Every time I hear or see Pearse Doherty, the Sinn Féin spokesperson for Finance, I think of Kendrick Lamar.
Kendrick Lamar’s image pops into my head.
I can’t help it. In the last few years, I have spent a good deal of my music listening time listening to rap music. I love rap music and the stories-real and imagined-from the street.
Kendrick Lamar wrote a rap called “Money Trees”. It’s catchy, a real ear worm, with good lyrics. (I will set out the lyrics at the end of this post).
When Pearse Doherty, and his Sinn Féin colleagues like Mary Lou McDonald and Louise O’Reilly, appear on the radio, tv, or social media they are invariably castigating the government for not spending enough money.
There is not a cause or issue or concern for which Pearse and his colleagues fail to promise more money and spending.
And, naturally, money trees spring to mind. For they are the only way the promises of Pearse and his colleagues can be delivered.
It’s as if Sinn Féin have invented, or at least located, a money tree. One that will allow a person to spend money freely and with abandon and no concern for where the money comes from.
I wish Pearse and his colleagues would, just once, tell people where the money comes from. Tell them, if it is indeed true, that there is no money tree. Tell them that these promises are part of a political game.
Until then, the pavlovian response of my brain is to conjure up an image of a wealthy rapper whenever I see or hear Pearse Doherty and his colleagues. And he is rapping “Money Trees”.
Money Trees
Song by Jay Rock and Kendrick Lamar
Lyrics
Me and my niggas tryna get it, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
Hit this house lick tell me is you with it, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
Home invasion was persuasive (was persuasive, was persuasive)
From nine to five I know its vacant, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
Dreams of living life like rappers do (like rappers do, like rappers do)
Back when condom wrappers wasn’t cool (they wasn’t cool, they wasn’t cool)
I fucked Sherane then went to tell my bros (tell my bros, tell my bros
Then Usher Raymond “Let it Burn” came on (“Let it Burn” came on, “Let it Burn” came on)
Hot sauce all in our Top Ramen, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
Parked the car then we start rhyming, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
The only thing we had to free our mind (free our mind, free our mind)
Then freeze that verse when we see dollar signs (dollar signs, dollar signs)
You looking like an easy come up, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
A silver spoon I know you come from, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
And that’s a lifestyle that we never knew (we never knew, we never knew)
Go at a reverend for the revenue
It go Halle Berry or hallelujah
Pick your poison tell me what you do
Everybody gon’ respect the shooter
But the one in front of the gun lives forever (the one in front of the gun forever)
And I been hustlin’ all day, this a way, that a way
Through canals and alleyways, just to say
Money trees is the perfect place for shade and that’s just how I feel (now, now)
A dollar might, just fuck your main bitch that’s just how I feel (now)
A dollar might, say fuck them niggas that you came with that’s just how I feel (now, now)
A dollar might, just make that lane switch that’s just how I feel (now)
A dollar might, turn to a million and we all rich that’s just how I feel
Dreams of living life like rappers do (like rappers do, like rappers do)
Bump that new E-40 at the school (way at the school, way at the school)
You know big ballin’ with my homies (my homies)
Earl Stevens had us thinking rational (Thinking rational, that’s rational)
Back to reality we poor, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
Another casualty at war, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
Two bullets in my uncle Tony head (my Tony head, my Tony head)
He said one day I’d be on tour, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
That Louis Burger never be the same (won’t be the same, won’t be the same)
A louis belt will never ease that pain (won’t ease that pain, won’t ease that pain)
But I’ma purchase when that day is jerkin’ (That day is jerkin’, day is jerkin’)
Pull off at Church’s with Pirelli’s skirtin’ (Pirelli’s skirtin’, Pirelli’s skirtin’)
Gang signs out the window, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
Hoping all of ’em offend you, ya bish (ya bish, ya bish)
They say your hood is a pot of gold (a pot of gold, a pot of gold)
And we gone crash it when nobodies home
It go Halle Berry or hallelujah
Pick your poison tell me what you do
Everybody gon’ respect the shooter
But the one in front of the gun lives forever (the one in front of the gun forever)
And I been hustlin’ all day, this a way, that a way
Through canals and alleyways, just to say
Money trees is the perfect place for shade and that’s just how I feel (now, now)
A dollar might, just fuck your main bitch that’s just how I feel (now)
A dollar might, say fuck them niggas that you came with that’s just how I feel (now, now)
A dollar might, just make that lane switch that’s just how I feel (now)
A dollar might, turn to a million and we all rich that’s just how I feel
Be the last one out to get this dough? No way
Love one of you bucket-headed hoes? No way
Hit the streets, then we break the code? No way
Hit the brakes, when they on patrol? No way
Be the last one out to get this dough? No way
Love one of you bucket-headed hoes? No way
Hit the streets, then we break the code? No way
Hit the brakes, when they on patrol? No way
Imagine Rock up in the projects where them niggas pick your pockets
Santa Claus don’t miss them stockings, liquor spilling pistols popping
Baking soda YOLA whipping, ain’t no turkey on Thanksgiving
My homeboy just domed a nigga, I just hope the Lord forgive him
Pots with cocaine residue, everyday I’m hustlin’
What else is a thug to do when you eatin’ cheese from the government?
Gotta provide for my daughter ‘n’ ’em, get the fuck up out my way, bitch
Got that drum and got them bands just like a parade, bitch
Drop that work up in the bushes, hope them boys don’t see my stash
If they do tell the truth, this the last time you might see my ass
From the gardens where the grass ain’t cut, them serpents lurking blood
Bitches selling pussy, niggas selling drugs but it’s all good
Broken promises, steal yo’ watch and tell you what time it is
Take your J’s and tell you to kick it where a footlocker is
In the streets with a heater under my dungarees
Dreams of me getting shaded under a money tree
It go Halle Berry or hallelujah
Pick your poison tell me what you do
Everybody gon’ respect the shooter
But the one in front of the gun lives forever (the one in front of the gun forever)
And I been hustlin’ all day, this a way, that a way
Through canals and alleyways, just to say
Money trees is the perfect place for shade and that’s just how I feel
Kendrick, just bring my car back, man
I called in for another appointment
I figured you weren’t gonna be back here on time anyways
Look, shit, shit
I just wanna get out the house, man
This man is on one, he feelin’ good as a motherfucker
Shit, I’m tryna get my thing goin’, too
I’m going to Marilyn house, just bring my car back
Shit, he faded
He feelin’ good
Look, listen to him! (’cause you got a big ol’ fat ass)
Girl, girl, I want your body, I want your body, ’cause of that big ol’ fat ass
See, he high as hell
Shit, he ain’t even trippin’ off them damn dominoes no more
Just bring the car back! Did somebody say dominoes?
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Alex Kristian Scally / Kendrick Lamar Duckworth / Victoria Garance Legrand
Money Trees lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc