911
by D12

Album: released as a single (2001)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song is all about the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Each artist rapping for D12 in the song brings up a different issue as to what happened.

    Proof in the first verse speaks about how people were quick to classify people by race as terrorists - "apparent to punish people by their heritage" and how if the radicals responsible for the bombings were true to their religion, they'd do what's right - "Cause if you right and, know you right, then where's your righteous ways."

    Kuniva speaks much more about the impact of the war on the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the impact on soldiers - "So much smoke you can't tell the difference between night and day/Right away blow your life away, so light your haze/Hold tight grenade's so when it blows I'm slightly grazed." He also compares this situation to the violence faced by many in America's poorer communities - "Stay in the streets, bulls--t and playin' for keeps/Spray at your peeps for Christmas, give a K to my niece," where a 'K' is an AK47.

    Bizarre speaks of the horrors soldiers commit during war, and frequent drug abuse faced by them - "Every night I talk to a black hawk, taking heroin in bulks/Watch my body hit the chalks, I'm too lazy, mescalines got me crazy/Rape this old lady, while the bitch was having a baby." From there he talks about how they have no idea when they'll die and how a bomb can kill them any time - "And close my eyes and wait for the bomb."

    Swifty talks about the aggravation and frustration of many Americans, and our government in dealing with the crisis, and how everyone wanted vengeance - "I don't miss s--t/I hit all, whoever that did this/We gonna get y'all."

    Kon Artis concludes the song by putting the event into perspective, and how it's a huge tragedy that haunts everyone and nobody needs it pointed out to them as such. "Now whether its Sadam or Bin Laden/Thats been startin all this trouble for us," really emphasizes that we need to find who did it for sure, and that regardless of who it was it is still horrible. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Paul - Storrs, CT
  • This is a collaboration with Gorillaz, and the track was produced by Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz. Terry Hall from The Specials also appears on the song.

Comments: 1

  • AnonymousWho does the chorus? Gorillaz, or Terry Hall?
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