Angels vs Demons – English Lyrics

• By: Young M.A
• Album: Red Flu

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw and authentic storytelling of Young M.A's "Angels vs Demons" to explore contemporary American hip-hop language. This powerful track, filled with introspection and vivid imagery, offers a unique opportunity to learn about nuanced expressions of struggle, success, and self-reflection in English, making it special for its honest portrayal of an artist's inner world.

[English]

Feelin' like the old me, you heard?

When I was hungry for this shit, man

Still hungry too, uh

(Ayy, Benjamin, he got benjamins)

Uh

I'm back to my habits, back to my ways

Back to puttin' that 'yac to my face

Back to dumpin' these ashes in trays

Back to who I was back in the days

Back to the grain

Can't believe I actually changed

Talked about gettin' rich, now I'm actually paid

Swerved a little, got off track but now I'm back in my lane

Life is good, yeah, but I always relapse to that pain

Mental health is a stain, them thoughts in the back of my brain

Man, fuck love, them bitches ain't deserve the love that I gave

But when I fucked I always made sure that they actually came

Went from trappin' to fame, crazy, now I'm trapped in the fame

And I be switchin' bitches like I switch hats, it's a shame

With this game, you either lack or you gain, or both

'Cause I just made a rack and blew that on a chain

But I'm self-made, back in that booth, back on that stage

And when you independent rap pays

No cap, man

And I got a hundred demons in my rearview

But the money up ahead and it's a clear view

If you ain't loyal like I'm loyal, I don't feel you

'Cause where I'm from that type of shit will kill you

Uh, three in the mornin' sippin' this Henny

Thankin' God for these Ms, came from a pocket of pennies

Haters talkin' that shit, that's the Devil just tryna get me

Thank you to who defend me, but opinions never offend me, nah

I'm a livin' legend man, I swear to God

That lil' homie doin' seven, he was pitchin' hard

But he gotta take that L 'cause he ain't snitchin', nah

This lifestyle got me hooked, just like a fishin' rod

Call me a bitch all you want, just know that bitch in charge

Tell all these small money niggas I'm really livin' large

Just know I keep the .40 on me, ain't got to send the squad

I be doly most of the time 'cause bitch I live with heart

But when they killed my brother, it ripped my shit apart

I buy this ice so I can shine 'cause my heart is dark

These VVs, what's the difference? Just a different spark

I'm a dog and you a dog, but I bite, you bark

And I got a hundred demons in my rearview

But the money up ahead and it's a clear view

If you ain't loyal like I'm loyal, I don't feel you

'Cause where I'm from that type of shit will kill you

And your life can change, as long as you still you

And when they throwin' bricks just let it build you

If they movin' funny don't let 'em near you

And if they don't respect you make 'em fear you

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hungry /ˈhʌŋ.ɡri/ A2	adjective - needing food adjective - having a strong desire or craving for something
habits /ˈhæb.ɪts/ A2	noun - a regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up
relapse /rɪˈlæps/ B2	verb - to return to a worse state after a period of improvement
stain /steɪn/ B1	noun - a dirty mark on something that is difficult to remove noun - a blemish on one's reputation or character
fame /feɪm/ B1	noun - the state of being known or recognized by many people, especially because of your achievements
independent /ˌɪn.dɪˈpen.dənt/ B1	adjective - not controlled or influenced by other people or things; self-governing
demons /ˈdiː.mənz/ B2	noun - an evil spirit or devil noun - a source or cause of evil, distress, or ruin (often used metaphorically for inner struggles)
rearview /ˈrɪə.vjuː/ B2	noun - a mirror in a vehicle allowing the driver to see behind
loyal /ˈlɔɪ.əl/ B1	adjective - giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution
pennies /ˈpen.iz/ A2	noun - small units of money, especially in the UK and US, often used to refer to a very small amount of money
haters /ˈheɪ.tərz/ B2	noun - (informal) people who intensely dislike someone or something, often expressing criticism or negativity
defend /dɪˈfend/ B1	verb - to protect someone or something from harm or danger
offend /əˈfend/ B1	verb - to cause someone to feel upset, annoyed, or angry
lifestyle /ˈlaɪf.staɪl/ B1	noun - the way in which a person or group lives
hooked /hʊkt/ B2	adjective - addicted to something; captivated or fascinated by something
squad /skwɒd/ B2	noun - (informal) a small group of people having a particular task or interest; a close-knit group of friends
spark /spɑːk/ B1	noun - a small, fiery particle thrown off from a burning substance or produced by friction noun - a trace of a quality or intense feeling; a quality that makes something interesting or exciting
bricks /brɪks/ A2	noun - blocks of hard material, typically clay, used for building walls, houses, and other structures noun - (metaphorical) challenges, obstacles, or hard experiences that can be used to strengthen oneself
shine /ʃaɪn/ A2	verb - to give off light verb - to excel or be very good at something
fear /fɪər/ A2	verb - to be afraid of someone or something noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat

Key Grammar Structures

• Feelin' like the old me, you heard?

  ➔ Contraction (verb 'to be' + -ing)

  ➔ The word 'Feelin'' is a contraction of 'Feeling', where the 'g' is dropped and replaced with an apostrophe.

• Back to who I was back in the days

  ➔ Past continuous tense

  ➔ The phrase 'back in the days' indicates a past continuous state, referring to a period in the past when the speaker was in a certain condition.

• Life is good, yeah, but I always relapse to that pain

  ➔ Present simple vs. present continuous

  ➔ 'Life is good' uses the present simple to state a general truth, while 'I always relapse to that pain' uses the present continuous to describe a recurring action.

• Mental health is a stain, them thoughts in the back of my brain

  ➔ Metaphor and pronoun usage

  ➔ 'Is a stain' is a metaphor comparing mental health to a stain, and 'them thoughts' uses the pronoun 'them' to refer to the thoughts in a casual, colloquial way.

• With this game, you either lack or you gain, or both

  ➔ Conditional sentence (either/or)

  ➔ The sentence presents two possible outcomes using 'either/or', indicating a choice or contrast between lacking and gaining.

• I'm self-made, back in that booth, back on that stage

  ➔ Adjective and adverb placement

  ➔ 'Self-made' is an adjective describing the subject, while 'back' is used as an adverb indicating a return to a previous state or place.

• If you ain't loyal like I'm loyal, I don't feel you

  ➔ Comparative structure with 'like'

  ➔ The phrase uses 'like' to compare the level of loyalty between the speaker and the listener, emphasizing the speaker's standard.

• And when they throwin' bricks just let it build you

  ➔ Gerund as object

  ➔ 'Throwin' bricks' is a gerund phrase acting as the object of the preposition 'when', describing the action of throwing bricks.