CeeLo Refuses Limitation (1998)
CeeLo was making songs cry long before Jay Z. One of CeeLo’s greatest qualities as an MC is that he is able to rap about the struggles of the common man with vivid imagery. He turns his voice into the voice of the person that he’s rapping about. The best example of this comes on “I Refuse Limitation” from Goodie Mob’s Still Standing album. At a time when Southern rappers weren’t known or respected for lyricism, CeeLo’s verse on this song was recognized as a “Notable Quotable” in The Source.
Well I woke up this mornin with the same frustration from situations like these
Got a call about some work from one of them temporary agencies
No high school diploma or any college degrees
I can’t enlist but they’ll draft me if there’s a war overseas
Oh please
Of course I can slice some OZs
But see I’m one of those aspirin MCs
And uh bills are due so at times I’m doubtful and everyone disagrees
But I’d rather struggle on my feet than to live on my knees
So my uniform tight workin all night at Mickey D’s
Got about 90 dollars and some change after the government
Get they fees
These minimum wages ain’t enough to feed my babies
Purposely these limitations on black folks opportunities
So I quit cuz I’m tired of being one of those overworked
Underpaid employees
Stop carin at all went on and did a few small burglaries
It seems like my faith done turned into forgotten memories
And I ain’t gettin away with nothing because I know He always sees
But see right now I need to see how I can get this here dope sold
I done stuffed in my pocket as many rocks as it can hold
They gonna get high so I’m gonna get my money even though it’s freezin cold
Now how many times you done heard this story told?
Believe it or not, there’s some very intelligent junkiesBut dependencies is eating away at they souls like disease
Anyone can turn into somebody who covets and envies
Unequal economics can easily make you some enemies
And the crime rate never drops so the cops ride around in threes
I knew he would have killed me if I did anything but freeze
They found the rest of the dope in some nearby shrubberies
In a dimlit room being questioned by these authorities
And they gave me some time in correctional facilities
And now my woman’s gotta take on a man’s responsibilities
