synthesis of their commitment to their faith and their roots, a reflection of being "wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16). This unique blend allows them to pray for those who are unwell, yet stand firm against disrespect, demonstrating a grounded, real-world application of their faith. Their ambition for prosperity, for "owning Benzes and skyscrapers" while "paying tithes with high paper," is presented not as worldly greed, but as a testament to God's blessing on faithfulness, aligning with passages like Malachi 3:10, which speaks of opening the floodgates of heaven for those who honor God with their tithes. This ambition, coupled with their unwavering message, causes the "whole industry trembling," signifying the disruptive power of their divinely inspired music in a secular landscape.
The third verse delves deeper into the group's collective identity and the enduring impact of their past. They describe themselves as "tuu rough," committed to loyalty and truth within their crew, emphasizing putting God first as their ultimate directive. A poignant moment of self-reflection arises with the line, "See I done left the game but Game never left me," a profound insight into the lingering shadows of a street life even after spiritual conversion. While 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares a believer a "new creation," the song honestly acknowledges that the scars and temptations of the past can persist. The artist’s purpose, to "be right and making cheese," perfectly illustrates the desire for both righteous living and material provision, recognizing that both are achieved by staying "on my knees"—a constant state of prayer and humility before God. This illustrates the beautiful tension of a transformed life, seeking both spiritual and temporal blessings while remaining rooted in faith.
Finally, the song concludes with a reflective and honest look at the ongoing spiritual journey. While others "laugh and played they games," the artist recounts his transformation, acknowledging the continuous battle for the mind. The line, "life's a trip if I could get away from the game then I would switch today," speaks to the persistent struggle and the daily choice required to walk away from the old ways. It’s not a one-time decision but an ongoing "phase I must go through," a daily renewing of the mind as admonished in Romans 12:2. "I Call Your Name" is more than just a song; it's a testament to divine intervention, the power of persistent prayer, and the unwavering faithfulness of God to see His children through, even when the echoes of a challenging past attempt to call them back. It is an inspiring call to remember that no matter how deep one’s past struggles, there is always hope and salvation in calling on the name of the Lord.