Released: March 30, 1993

Songwriter: LL Cool J Bobcat

Producer: Bobcat

[Verse 1]
The wind is howlin'
The rain pours down
Eyes are blood-shot
Heartbeat pounds
Lights go out
The whole world's in darkness
The ground is tremblin'
Dogs are barkless
In the sky there appears a great light
Burnin' all the flesh off the creatures of the night
AAAHHHH! Cryin' in a childish tone
Terrified of dyin' a painful death alone
Don't smile unless your innocent child
The power of God is gonna get you through your tao
Thrown like a hit from the best
Take it in a slump
Haha
Feel it in your chest
Conquerin' the world with the words
Leadin' the children like herds
I can feel it buildin'
I'm about to explode
I'm walkin' on the crossroad

[Chorus]
People livin' in a shack, at the crossroads
Little kids sellin' crack, at the crossroads
Now they stab you in the back, at the crossroads
Everybody's gettin' jacked at the crossroads
People livin' in a shack, at the crossroads
Little kids sellin' crack, at the crossroads
Now they stab you in the back, at the crossroads
Everybody's gettin' jacked at the crossroads

[Verse 2]
Violins and trumpets play
25 thousand people in a golden sleigh
On their way to the promised land
Deliverance
But yet some don't understand
Rough on a late night drill
After midnight
Kill or be killed
Soldiers, warriors, mercenaries
Rush at each other
On the combat zone
Supreme power on the throne
Lighting strikes in every home
Terrified men run down the street
So many dead bodies
It's hard to eat
But we gotta rise
Above the wall
To see what no man has seen before
Blindin' light
To guide you through the night
God is on your side
You got to fight!

[Chorus]
People livin' in a shack, at the crossroads
Little kids sellin' crack, at the crossroads
Now they stab you in the back, at the crossroads
Everybody's gettin' jacked at the crossroads
People livin' in a shack, at the crossroads
Little kids sellin' crack, at the crossroads
Now they stab you in the back, at the crossroads
Everybody's gettin' jacked at the crossroads
(Get ready for the battle)

[Verse 3]
Homicide
Suicide
Death
BOOM!
Ain't nobody left
Ooooh! It's startin' to take effect
You're on your knees
You're scared to death
Tornadoes with a thousand people spinnin'
A fight at the cross
And now god is winnin'
The whole Earth cracks in half
The sea turns red from the bloodbath
Abandoned buildings burned into a maze
Terrified, you feel the fire blaze
The ground can't hold your weight
You reach out to grab the pearly gates
Whole continents floatin' out in space
Never again will you see the human race
19 angels lead the devil straight to hell!
Torment!
Pain!
What you see and hear
You can't explain
All your life
So many played the game
Never realizing there's a flame

[Chorus]
People livin' in a shack, at the crossroads
Little kids sellin' crack, at the crossroads
Now they stab you in the back, at the crossroads
Everybody's gettin' jacked at the crossroads
People livin' in a shack, at the crossroads
Little kids sellin' crack, at the crossroads
Now they stab you in the back, at the crossroads
Everybody's gettin' jacked at the crossroads
People livin' in a shack, at the crossroads
Little kids sellin' crack, at the crossroads
Now they stab you in the back, at the crossroads
Everybody's gettin' jacked at the crossroads
People livin' in a shack, at the crossroads
Little kids sellin' crack, at the crossroads
Now they stab you in the back, at the crossroads
Everybody's gettin' jacked at the crossroads
People livin' in a shack, at the crossroads
Little kids sellin' crack, at the crossroads
Now they stab you in the back, at the crossroads
Everybody's gettin' jacked at the crossroads
People livin' in a shack, at the crossroads
Little kids sellin' crack, at the crossroads
Now they stab you in the back, at the crossroads
Everybody's gettin' jacked at the crossroads

LL Cool J

Deriving his name from the statement “Ladies Love Cool James,” LL Cool J became a superstar rapper after his Def Jam debut in 1984. He mixed a hardcore hip-hop style from songs like “I’m Bad” with R&B style on songs like “I Need Love,” which led him to multi-platinum success and several awards. He would later venture into movies and television, write several books, and start different business ventures.

Born January 14, 1968, Queens, New York native James Todd Smith began rapping at the age of nine and started to seriously pursue rapping when he was 16 years old after his grandfather bought him music equipment, which he used to create a demo tape that was sent to numerous labels. He was signed by upstart independent label Def Jam, working with founders Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin to release his debut single “I Need a Beat” in 1984, which sold over 100,000 copies. This success helped Def Jam secure a distribution deal with Columbia Records.

LL released his debut album Radio in 1985, which achieved platinum status with help from the hit singles “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” and “Rock the Bells.” After working exclusively with Rick Rubin on his debut, LL worked with the West Coast production crew L.A. Posse on his second album Bigger and Deffer, released in 1987. The album featured two of LL’s signature the hard-edged “I’m Bad” and the “rap ballad” “I Need Love,” which was a Top 20 pop hit, helping the album achieve double platinum status.