These days, you call the police on your people,
That's nearly a sealed fate.
But in our voices below the bass
You can hear, "We steal chains 'cause we're still chained."
Beware the sly smile
On the cop or jeweler's face.
Because they're the people that find
Pleasure in putting us in those reigns.
By now, you know we have no rights
Under red lights.
The flash of blue can get cold as ice
As the lights leave our eyes.
The only justice we have is poetic,
But we didn't let it educate us.
We still shoot first when we're offended,
Then second, find out who said it.
It's hard to watch
Your own people bring you down
Despite the fight we put up
Because our skin is brown.
Where can we turn
Over our shoulder for help
When we war against the world,
But wage battles on ourselves?
Still, I pray that my voice will reach out wide.
If I could reach all my people,
I'd tell them that we all got bad sides.
But that doesn't make us the bad guys.
I want to elevate every black life
To see potential in bad times.
Or we can escape through the vapor,
But we'll only ever be that high.
We'll only ever be that high,
So that's why we must find
Power in love, power in unity.
Shine out a light to teach children like you and me
To break those chains.
