MC Lars, Mega Ran - Between the World and Me lyrics

You're listening to the Bookworm
Podcast this week
We have Ta-Nehisi Coates whose book
"Between the World and Me"
Is a look at institutionalized
Racism in America today

Thanks for being here
I hope it's not that awkward
To talk about these topics - but
You’re like my favorite author
I heard that you’re a father? This
Book is for your son?
Is it okay if i like it? And I tell everyone?

Tell everyone that you meet but
Be sure to understand
That I wrote this for my son
'cause he's a bout to be a man
And I needed him to know
That the world that he's coming
Up in is a ruse
And everyone's a threat, even you
Hold up, I’m not racist, you can ask my mama
I saw the 2Pac movie and I voted for Obama
Twice, plus I think the
Alt-right is disgusting
Let's melt those status down
It's not even worth discussing

No one is racist, if you let them tell it
It's like denying you see
Color's the new epidemic
White supremacy's embedded
And there ain't no getting rid of it
But, you don't have the
Privilege to remain ignorant

Police violence, how do we prevent it?
Harassing young black men and
Siphoning their essence like
Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice
Walter Scott freddie Gray
Prince Jones? Honestly it’s got to stop

Coincidentally those were Eric Garner's words
Right before the moment he was
Choked out on the curb
I ain't got all the answers
But a very small part
Is replacing the fear with knowledge
That's a start

You talk about your father
In "the Beautiful Struggle"
Vietnam and privilege and piercing the bubble
Is that connected to the Richard
Wright poem that you quote?
In the title of your book?
People want to know!

Didn't fit in in the schools
Wouldn't fit in in the streets
Black folks still ain't free
Yet a Black life is cheap and
Some Police officers in fact have found joy
In Instilling fear in the heart
Of black and brown boys

Let’s talk appropriation where’s the line?
It’s been like 40 years
Shouldn’t rap be color blind?
How about Woah Vicky, a modern Al Jolson?
Remember Slim Jesus? He's finished
I'm hoping

Well, Hip-Hop will be and forever has been
The news network of the streets
The ghetto CNN it's just that I prefer a
Rapper that speaking with clarity
And not blurring the line
Between artistic and parody

One final thing that I need to confess the 9
11 part confused me, and I have to address
How you felt so disconnected from
The firemen who died
In the buildings on that Tuesday
- they sacrificed their lives!

Man, I gamble with my life when
I walk down the block
Every day wondering if it's the
Day I get shot
From the Mecca to the homeland
It's impossible to understand
Living every day feeling like a wanted man

You write about plunder
You write about knives subjugation and fear
That you’ve seen your whole life
National landmarks, still casting a shadow
Black Lives do matter, just ask Rachel Maddow

Well it's easy for you to say
When we never owned y'all
For every Rachel Maddow there's
A Rachel Dolezal i know it's sounds bleak
But we all play a part
In protecting black bodies and
Furthering the art
I’ve got friends in Atlanta
Oakland and Inglewood
I’m just trying to stay conscious
Use my platform for good
Look I’m sorry if I sound misinformed rhymes
Your book it really moved me and
It opened up my eyes

That's really good to hear
So here’s what you need to do
Buy a couple copies and gift
Them to your crew
And don't forget the names
Don't forget the faces
Infiltrate spaces of fascists and racists
And tell them the truth tell
Them the truth go on