The Cross Movement Album: House of Representatives Track: Off the Hook
Off the Hook Lyrics
Written by The Ambassador
Written by William Branch Produced by Tru-Life
Verse 1: Your lookin' at an ex-crook In fact, I'm lookin' back at the day I got off the hook And put the crookin' act back behind Man I got, no plans to rewind I used to be blind But now I see fine, with divine spectacles
Some biblical meats and vegetables, my level's risin' like cholesterol Best of all, I'm blessed to call God my father, I got arrested, y'all
Let me tell you how it happened Check it, y'all Though I'm tough like shoe leather I always new whether Or not I did good, I always could do better Plus I knew a lot of fellas worst than me I thought, "How bad could I be?"
Then I got a letter A subpoena To pre-bema Court trial. I thought, "How? Of course I'll plead not guilty I'm just a poor child I figured, "No lawyers needed... The court speeded They're mistaken. I'll take my own case and plead it." Conceited I figured I'd throw the judge one line Blow his dumb mind and be out of there by lunch time
Dressed to impress With my best clothes on Just then the Judge stepped in With a red robe on (hold on) This must be a dream It's Chief Justice Supreme Judge Elohim I'm feelin' sick like disease Cause in His court we all fall short like midgets on our knees My lunch plans canceled I don't stand a chance He'll pull my file I'm in distress like a damsel. I'm shocked and in awe then my jaw hits the floor The prosecutor comes in and it's Mr. Law (Awww) No more hope and now I'm waitin' He's known For bringin' condemnation With his open statement My heart is poundin' as he states what the charge is: "THE DEFENDANT'S GUILTY OF NOT KNOWIN' WHO GOD IS."
Chorus: I'm in trouble man I better come up with a plan Maybe I can make the dash Or give the judge a little cash I know that I'm wrong And I'm trying to be strong But my rap sheet is long So I'm singing this song
Verse 2: I found myself jammed in court And in short I was guilty of bein' filthy like men in sports I was losin' The prosecution was relentless He pointed out the flaws in my mouth like a dentist He exposed my very words Gave the court a record of every dirty joke and every curse word More error when he picked my mind like a psychiatrist The jury's buyin' it They're gettin' mad like a scientist (There's a door) You know I'm eyein' it Better tryin' split Cause Mr. Law rules with an iron fist I'm not a chump but I know I gotta run But I'm not dumb I see that guard and he's gotta gun!
No one's laughin' Not a one He pulled out x-rays of my heart and I don't know where he got em' from He labeled me a thug-I screamed, "I WAS NOT!"-Objection overruled-then he pulled out my mug-shot Showed the jury me and my boys at the drug spot and the bus stop smokin' much pot in a rough spot He went on, revealed the lust I hold Plus I'm swoll 'cause He showed all the stuff I stole (the prosecution won't rest) He made reference to my sin-nature Pulled out mad evidence Statin' ever since I was born I've been fond of sin, on one accord with Satan Like a Honda With justice on the trail He proved I was gonna fail Put my motives on the scale (that's it, I'm goin' to jail)
Kind of petro, But yet I'm thinkin', "Let's go. How bad can jail be?" But now they're screamin', "DEATH ROW!"
Chorus: This is ill yall Yo, it's for real yall Can't you see that I'm doom And I'm about to be consumed So young But sin has got me so strung I'm about to cry Because I'm about to die
Verse 3: I'm still in court And in my mind thoughts of death sink By now I'm funky I'm hungry plus my breath stinks The Judge, jury, even I'm convinced I'm guilty of law-breakin' and it's all makin' sense You and I only look good to the human eye Man bein' basically good is a human lie I'm thirsty, but not for water, for mercy I'm unworthy The whole court room heard me The Judge stood with the law book They all looked And saw what blew their minds as the one who made the law took off His robe, and became the substitution
Off we strolled To the place of execution Gave me a pardon Instead let them bruise Him Justified me and let the law accuse Him They gripped Him, stripped Him, Whipped Him They saw thorns and picked Him They sticked Him, He made Himself the victim I felt the pain I walked home in the rain Changed Not the same, Because I knew I should have got the blame How could I complain? I wept on my bed, when on my pillow I found a letter and it read, "I BLED, ALL BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, MY BLOOD WAS SHED, ALL BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, THEY KILLED ME INSTEAD, ALL BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, I AROSE FROM THE DEAD, ALL BECAUSE I LOVE YOU."
"He's Alive!" I thought that He'd be back At the morgue tears poured, then I hear tap At the door Unexpected but...Yup, You guessed it. He had resurrected! He came in my heart and blessed it Love manifested Though I wear jeans and not the double breasted I praise God I got arrested, Cause I had just heard of Him, Now I'm a son, not a distant relative Like a third cousin, word brethren. Get a load of me I'm free I'm property of the only God who died for me I can see a whole society who need to cop a plea Sin's got the lock But God's got the key.
Chorus: Look now No more crook now Close the book now My sins are took now No more death row No more death yo Come what ever In Christ I'll live forever Forever off the hook.