Jon Connor, Talib Kweli - Rise Up lyrics

Look where we headed
Niggas want baby mamas instead of weddings
They holler "she crazy" - you knew
That before you got her pregnant
Visualize the dream of Malcolm
And Martin opposite we all God's children
Making the devil's adoption list
Free will keep overriding our common sense
Born with a conscience
But over time we buildin' up a tolerance
Immunity to scrutiny
That's just how the world turn
And Alfred taught me some people just
Want to watch the world burn
Ashes to ashes after flashes
Of decisions made the world disintegrates
As shallowness takes center stage
As I pen this page
Some would say that I'm a renegade
Cleanin' out my closet
I'm just man enough to renovate
Seduction or corruption'll have us all fucked
Before we all stuck
See the light before we awestruck
Back to that baby mama, nigga
Here your little boy come
Lifetime to build a future
Only seconds to destroy one

Rise - they say my message is a weapon
Say hello to Mr aK47
Send me to the jury or the reverend
Cause, I'm 'bout to spray this
Extra clip I left in
So rise, motherfucker, rise
Oh, what's the point?
You will die or probably commit
Suicide to this joint
My nigga, they say my message is a weapon
Say hello to Mr aK47

Before they close my casket
I want my words to reach to the masses
Before they have me in shackles sayin'
I didn't pay my taxes we laughing
But what's wack is that this
Shit could actually happen
Shit is real life
The lights and the cameras just a distraction
Spoon fed out the mob from the
Time we open our eyes
We don't try to seek the truth
We more comfortable with the lies
Like if I told you black was blue
And you never knew all this time
Or 1+1 was really 3
You'd go out of your fucking mind
Kids is suicidal, homicidal, wanna be famous
Hopin' that the video of the
Trial gon' go viral
How we've spiralled as a generation
Not enough answers too many questions
I close my eyes and count my blessings
I'm realistic about this life, shit
That's why I write shit
That make a nigga think twice and
Focus on the right shit
When happiness ain't got a price, man
That shit is priceless
But it takes some folks they
Whole life to recognize this, so

Violence begets violence
But killers respect the silence
Not religious, but, I still pray to God
And respect the science
We're deaf when the kids is crying
And stare when the TEKs is firing
So we the endangered species
They'd rather protect the lions
In the Matrix looking for Zion
Dying by the gat
Is as American as the bacon that
They're frying with the fat they lying
Them niggas flat when they clappin'
At 'em like blap
Your opinion on the matter don't matter
Matter of fact
They be aiming it at our back cause
We market it as a target
Went from modern day prophets to
Martyrs dying for profit
Went from body rockin' to molly popping
Niggas will probably wipe your heart
Probably stop at the sight
Of this nigga rockin'
At the supermarket shopping
Trying to cop a shotgun with a debit card
Listening to demagogues
Who's representing Brooklyn like Decepticons
This is the new Renaissance
My accountant get 5% cause
He respect the gods