Башня из слоновой кости [Bashnya iz slonovoi kosti] [English translation]

[1]

On the asphalt road, passing cement

Avoiding bystanders, to the applause of

Inhabitants of sleeper arrondissements,

Underworld, social and ethnic minorities

Passing the municipal center buildings

And vice-mayor monuments, whistling concerts

I go down the street unprecedentedly acquitted -

A hypocritically pardoned 30-year old.

Fuck, the Universe obviously loves me!

If I hadn't been famous, I would have probably died

But it seems that the Mayor wanted to sell some mercy

And generous justice to the poor streets - fuck knows

I'm alive, thanks to fortune

And balancing on stilts above abysses

I go slouching and slightly jumping like a doof

Through destinies and storms to elusive Ultima Thule

I thought my time's up, time's milked dry

There are gashes and potholes, boulders and blocks

On my way between peace and war.

Some people think I'm a tricky bastard

Some people see a naive world of games and books in me

Listen, I'm a hybrid, I've grown up to be both

I wasn't made for studio lights, intrigues

And adrenalin, life choices turn out weird

I've just been writing and looking out of the window for years

I was stroking out, deleting, my notebook was becoming thicker

Fragile worlds were breaking down on the table in darkness

While dead icons were looking at the district from the walls

I was alone, the universe kept me on the edge

And now my mug is watching back at me from each kiosk

But what changed? Nothing on the inside, but a lot on the outside

Since the powerful ones tied me in a knot

To the point when stress, turmoil, running, quidditch

Made me think that when I'm 30 - I'm done

But I'm here, see? Glenfiddich

They were sulking and grumbling: why the fuck won't you perish?

They all ask for something, spoiling the air and nerves:

A medical examiner needs either blood or sperm,

Bitches - my hand and heart, publishers - The Booker Prize and deals

Readers want a scarecrow in a cell

Hey! I've seen your circus from the gallows

Forget Sun Tzu and Lao Tzu

Since there're only two ways in this circus - suicide or stoicism

And if you don't choose suicide, endure, stop whining, let it go

And yes, we all piss our pants, every one of us, fear and solipsism

But we'll fly up from vanity despite the world

[Bridge]

My city is beyond time, territory, tribe, genus, and empire

Troy, Pompeii, Rome...

My city is a delusion and a mirage, the thing a Beduin sees in the darkness

My city is on the mountain of ruins

My city is a labirynth, I'm a blind and awkward guide in it

And my city doesn't trust them

Its government is within, not under the rock or in the town-hall

[2]

I'm a stoic like Lucius Seneca

I'm going from the palazzo of the elite to ghetto streets

Since I survived, I need to live and breathe deeper

And Fucked-up Girl betrayed me and left, but I'll survive that as well

Answer me this question: may an artist live in an ivory tower?

Be welcome at a palace or be against lords, or remain neutral...(gunshot)

[Outro]

Aren't you home yet? Weird...

Listen, well, what can I say apart from "you're an idiot"

Yes, I'm very glad that they let you go, we all almost went crazy here

Anyway, come back and I'm gonna read "In a place without us" now

By the way, the title is shit! XOXO

• Artist:Oxxxymiron
• Album:Горгород (2015)