MIRAGE

[Verse 1: Quelle Chris & Earl Sweatshirt]
Stepped out like Scooby-Doo and the gang
With a sack of treats as the case completes
The villains knew the name
We was stuffin' chillums with that lame
Back when dime sacks was the thing
Now we glide 'cross skies like Liu Kang, no shame
We carried the state on our back like new quarter change
Rats was at 'em like Elmira to Maximillian
I was focused on the craft, I knew racks was in the cards (I knew it)
Sorta mutant, I seemed to see through the ceilings
Some homies hid under tables
My head was up in the stars (Up in the stars, nigga)
That's real large
I know niggas that caved in but still gods
Some said it's pre-programmed, some state it's up to Allah
You ask me, it's all part the mirage, ah-ha-ha!
Who's that? It's Chris and Q in the Subaru

[Break: Quelle Chris, Earl Sweatshirt, & Merrill Garbus]
Don't think that far
Who's that?
No, whoa
Said it's the cure and the super
Ooh-ooh, hey
Mirage
Yeah-yeah, hey
Hey, hey
Mirage
Yeah-yeah, uh, ooh
Mirage

[Verse 2: Earl Sweatshirt & Merrill Garbus]
I thought I saw a fountain
I thought I saw me on the other side of the see-saw mounted
Bouncing, on the up-and-up, countin' downers
The rate flounder-flat to bring you 'round the bend and back
But now what?
The hour's not a alibi, doesn't add up
You outta time, fried like halibut with two sides
Smizing for the camera, I surmise
The lie what did the damage
Had to leave you with a treatise, was signed
And switched the plan up, boundaries get redefined
I read the vines, it's a madness, we hacking limes, sink my teeth
Way past the meat into the rind when I grab it
The bittersweetness of times I wish to capture
Abandon reason for the slime of greener pastures
They tried to leave me
Couldn't find me when I finally answered, tiny dancer
Hold me closer, don't be sliding backwards
Forward further like AKAI told me on the tollway
The soles planted, the hands scrape the sky (Yeah-yeah, oh)
When the chances that the Medevacs left was hella high
We hit the tavern for some gin and rye
Whiskey gingerly applied (Ooh, ooh)
The image shifted side to side in the distance
You tripping over lines (Ooh, hey)
Slipping, we been to...

[Break: Earl Sweatshirt, Merrill Garbus, & Sample]
Yeah-yeah, hey
Don't think it wasn't when it was, he's no mirage
Mirage in the darkness
Yeah-yeah, oh
We all wise

[Verse 3: Denmark Vessey]
Oh yeah, hit me in the heart one day, it's just words
A string of letters I smashed together
Some random sequence calls to cast the weather
InSh'Allah could last forever
I don't have to be here, but I made it through
Through a maelstrom
The director's cut might not even make the album cut
That's where the melanated, melancholy style's from
Fly, birdie, fly, be as wise as the owl
Keep the eye of the falcon, that's eyein' the sparrow
I know my daughter's watching, I know you watch me
I know the times rocky
I know it's hard to remember, it blurred
December was brrr (Mm, mm)
My ten toes dig in the dirt, feeling the earth
I'm willing to merch, fourth quarter, final, moxie (Ooh-ooh, hey)
It was dark, like the light forgot me
Oh Lord, then a spark (Hey-hey, hey)
Innocent of sins, rosemary; when reality bit, it pierced my heart
But lifted hardships, my soul carried
A voice close near me, said, "Don't be so scary"
"Enjoy your thirties"
Listen, I'm still looking for father figures (Ah-ah, ah)
Around me, in even niggas who clowned me (Ah-ah, ah)
The last laugh is a nectar
But the sweetest get-back is being completely free (Facts)
Completely me
The smell of burnt sage, let the seasons reap
Don't overthink it, breathe deep frequently

[Break: Earl Sweatshirt, Merrill Garbus, & Sample]
Don't think it wasn't when it was, he's no mirage
The mirage
Yeah-yeah, yay
Mirage
The mirage
Yeah-yeah, ahh
Mm-mm, yay
Yeah-yeah, yay
Yeah-yeah, ahh
Do-do
Hmm
Mmm, yay
Yeah-yeah, yay
Yeah-yeah, aww

[Spoken Word: Big Sen]
Yeah, feels good to be back. I spend most of my days now in my garden, growing food and medicinal plants and shit that we smoking on now-type-of-thing, and pondering the next moves, you know what I'm saying?
Like, what the fuck is going on out here? We all know something is, you know, around the corner. And we feel it in our souls. It's manifesting itself in our art, even. The movies we make are largely dystopian, post-apocalyptic. I think we all just trying to make sense of it somehow. And that's cool. Sometimes, it just be them seasons. Predatory capitalism. And all the -isms, you know what I'm saying? And err'ybody's fed up. And people don't know what to do, so we make our art and art is beautiful. But art is also the truth. So we know you know. Come on, you know. You know you know you know
So what are you doing about it? Most people's just waiting for something to happen without even preparing for anything, you know what I'm saying?
Right now, Ukraine, power off. Venezuela, they shut the power off. Just this week, 44 million people, South America, power off. That's how we start modern warfare nowadays. We just cut your power and your internet off. Give that one week, without the little faucet running and your little water coming out and your 'frigerator not being on and shit and your diabetes medication not being cold. And you assed out
Make your actions match your ambitions to survive. You need to get ready like we are. That means being in shape. That means being in touch with your ancestors and your spirituality, you feel me?
What’s gon’ come to pass is what’s gon’ come to pass. All that voting and all that shit—you can do that, that’s cool, but that ain’t gon’ stop it. It’s—It’s already on the way, you know what I’m saying? So, just buckle up. Have a good time, you know? Security is largely a superstition. It does not exist in nature
Life is either a grand adventure or nothing, baby. Go have your adventure, 'cause I’m having mine
Big Sen, peace out, one love

[Outro: Merrill Garbus]
Yeah-yeah, yay
Yeah-yeah, aww