A slum, as defined by the United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the developing world between 1990 and 2005. However, due to rising population, and the rise especially in urban populations, the number of slum dwellers is rising. One billion people worldwide live in slums and the figure will likely grow to 2 billion by 2030.
The term has traditionally referred to housing areas that were once relatively affluent but which deteriorated as the original dwellers moved on to newer and better parts of the city, but has come to include the vast informal settlements found in cities in the developing world.
Many shack dwellers vigorously oppose the description of their communities as 'slums' arguing that this results in them being pathologised and then, often, subject to threats of evictions. Many academics have vigorously criticized UN-Habitat and the World Bank arguing that their 'Cities Without Slums' Campaign has led directly to a massive increase in forced evictions.
Kevin McCloud (born 8 May 1958) is a British designer, writer and television presenter best known for his work on the Channel 4 series Grand Designs.
He lives in a 15th-century farmhouse in Frome, Somerset, with his wife (childhood sweetheart) Anna-Charlotte McFadyen ("Char", who runs an online interior decoration business) and their two children, Milo (b. 1998) and Elsie (b. 2001), plus Hugo (b. 1988) and Grace (b. 1991) from McCloud's previous relationship.
Born in Bedfordshire, McCloud and his two brothers, Terence and Graham, were raised in a house his parents had built. McCloud attended Dunstable Grammar School, which became Manshead Upper School, and then studied the history of art and architecture at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He is conversant in French and Italian.
After graduating, McCloud trained and worked as a theatre designer, then set up his own lighting design practice and manufacturing business 'McCloud Lighting' - at one point employing 26 people. His work includes the carved and painted rococo-style vegetable ceiling in the food halls at Harrods, many projects in conjunction with J.J. Desmond Interiors and lighting installations at Ely Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, the Savoy Hotel and the Dorchester Hotel. Today he concentrates on television work, journalism and product design, including work for British manufacturers.
Kendrick Jeru Davis, known as Jeru the Damaja (born February 14, 1972) is an American rapper and recording artist who has worked extensively with Guru and DJ Premier of Gang Starr, whom he has known since high school. He is best-known for his 1994 debut album, The Sun Rises in the East, which was ranked as one of the 100 greatest hip-hop albums of all time by the editors of About.com, calling it "one of the quintessential '90s hip-hop albums."
Jeru the Damaja was born February 14, 1972, in Brooklyn, New York, and spent his early years in that borough's East New York neighborhood, where he began rhyming at block parties as a youth. He first showcased his hardcore Brooklyn style to audiences on "I'm the Man," a track from Gang Starr's 1992 album Daily Operation. The following year he released his first single, "Come Clean," which was produced by DJ Premier and became an instant underground hit.
His first album, The Sun Rises in the East, was released in 1994 and produced entirely by DJ Premier. The album was well-received but Jeru was criticized by the Fugees for his lyrics, particularly for the song "Da Bitchez". Fugees member Pras lightly mentioned Jeru on the track "Zealots," from the group's landmark 1996 album The Score, with the line "No matter who you damage, you're still a false prophet," referencing Jeru's single "You Can't Stop the Prophet." Jeru responded lightly in the intro of the track "Me or the Papes" and also on the track "Black Cowboys."
"Please baby, please don't leave"
We rappers in the slums.. alright..
Let's get this motherfucker crunkin from Kentucky to Baghdad
Ya pops was always gone but that didn't make him a bad dad
We still managed to eat, and come to think wattn't half bad
But Doug was always humerous bout the things they would never have
Now I was born in Oakland better known as the Cold Town
Done seen too many folk down, some put the soul down
Done heard my momma cryin if I knew what I know now
I'd pro'ly have to greet the party room with the fo' pound
I'm tryna keep my head on straight to keep me from catchin
in case I feel my insides burnin, musta swallowed all twenty-eight
I'm drinkin milk with magnesium, but still I ain't feelin straight
Some mo' had murdered my granddad over real-estate
Rappers in the slums... rappers in the slums...
Rappers in the slums... aww, aww, aww, aww...
Rappers in the slums... rappers in the slums...
Rappers in the slums... aww, aww, aww, aww...
Puffy, if I put it out - sucky, if I pull it out
Ohh me, ya better kick it out, or ya livin in a haunted house
Ran how you tried to run, came how you tried to come
Did what you couldn't do, difference between me and you
Slum for a while now, country for a lifetime
Cool is what I choose to be, but that ain't what I used to be
Muddy waters couldn't drown a nigga, bloodhounds on the trail for real
Shakin up this rap shit, givin niggaz hell for real
Turn a hold the dog deal, mucus and you hearin right
National Geographic ain't, fuckin with this wildlife
Hissin; I'm finna strike, rattlin; I'm finna bite
Hell with a blue light, fuckin with no rooms tonight!
Now once again, you see me layin down the law
These cowards tryna catch me like my hustle gotta fall
Bitch I'm Southern bred
That's where you break it down to raw and then you flush the rest
I said you break it down to raw and then you flush the rest
And I ain't playin witcha'll haters since y'all fucked up my order
Got me playin with a gram, coulda been up to a quarter
Now my cousin, called me up and said he finally did it
Graduated from a handheld, to primary digits
Cuz in the slums we don't work we just grind and gamble
Guarunteed I got that shit, niggaz dyin to sample
Now whattchu know about that work from the states of Georgia
[Tity Boi Talking]
They'll like this here
It's time to represent the slums
Know what I mean
2-0(yeah)
Tit (bitch)
Shawnna (yeah)
(Bitch)
[Verse 1]
[I -20]
2-0 get it right from the get go
Go broke fuck around pull the kit closed
Talking shit in the dec here the clip go
Sit down smoke dro I'm a let tit flow
[Tity Boi]
This is for my nigga Bo locked in the pen
Done sold caine and even raised his kids
My folks in the holodome even know
I'm know where in the world bin Ladin is
[Shawnna]
Slow down yall why did them niggaz want some
and we a show them motherfuckers they'll get some
I'm from the city of shitty niggaz and big girls
Til we met tit and shawnna bring them the big thugs
[I-20]
Luda Fate Tity Ho I'm the Southside
Face down ass up with her mouth wide
You know the drill slangin pills tryna get green
I'm 2-0 but got a m-16
[Chorus]
(T) Slums
(I&S;) all them niggaz and them bitches with there own
ends
(T) Slums
(I&S;) who riding cutless and them caddies on them grown
(T) Slums
(I&S;) who's in the trap and make them papers till the
folks come
(T) Slums
(I&S;) You know that they'll never change unless they
owe something
[Verse 2]
(Tity Boi)
I'm like this corner I gotta stay bent
I need every quarter I gotta pay rent
I see you nigga you got fans and shit
But you gotta stop shakin and get your dancin ???
[Shawnna]
She hit a motherfucker straight up of the block serving
rocks
Trying to get in my socks before the cops see
And if a nigga wanna take it to the glocks wanna shock
Quicker then a motherfuckers wanna pop me
[I-20]
Keep it chill what you know about Scottsdale
Even late fighting pits and the glocks tale
Mack 10's church preachers even cops tell
And now he pleading over bread cuz the block fell
[Tity Boi]
When I was dead broke I didn't like postas
stuntin round me might stunt your growth
Draw down on four pound on
Pick shawnnas ass from up off the ground holmes
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
(Shawnna)
I wish a mothefucker would try to come test a bitch
In the back ty's niggaz wanna base a bitch
It's them Cadillac trucks and them lexesus
And cant none you niggaz stand next to this
[I-20]
Drug dealer legend in my own time
Nike signs happy faces and the whole nine
Pop pills pop pussy poppin crist nigga
Lil fate I double ludacris nigga
[Tity Boi]
I'm like fuck everysingle free-throw
Even tho I might nigga wit a pink toe
The game is fast but the cash is slow
Why they wanna come to tit like he know
[Shawnna]
You go down the block in that black 6-4
Smoking that stuff in the pack that tit bought
Project niggaz with project flow
Slum ass niggaz wit them slum ass hoes
(Hook x2)
Nah I ain't gone,
Grew up in the slums so we came to get it on
Grew up in the hood so we came to get it on
Grew up in this world so we came to get it on
(Verse)
We on, they wanna talk about ice but they ain't make it shorter
Kids in Africa cool so they ain't save no water
2012 coming soon we ain't taking orders
And if you wanna make it an issue we make it for you
'Cause we ain't never had nothing home waiting for us
Hottest whip I seen in the hood, Ford Taurus
And more more the late nights they fall for it
Mama says stay up in the floor 'cause them balls rolling
We ain't know anybody running that was 4 door and
We was busy tryin' to stay out of the Dean's office
Or coffin, friends that was lost in
Used to sell ticks now they Boston
Acting like they only wanted cake I wanted frosting
Now look at me, I'm already hot they not they the frosting
Who woulda knew back then they would've lost it
I'm on my first time around they exhausted
(Hook x2)
Nah I ain't gone,
Grew up in the slums so we came to get it on
Grew up in the hood so we came to get it on
Grew up in this world so we came to get it on
(Verse)
We on, I ain't going , I ain't leaving though
Fuck what they think about me we now they gon' need me though
See I do this for er'body that read me though
If you don't understand than you don't need to know
See though I could care less about being a hero
The shorter Jackson I got a Philadelphia ego
From 0 I'm trying to get that Philadelphia cheese though
For stake outs for leave stone they repo our lingo
Then put in different streets though the coppers know where we go
But even though that's the case they will never know what we know
We know prisoners that are mine native CO
They rather see us riding setting small like a GO
I'm give 'em a sign cancer, leo
If they don't understand me by now they need a GO Beef
Fuck what they say though ever since kindergarden
Now they wanna play dough fuck I gotta hate for
When you're number 1 what the fuck you gotta rate for
I need my chick a 10 knocking oops like pay oh
We wanted leave money they street money ao
Patrone and a shot of that OJ mayo
(Hook x2)
Nah I ain't gone,
Grew up in the slums so we came to get it on
Grew up in the hood so we came to get it on
Grew up in this world so we came to get it on
(Verse)
We on, man I grew up in the slums that got me out
Fucking up in high school mom wanted me out
Took a flight to Arizona I ain't wanna leave
Same people I left still on their mother couch
I tried to call 'em and talk to 'em about bigger things
Bigger life better bitches and bigger dreams
But the hood really a trap shit that what it seems
Dedicate your life to the game but never get a ring
Randy getting older,mom getting surgery , friends getting colder
Same garden snakes from before they turn to cobras
Was a bitch in high school now he 5 years older
Tried to get a nigga with him so he go and buy ratchet
But he don't wanna shoot it he just want to make a statement so he flash it
To a nigga that's really about it that blast it
Now his mom gotta look of him from a casket
College ain't teach me shit the hood I the master
Stuck up in this hot ass basement we never had shit
And they got the nerve to ask me if I last it
Shit I'm still here right that mean I passed it
Privaledge
(Hook x2)
Nah I ain't gone,
Grew up in the slums so we came to get it on
Grew up in the hood so we came to get it on