1. |
Never (Feat. Zelda)
03:02
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2. |
Woodson, 1933, Pg 3
03:08
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3. |
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4. |
Nia
01:55
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5. |
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6. |
Trains
01:12
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7. |
Seeking Clarity
04:12
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8. |
Yardstick
02:48
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9. |
5th Element
03:32
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[verse 1]
From the universal nation of Zulu
To the Electric Boogaloo
Hip Hop was supposed to speak to
The kids in the street
Renewing belief
That life is worth more
Than a casket and wreath
A People’s Army
Is what the Panthers wished for
Swords
We drawing them
like kamikazes
Against ourselves
Destroying all flesh
And bone
We’re at a crossroads
Graveyard or sunlight
ACT or black mask heist
For blood diamond dice
Several thousand or 11 years
Several sirens sounding
Or stability for years
1) Redirect
Your focus, your energies
Destroy your enemies
Tagging over their masterpiece
2) Redirect
Your gun and your trigger please
Windmill
On the box on the concrete
3) Redirect needles
From your arm tract
To a breakbeat track
On turntables and scratch
Verbal manslaughter
Is domestic violence
Unless you’re rapping
About a dreadful climate
4) Redirect
Words from your mate
To the .dat
Escape prison bars
like an acrobat
Redirect words
From the cops to the .dat
Then “f*** the police”
Won’t bruise your face
Blue and black
[chorus]
5th Element – Self knowledge
Understand true power
Your mind is greater than a dollar
5th Element – Self knowledge
Solve Hard Problems
Without knife or revolver
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10. |
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11. |
FTP
02:20
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12. |
We Need A Resolution
07:25
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13. |
Self Efficacy
06:33
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14. |
Sunny Dayz
03:14
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15. |
The Birth of the Emcee
01:47
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16. |
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17. |
Sometimes
04:24
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Rehabbing like Pookie,
No longer New Jack City's Rookie
But They wanna lock me up
and throw me in the system like our homie Tookie
Neva let us free,
Neva let us be
All we can be
Atrocity
Lifetimes only permit black males to see
crime and poverty
Gotta hold on
Gotta be strong
When they wanna pop two in my dome
Come home see blood on her arms
Pops beat mom- Now I'm armed
Trained to treat women with respect
Got to get stronger to keep that respect
If I lose that, then I'll meet my death
Nothing's promised to a Kings that's checked
So now I have to watch my steps
Cuz a lot a pawns frown when I rep
Something other than street life and sets
I got to hold on
I got to be strong
Gotta hold on
Gotta be strong
If not,
I'm not going to live long
They denied Sharpton
Killed Hampton
No reparations
And they're claiming they're helping
Sometimes the Hood crys
Shots fly and the Doves die
Babies outside (with) no bottle
No parents
No life
Sometimes the Hood crys
Shots fly and the Doves die
Women on curbs
Brothas smoking herb
I'm on Sojourner Corners spitting that word
Trying to get to heard
Where police serve
Hands cuffed and remembered (Miranda) words
Not acknowledging this is where we work
Praying for pay on the first
If it doesn't come- you can't be hurt
You got to grind harder until it works
You see a brother in the street
With a multiple X tee
With baggy jeans
Just trying to reenact what he sees:
A brother with more bread than his pockets can eat
Stacking from his head to his feet
Gang Gang
Gun Gun
Bang Bang
Now he's in
too deep
Funeral procession
The Hood learns a lesson
I'm thankful to be alive in the present
Getting bullets for birthday presents
Preparing for death or preservation
Trying to see the Sun
But nothing is promised if you live by the gun
If you live by the gun
You die by the gun
Even cowards can't outrun this outcome
Why seek a future where bloodshed is sure to come?
Sometimes the Hood crys
Shots fly and the Doves die
Brothers outside
Gak by they side
Telling tomorrow bye bye
Sometimes the Hood crys
Shots fly and the Doves die
Its a badge of honor to be raised by a stable father
In the hood mothers usually serve as fathers
So sustaining our household was harder
Winters colder
Summers hotter
No heat
No hot water
Mama's grinding working two jobs
But still can't support her sons and daughters
She spoke
I listened
“Go to school.
Pay attention.
It's hard with only crumbs in the kitchen
working two jobs for pennies.”
“Diploma- that's your golden ticket.
Get a career, get a pension-
So you won't be like me out here
Penny pinching.”
“In life you have a lot to gain.
Like Sam Cooke I'm expecting change
Keep your faith in God
So you won't go insane.”
“'With much wisdom comes much sorrow
The more knowledge, the more grief'
Trials and tribulations will come everyday that you breathe.
You have the capacity to leave a leave a legacy
Taking care of your seeds.”
Sometimes the Hood crys...
Sometimes the Hood crys...
Sometimes...
Sometimes...
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18. |
Deception & Death
02:21
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19. |
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20. |
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21. |
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22. |
Cultural Intolerance
02:33
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23. |
Jamii Tata Detroit, Michigan
Jamii Tata (born in Detroit, MI) is a spoken word poet who draws inspiration from the late great Gil Scott-Heron, The Last Poets, Langston Hughes, Malcolm X and Fred Hampton. Intertwining poetry, beatboxing and emceeing he has performed in MI, IL and TX. He sets to release his first official mixtape entitled Justice Journal in February of 2012. (Food) Justice Journal will follow in 2014. ... more
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