and they say TV isn’t informing
but I worry about the stories they are and aren’t reporting
because some people say color is just a thing
but the British royalty would say my sons are too dark to be kings
and I can only hope that they are not seeing
though they shouldn’t run from the truth and its meanings
because truth should never limit their dreams
and how they are seen
my sons, you both can be anything
but the sad truth-bearing a lie is that,
color is, JUST, a thing
but color is, MORE, than a thing
yet when I see you two, I see not a thing
nor things
because it’s with pride, joy, and knowing that makes me gleam
seeing two ultra-extreme star-like light beams
both handsome and strong with infinite potential beyond any means,
with deep historically resilient culture, sculptured within your genes
the world is your coffee pot-
and opportunity is your boiling water that streams,
over you two ever-growing beautiful Honey Roasted Carmel-Black beans
expanding beyond names-
transcending into true present and everlasting Kings!
because if color is just a thing
then you have every’thing’ to give-
and your rich color, has every’thing’ to bring!
so when the world tells you to dream on-
listen to them my sons, and still dream!
Culture
Rave About the Butterfly, but You Better Forget About the…
you love my words
just not the heart it comes from
you love my slang
just not the mouth that talks it
you love my style
just not the mind that created it
you love my swag
just not the body that walks it
you love my culture
just not the color that lives it
you love my way of life
just not the blackness that birthed and burdens it
you prefer only half of me
and that ain’t the half of it!
you constructed an America
by enslaving the African
you tell me a history
that isn’t historically accurate
you raped my ancestors
and birthed an accident
you see me ungrateful
if I speak as an advocate
and if roles were reversed…
well just imagine it
because whats been black created,
has only been white endorsed
profiting from the outcome,
while covering up the source
whether in fashion, art and music
or in movies, sports and in court
black people and blackness
have been separated by force
historically, no, traditionally, commitment to black people,
is met with exhaustive cautious association
but when it comes to matters of monetizing blackness
well, we’ve been misappropriated
Aiming from the Ground (Lyrics)
(chorus/hook):
I been 100
I keep it 100
I’m going a hunned
I move like 300
I know that you wonder
you wonder, you wonder
yuh
I do it
I did it
I done it, I done it
I’m running
I’m jumping
I’m flying
I’m stunting
I’m coming
you don’t know what’s coming
I came up from nothing
you know that I’m something
I’m something, I’m something!
(verse 1):
and I’m aiming for the Lear
and I’m changing like the gears
and I’m framing every year
so my path will stay clear-while I’m
reflecting in the mirror
sometimes the past may seem too near
sometimes it crashes at the rear, yuh
unh
so I have to stay up in this moment
and all that captures me right here
so I stay hands-on with my drive-I don’t veer I only steer
you only jeer but I say cheers
like drinking beer
I’m going cray-Brittney spears
won’t lose my way-Whitney fears
looking out my prison’s windows
was in prison pens and kennels
was in prison incidental
was imprisoned in my mental
get the memo-whoa
pain inside my ventricles
my spirit was my vehicle
that’s what gave me my neo glow
(bridge):
judged me hard, but forgive him he don’t know
I’ve been knee deep in my woes
tryna dig that glittered gold-cuz they say
you reap what you sow
now you know
all that blossoms blooms unfold
so far that story ain’t been untold
enjoy the show
(chorus/hook):
I been 100
I keep it 100
I’m going a hunned
I move like 300
I know that you wonder
you wonder, you wonder
yuh
I do it
I did it
I done it, I done it
I’m rushing
I’m lunging
I’m plunging
I’m hunting
I’m coming
you don’t know what’s coming
I came up from nothing
u know that I’m something
I’m something I’m something
(verse 2):
they don’t know where we came from
they don’t know how we came up
they don’t know how hard that was
swam in mud and draped in blood
empty fridges
on the fringes
in the trenches
crimes committed
don’t know who did
ain’t no witness
lengthy sentence
no forgiveness
no amends and no repentance
pride was bitten like the fruit that was forbidden
they don’t get it
I hear crickets
thank you critics
cuz this my lift off!
used to be pissed off!
used to be pissed on!
used to be kicked on!
now dirt kicked up!
got the rocks off, wit new kicks ons
(bridge):
judged me hard, but forgive him he don’t know
I’ve been knee deep in woes
tryna dig that glittered gold-cuz they say
you reap what you sow
now you know
all that blossoms blooms unfold
so far that story ain’t been untold
enjoy the show!
WayOfLife
Black Cotton
black sheep, black sheep
how are you seen?
black sheep, black sheep
what do you see?
black sheep, black sheep
have ye any wool?
yea, it’s on my body, not my eyes!
pssh! I ain’t a fool!
Caused Condition (Lyrics)
(bridge):
you need me
you need me…
you made me…
(chorus/hook):
ima be the bad guy
ima be the right wrong
the necessary the evil
the rebel, the outlaw
ima be the lone wolf
ima be the black sheep
ima be the asshole
the stone-cold, cold heart
(verse):
ima have a heart of gold
right now I have a coal heart
now come into my mind, pressure me with your love
and try to find a diamond
I wish you good luck, however you will find it
some treasures leave you blinded
I used to think timeless
but now I live rewinded
all the pain I went thru acting like I never minded
thirst for revenge
no regrets, no remorse not rescinded I’m reclined
I don’t care!
out my face!
out of mind!
out my mind!
out of time!
out of line!
bottom line!
feelings alkaline-
til I’m drained, then they die!
cross my heart!
cross my eyes!
cross my fingers!
keeping promises, never crossed my mind
crock of slime, ain’t no tears!?!
crocodile smile, nan nah nan!
womp womp!
coming out the swamp dump
where my heart was dumped on
where Medusa hissed at me
where the jungle growled at me
where the wolves snapped at me
where the world said chomp chomp
where every land had a cliff, I had to fall or jump from
miracle I hadn’t sunk-I was kicking out the trunk Trump!
driving from the backseat
move over, road rage, honk honk!
used to have a cross, that was lies, now I rock an Ankh Unc
wayoflife, risking cost me lumps somes
came up where the crumbs at
used to be a young brat
used to be a chomp sack
til I learned to punch back
and I did a good job, but still I felt the thumbtack
once I used to run, now, come here, you run that
say jack, I’m nobody’s mule, I’m no longer your dumbass!
(chorus/hook)
Killing Empathy
Elijah McClain
Elijah McClain
Elijah McClain
Elijah McClain
black people,
we’re already seen as different
different in every malevolent
suspicious
nefarious
and criminal way
but we can’t afford to be different
we can’t be different in special
good-hearted
and introverted ways
because that isn’t fathomed
it’s science fiction
or it’s seen as a threat to the systemic and individual barbarism
that views us as savage and barbaric
so how do you kill peace?
Elijah McClain
Elijah McClain
Elijah McClain
Elijah McClain
how do you silence special needs
how do you murder innocence
how do you assassinate empathy
you treat it with enigmas
and label it suspicion
then refuse to listen
and whatever ensues next,
call it a mistake
or a misunderstanding
even if it may be at the expense of a life
it’s just a black life anyways
or maybe if you still have trouble deciding what to call it
call it injustice
call it prejudice
call it implicit bias to soften the blow
or maybe attack it head on no matter who it may turn off
and call it how you see it
call it racism
or call it
Elijah McClain
Elijah McClain
Elijah McClain
Elijah McClain
because he did have superhuman strength!
it was empathy
and what the officers did
is symbolic for what America does day-in and day-out
nobody has time for it
everyone has to work to survive
compete and dominate to provide
stereotype to stay safe
and think fast
making fatal judgments in the moment
in the streets we call that survival…
or murder
but put a uniform on it
and we call it policing
but just so nobody forgets
after all there’s so many distractions and smoke screens
eh mhm! mhm, mhm
Elijah McClain!
Elijah McClain!
Elijah McClain!
not a criminal but a lover of life
and that’s how you kill empathy
Elijah McClain!
Martin Luther King Jr
I’d name more but
it ain’t easy, and by now
you should get the point