[Intro: Scarface]
I sit alone in my four-cornered room
Starin' at candles
Oh, that shit is on?
Let me drop some shit like this here, real smooth
[Verse 1: Scarface]
At night I can't sleep, I toss and turn
Candlesticks in the dark, visions of bodies bein' burned
Four walls just starin' at a nigga
I'm paranoid, sleepin' with my finger on the trigger
My mother's always stressin' I ain't livin' right
But I ain't goin' out without a fight
See, every time my eyes close
I start sweatin' and blood starts comin' out my nose
Is somebody watchin' the Ak'?
But I don't know who it is, so I'm watchin' my back
I can see him when I'm deep in the covers
When I awake I don't see the motherfucker
He owns a black hat like I own
A black suit and a cane like my own
Some might say, "Take a chill, B."
But fuck that shit! There's a nigga tryin' to kill me
I'm poppin' in the clip when the wind blows
Every 20 seconds got me peepin' out my window
Investigatin' the joint for traps
Checkin' my telephone for taps
I'm starin' at the woman on the corner
It's fucked up when your mind's playin' tricks on ya
I sit alone in my four-cornered room
Starin' at candles
Oh, that shit is on?
Let me drop some shit like this here, real smooth
[Verse 1: Scarface]
At night I can't sleep, I toss and turn
Candlesticks in the dark, visions of bodies bein' burned
Four walls just starin' at a nigga
I'm paranoid, sleepin' with my finger on the trigger
My mother's always stressin' I ain't livin' right
But I ain't goin' out without a fight
See, every time my eyes close
I start sweatin' and blood starts comin' out my nose
Is somebody watchin' the Ak'?
But I don't know who it is, so I'm watchin' my back
I can see him when I'm deep in the covers
When I awake I don't see the motherfucker
He owns a black hat like I own
A black suit and a cane like my own
Some might say, "Take a chill, B."
But fuck that shit! There's a nigga tryin' to kill me
I'm poppin' in the clip when the wind blows
Every 20 seconds got me peepin' out my window
Investigatin' the joint for traps
Checkin' my telephone for taps
I'm starin' at the woman on the corner
It's fucked up when your mind's playin' tricks on ya
[Verse 2: Willie D]
I make big money, I drive big cars
Everybody know me; it's like I'm a movie star
But late at night, somethin' ain't right
I feel I'm bein' tailed by the same sucker's headlights
Is it that fool that I ran off the block?
Or is it that nigga last week that I shot?
Or is it the one I beat for 5,000 dollars?
Thought he had 'caine, but it was Gold Medal flour
Reached under my seat, grabbed my popper for the suckers
Ain't no use to me lyin', I was scareder than a motherfucker
Hooked a left into Popeye's and bailed out quick
If it's goin' down, let's get this shit over with
Here they come, just like I figured
I got my hand on the motherfuckin' trigger
What I saw'll make your ass start gigglin'
Three blind, crippled and crazy senior citizens
I live by the sword
I take my boys everywhere I go because I'm paranoid
I keep lookin' over my shoulder and peepin' around corners
My mind is playin' tricks on me
[Verse 3: Scarface]
Day by day it's more impossible to cope
I feel like I'm the one that's doin' dope
Can't keep a steady hand, because I'm nervous
Every Sunday morning I'm in service
Prayin' for forgiveness
And tryin' to find an exit out the business
I know the Lord is lookin' at me
But yet and still, it's hard for me to feel happy
I often drift when I drive
Havin' fatal thoughts of suicide
Bang and get it over with
And then I'm worry-free, but that's bullshit
I got a little boy to look after
And if I die, then my child'll be a bastard
I had a woman down with me
But to me it seemed like she was down to get me
She helped me out in this shit
But to me she was just another bitch
Now she's back with her mother
Now I'm realizing that I love her
Now I'm feelin' lonely
My mind is playin' tricks on me
I make big money, I drive big cars
Everybody know me; it's like I'm a movie star
But late at night, somethin' ain't right
I feel I'm bein' tailed by the same sucker's headlights
Is it that fool that I ran off the block?
Or is it that nigga last week that I shot?
Or is it the one I beat for 5,000 dollars?
Thought he had 'caine, but it was Gold Medal flour
Reached under my seat, grabbed my popper for the suckers
Ain't no use to me lyin', I was scareder than a motherfucker
Hooked a left into Popeye's and bailed out quick
If it's goin' down, let's get this shit over with
Here they come, just like I figured
I got my hand on the motherfuckin' trigger
What I saw'll make your ass start gigglin'
Three blind, crippled and crazy senior citizens
I live by the sword
I take my boys everywhere I go because I'm paranoid
I keep lookin' over my shoulder and peepin' around corners
My mind is playin' tricks on me
[Verse 3: Scarface]
Day by day it's more impossible to cope
I feel like I'm the one that's doin' dope
Can't keep a steady hand, because I'm nervous
Every Sunday morning I'm in service
Prayin' for forgiveness
And tryin' to find an exit out the business
I know the Lord is lookin' at me
But yet and still, it's hard for me to feel happy
I often drift when I drive
Havin' fatal thoughts of suicide
Bang and get it over with
And then I'm worry-free, but that's bullshit
I got a little boy to look after
And if I die, then my child'll be a bastard
I had a woman down with me
But to me it seemed like she was down to get me
She helped me out in this shit
But to me she was just another bitch
Now she's back with her mother
Now I'm realizing that I love her
Now I'm feelin' lonely
My mind is playin' tricks on me
[Verse 4: Bushwick Bill]
This year, Halloween fell on a weekend
Me and Geto Boys are trick-or-treatin'
Robbin' little kids for bags
'Til a lawman got behind our ass
So we speeded up the pace
Took a look back and he was right before our face
He'd be in for a squabble, no doubt
So I swung and hit the nigga in his mouth
He was goin' down, we figured
But this wasn't no ordinary nigga
He stood about six or seven feet
Now that's the nigga I be seein' in my sleep
So we triple-teamed on him
Droppin' them motherfuckin' B's on him
The more I swung, the more blood flew
Then he disappeared and my boys disappeared too
Then I felt just like a fiend
It wasn't even close to Halloween
It was dark as fuck on the streets
My hands were all bloody from punchin' on the concrete
Goddamn, homie!
My mind is playin' tricks on me
This year, Halloween fell on a weekend
Me and Geto Boys are trick-or-treatin'
Robbin' little kids for bags
'Til a lawman got behind our ass
So we speeded up the pace
Took a look back and he was right before our face
He'd be in for a squabble, no doubt
So I swung and hit the nigga in his mouth
He was goin' down, we figured
But this wasn't no ordinary nigga
He stood about six or seven feet
Now that's the nigga I be seein' in my sleep
So we triple-teamed on him
Droppin' them motherfuckin' B's on him
The more I swung, the more blood flew
Then he disappeared and my boys disappeared too
Then I felt just like a fiend
It wasn't even close to Halloween
It was dark as fuck on the streets
My hands were all bloody from punchin' on the concrete
Goddamn, homie!
My mind is playin' tricks on me
About
Genius Annotation
Hip-hop’s most famous paranoia anthem inspired a whole generation of rappers to rhyme about the mental stress of the gangsta lifestyle, and helped lay the foundations for the emergence of the horrorcore genre.
The beat, originally made for a Scarface solo album, samples Isaac Hayes' “Hung Up on my Baby”, which itself was featured in the blaxploitation film The Three Tough Guys
In an interview, Scarface explained how the line “My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me” was taken from something his grandma once said to him.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 2.Scarface
- 3.Mind Playing Tricks on Me
- 9.It Ain’t
- 11.Chuckie
- 13.Crooked Officer
- 16.Geto Fantasy
Credits
Producer
Writers
Executive Producer
Label
Copyright ©
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Publisher
Recorded At
Sound Arts Recording Studio (Houston)
Released on
July 1, 1991
Songs That Sample Mind Playing Tricks on Me
MVP by THS Cal, 40 Years of Hip-Hop by The Hood Internet, Meine Gedanken spielen Tricks by MC Bogy (Ft. Basstard & Frauenarzt), Big Tyme by 2Pac (Ft. E-Money Bags & Live Squad), Prone to Bad Dreams by Point Blank, G.E.T.O. by Geto Boys, My Mind Is Playing Tricks On Me by Big Sean, Drought Season by E-40 (Ft. Kaveo), Dreaming by Kayncee, Transportin' by Kodak Black, My Mind's Playin Tricks On Me by DJ Unknown & DJ Mekalek (Ft. Al Shid, Huggy Bear (of The Old Maid Billionaires) & J-Zone), Breaker 1/9 by Common, Ego sin límite by DJ Down (Ft. Kase.O), Free the Robots by Capital STEEZ, Here They Cum (feat. Das EFX) by PMD, Here They Cum by PMD (Ft. Das EFX), One for tha Omis by Dendemann (Ft. Die Freie Radikale), Diary by Free the Robots, Paranoid by French Montana (Ft. Johnny Maycash), A Million In The Morning by Jay Electronica, Feel Like I'm the One Who's Doing Dope by UGK, She Lives in My Lap by OutKast (Ft. Rosario Dawson), I'm With Whateva by The Notorious B.I.G. (Ft. Jim Jones, Juelz Santana & Lil Wayne), Minds Playing Tricks by Tony Yayo, Jack U. Back (So U Wanna Be a Gangsta) by Lifers Group, A View of Hell (Hell of a View) by Apathy (Ft. DJ Eloheem), Barely M.A.D.E. It by Freddie Gibbs & Freddie Gibbs (Ft. BJ the Chicago Kid & BJ the Chicago Kid), Mind Playin' Tricks by Rio Da Yung OG & Rio Da Yung OG & Beez by Kid Cudi & Kid Cudi (Ft. RZA & RZA)
Songs That Interpolate Mind Playing Tricks on Me
Tricked by Oddjobs (Ft. Eyedea), A Dream, A Plan (Remix) by Sy Ari da Kid (Ft. Big K.R.I.T. & Raekwon), Raining by Snowgoons (Ft. Brainstorm (Rap), Edo. G & Jaysaun), Mr. West / Money The Power by The Game, Say the Name by clipping., Drumroll Plz by Tha God Fahim, Barely M.A.D.E. It by Freddie Gibbs & Freddie Gibbs (Ft. BJ the Chicago Kid & BJ the Chicago Kid), Mind Playin' Tricks by Rio Da Yung OG & Rio Da Yung OG, Feel It In The Air by Beanie Sigel (Ft. Melissa Jiménez), Born 2 Rap by The Game, Ghetto Dreams by 2 Chainz (Ft. John Legend & Scarface), Sleep by The Roots (Ft. Son Little), Believe in Me by Evidence (Ft. Res), Tricks on Me by Future, Beez by Kid Cudi & Kid Cudi (Ft. RZA & RZA), Mac 10 Handle by Prodigy & The Alchemist, Illusion by Destiny's Child (Ft. Pras & Wyclef Jean), Return Of The Mack by Zo! and Tigallo, Sleep Deprivation by Evidence, Ode to INsanity by G15 Official, Nightmares by Clipse (Ft. Bilal & Pharrell Williams), One More Chance by The Notorious B.I.G., Down Wit It by Danny Brown, Murdah He Wrote by Insan0 (Ft. DJ Kansel) & Bitch Please by G Rider (Ft. MC Ride)
Mind Playing Tricks on Me Covers
Mind Playing Tricks on Me Remixes
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