T.I.為了紀念被槍殺的好友、助手費藍特·詹森(Philant Johnson)而創作了《Dead and Gone》。2006年,費藍特·詹森在T.I.的一場表演結束後,和T.I.以及其他幾位工作人員在一間夜店裡和別人發生口角。T.I.和費藍特·詹森以及其他同行人士搭乘同一輛車離開時,有個人掏槍出來對著車裡的人開槍,當場造成車內多人受傷,而費藍特因為身中多槍而不治身亡。
《Dead and Gone》在T.I.因私藏槍枝被捕入獄前被發布,T.I.認為自己經歷了很多事情,以前的T.I.已經不復存在,他想通過該首歌表達一種全新的自我,並闡釋自己的全新人生。
該首歌曲對Gemitaiz與Etto合唱的歌曲《Basta》進行了採樣。
歌曲歌詞
英文
Ay, lemme kick it to you right quick man,
Nawt on some gangsta shit man on some real shit
Anybody who been through the same thing I'm sure you feel the same way
Ohh (hey)
I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)
Just tryin find my way back home (back home)
But the old me's dead and gone,
Dead and Gone,
And Ohh.. (hey)
I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)
Just tryin find my way back home (back home)
But the old me's dead and gone,
Dead and Gone, dead and...
Every had one of them days wish you would have stayed home,
Run into a group of niggas who gettin their hate on,
You walk by they get wrong,
You reply then shit get blown,
Way out of proportion way bad discussion,
Just you against them pick one then rush them,
Figure you get jumped here thats next,
They don't wanna stop there now they bustin,
Now you gushin ambulance rushin,
You to the hospital with a bad concusion,
Plus you hit four times but it hit yo spine,
Paralyzed waist down and ya wheelchair bound,
Never mind that now you lucky to be alive,
Just thinkin it all started fussin wit three guys,
Nigga pride in the way but your pride is the way you can f**k
Around get shot down anyday,
Niggas die everyday,
All little bullshit, dope money, dice games, for their hood shit,
Could this be cuz of hip-hop music,
Or did the ones with the good sense not use it,
Usually niggas don't know what to do when they back against the wall,
So they just start shootin,
For red or for blue or for blow I guess,
From Bankhead at the old projects,
No more stress now I'm straight,
Now I get it now I take time to think before I make mistake just for my
Family stake,
That part of me left yesterday
The harder me is strong today,
No regrets I'm blessed to say the old me dead and gon away,
Ohh (hey)
I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)
Just tryin find my way back home (back home)
But the old me's dead and gone,
Dead and Gone,
And Ohh.. (hey)
I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)
Just tryin find my way back home (back home)
But the old me's dead and gone,
Dead and Gone, dead and...
I ain't neva been scared I live through tragic,
Situations could been dead lookin back at it,
Most of that shit didn't even have to happen,
But you think about it when you out there trappin
In the appartments hangin, smokin and rappin,
Niggas start shit next thing we know we cappin,
Get locked up then didn't even get mad,
Now I think about that what a life I had,
Most of that shit look back just laugh,
Some shit still look back get sad,
Thinkin my home boy still be around had
I not hit the nigga in the mouth that time,
I won that fight I lost that war,
I could still see my nigga walkin out that door,
Who would of thought I'd never see Philant no more,
Got enough dead homies I don't want no more,
Cuz a nigga his jump cost me more,
I'd a took that ass whoppin out for sure,
Now think before I risk my life,
Take them chances to get my stripes,
A nigga put his hands on me alright,
Otherwise stand there talk shit all night,
Cuz I hit you and you sue me,
I shoot you get locked up poor me,
No more stress now I'm straight,
Now I get it now I take time to think
Before I make mistake just for my
Family stake,
That part of me left yesterday
The harder me is strong today,
No regrets I'm blessed to say the old me dead and gon away,
Ohh (hey)
I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)
Just tryin find my way back home (back home)
But the old me's dead and gone,
Dead and Gone,
And Ohh.. (hey)
I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)
Just tryin find my way back home (back home)
But the old me's dead and gone,
Dead and Gone, dead and...
I turn my head to the east I don't see nobody by my side,
I turn my head to the west, still nobody in sight,
So I turn my head to the north swallow that pill that they call pride,
That old me dead and gone but the new me will be alright,
I turn my head to the east I don't see nobody by my side,
I turn my head to the west still nobody in sight,
So I turn my head to the north swallow that pill that they call pride,
That old me dead and gone but the new me will be alright,
Ohh (hey)
I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)
Just tryin find my way back home (back home)
But the old me's dead and gone,
Dead and Gone
And Ohh.. (hey)
I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)
Just tryin find my way back home (back home)
But the old me's dead and gone,
Dead and Gone, dead and gone
中文
兄弟,讓我說幾句
不是一些黑道的事情,而是真實的事情
誰經歷過,我確定你們感覺和我一樣
費藍特,這個給你的
喔,我已在這條路上盲行太久
我只想找到家的方向
過去的我已經凋零遠逝
一去不返
喔,我已在這條路上盲行太久
我只想找到家的方向
過去的我已經凋零遠逝
一去不返
如果有先知 那一天你便不該出門
偶遇那群黑鬼 尋釁挑事
擦肩而過 招來不爽
你回駁 一觸即發
事態升級 無法遏制
你瞅準一個 橫衝直撞
拳打腳踢 一個又一個
血脈賁張 槍聲響起
你血流不止 急救車呼嘯而馳
送達醫院 腦部已受重創
四記槍傷 脊柱也難逃厄運
佝僂癱瘓 生活被輪椅裹挾
即便如此 你能活著已是大幸
試想這一切僅僅是因為你和那些流氓爭執
你的自尊送你死路 但你仍舊去維護它 就這樣為非作歹
被槍擊 隨時慘死街頭
每天都會有黑鬼死去
為那狗屁道義 粉粉貨 賭博資金 這些幫派屁事
嘻哈不是推脫的藉口
那些明智的人從不會這樣
那些黑鬼只要無路可走
就開始玩命一搏
就知道開槍
我猜都跟血幫、瘸幫或是跟販毒生意有關
從Bankhead到舊城區
不再迷茫 我心坦蕩
現在的我已經明白
我應該想到 我還有家人 不能再次重蹈覆轍
狂莽的我已經不再
如今我內心強大
毅然將過去的自己拋棄 我沒有絲毫後悔
喔,我已在這條路上盲行太久
我只想找到家的方向
過去的我已經凋零遠逝
一去不返
喔,我已在這條路上盲行太久
我只想找到家的方向
過去的我已經凋零遠逝
一去不返
生活狗血不止 但我也從未膽怯
回望過去 生死線上已幾番來回
早點醒悟 一切或許都不會發生
但當我們賣藥的時候卻從不想這些
在公寓裡嗑藥 抽草說唱
一旦開始 便陷入循環 接著被逮捕
被送入監牢 也滿不在乎
現在看來 曾經的生活竟是如墮落
至今想起 我雖還是會笑
但那些悲傷 卻不會淡去
試想一下 如果我沒有動手 或許身邊的朋友就不會與我永別
贏了爭執 卻滿盤皆輸
黑鬼依舊堂而皇之 出入自由
誰會知道 我將再也見不到費藍特
摯友的逝去 我已不想再見
那人失去個工作 我失去更多
早知如此我就該忍一時之氣
放縱逞能之前 我該想想
這些是否值得我裝上彈夾
縱然黑鬼已經得寸進尺
否則也不會整晚的爭吵
一場爭鬥 換一紙訴狀
一聲槍響 換半生牢獄
不再迷茫 我心坦蕩
現在我已明白
我應該想到 我還有家人 不能再次重蹈覆轍
狂莽的我已經不再
如今的我內心強大
毅然將過去的自己拋棄 我沒有絲毫後悔
喔,我已在這條路上盲行太久
我只想找到家的方向
過去的我已經凋零遠逝
一去不返
喔,我已在這條路上盲行太久
我只想找到家的方向
過去的我已經凋零遠逝
一去不返
我將目光移向東邊
我的身邊無人可依
扭頭望向另一邊
依舊了無人跡
只好仰天長嘆
自嘗苦果 審視一切
從前的我已經不再
前方必是康莊大道
我將目光移向東邊
我的身邊無人可依
扭頭望向另一邊
依舊了無人跡
只好仰天長嘆
自嘗苦果 審視一切
從前的我已經不再
前方必是康莊大道
喔,我已在這條路上盲行太久
我只想找到家的方向
過去的我已經凋零遠逝
一去不返
喔,我已在這條路上盲行太久
我只想找到家的方向
過去的我已經凋零遠逝
一去不返
歌曲鑑賞
《Dead and Gone》以輕快的節奏來抒發了T.I.的反省之意,另外,歌曲還努力來證明了他新的精神狀態。歌曲中,T.I.利用自己快速的Flow Style唱出了自省的心聲,作為專輯《Paper Trail》的結尾曲,T.I.意圖向聽眾展示一個嶄新的自己、嶄新的靈魂以及嶄新的精神狀態。此外,歌曲中賈斯汀·汀布萊克令人熟悉的嗓音的配唱也十分悠揚。
歌曲MV
《Dead and Gone》的MV由克里斯·羅賓森執導,MV拍攝於美國洛杉磯,用時一周。MV中,T.I.駕駛著一輛跑車在沙漠中賓士,賈斯汀·汀布萊克則在十字路口彈奏鋼琴。MV最後,賈斯汀的鋼琴燃燒起來,而他自己則孤獨的站在黑暗之中;而T.I.則下車走進了監獄,最後監獄的門關上,這暗示了MV的續集《Remember Me》。MV中有個插曲:一個單純可愛的孩子捲入了一場爭鬥,可憐的他最終只能以輪椅相伴。該MV中出現了費藍特·詹森的墓地鏡頭。