Talib Kweli - Open letter to President Barack Obama (2008) lyrics
[Talib Kweli - Open letter to President Barack Obama 2008 lyrics]
It is the last year of the
Bush Administration and thank God
I usually rail against being described
As simply "political rapper
" and I haven't voted
Since Bill Clinton first
Ran for president i was
Following the tradition
That black Americans have had
Of voting for Democrats
Since we got the right in 1964
(temporarily) then, Clinton, as
President's go, seemed better than Bush Sr
But, I did not like his policies in
Sudan or the constant bombing of Iraq
I also did not like the way
Our government dragged us through the
Lewinsky Scandal i felt betrayed by the
System, and I stopped voting
No longer accepting of the lesser of
Two evils i knew the two
Party system was designed to fail us
I knew that politicians must
Lie for a living
Because it would be impossible to make good
On their promises i knew about
The lobbyists and the PAC i did not make
It my issue, but if someone asked me
I would explain
Why I didn't vote most of the time people
Talked to me like I lost my mind, but every
Once and awhile someone understood i
Knew that our ancestors
Fought and died for the right to vote
But, I didn't feel like voting for
The lesser of two evils
In a broken system was the proper way
To honor them it was pageantry, and I
Wasn't with it i wasn't with Vote or
Die, because I knew that voting it'self
With no real knowledge of who is paying these
Candidates to run million dollar
A day campaigns
Is far from a revolutionary act i
Haven't even started to talk
About the electoral college that they
Taught us about in
Grade school in this republic
Delegates votes are counted, and states with
More land have more votes you
Can technically have more votes, but lose
The election when the verdict is in
Question, the Supreme Court decides
As they did when Al Gore clearly won the
Election but lost due to bipartisan bullshit
The bankers of the world pay our politicians
And often tailor laws and regulations to
Line their own pockets i
Have often stated that I cannot
Participate in a system
That not only is designed to see me fail
But corrupts it'self as well
This was all before Barack Obama
Threw his hat in the
Ring i, like many, appreciated his
Effort from the sidelines
Watching him do the dance on the news i found
Myself relating to him and
Enjoying hearing him speak
But I still remained
Distrustful of politicians in general i felt
Like I could serve my
Community in many ways on a
Grassroots level that proceeded
Politics i started to see the
Obama campaign doing that grassroots
Work i hear him speaking about
Poor people, the environment
Things that I haven't heard from
Politicians who have electability
My criticism of the political
System is that it
Siphons out rational thought because who
Have to be all
Things to all people you can't stand for
Anything doing that i remember when Obama
Spoke out against the war
Early i think the time he spent as a civil
Rights attorney on Chicago's South
Side gives him
A unique perspective i often hear
About his lack of experience
But his experience is
One that I most closely identify with i'm
Not saying I could be president, but I am
Saying that our government could use a new
Energy in order for a revolution to
Happen, you need revolutionary
Writers, soldiers, teachers
Poets, musicians, garbage-men, cab
Drivers, politicians, across the board
Everyone will not always agree, but
The things we agree on
We should strengthen when
I was younger, none of this really mattered
Now I have two beautiful children
And Barack Obama is an incredibly
Positive influence on them i
Want them to know they can
Be anything they want
With that said, I still feel the same
As I do about the political system, and one
Man can't change it but this man deserves our
Support nonetheless i appreciate
What he's doing
And there comes a time in history when
Change is necessary for all of
Us to prosper i can't be critical
Of a society that is scared of change
But be stubborn in my ways for the
Sake of it i support Barack
Obama and encourage others to take a
Real look at his campaign
So they can come to their own conclusions
I am not delusional about what the
Office of the president represents, but my
Support for him is just that
Support for someone speaking my
Language amidst an ocean
Of double talk thank you for you time
Talib Kweli, artist cEO, Blacksmith Music
Bush Administration and thank God
I usually rail against being described
As simply "political rapper
" and I haven't voted
Since Bill Clinton first
Ran for president i was
Following the tradition
That black Americans have had
Of voting for Democrats
Since we got the right in 1964
(temporarily) then, Clinton, as
President's go, seemed better than Bush Sr
But, I did not like his policies in
Sudan or the constant bombing of Iraq
I also did not like the way
Our government dragged us through the
Lewinsky Scandal i felt betrayed by the
System, and I stopped voting
No longer accepting of the lesser of
Two evils i knew the two
Party system was designed to fail us
I knew that politicians must
Lie for a living
Because it would be impossible to make good
On their promises i knew about
The lobbyists and the PAC i did not make
It my issue, but if someone asked me
I would explain
Why I didn't vote most of the time people
Talked to me like I lost my mind, but every
Once and awhile someone understood i
Knew that our ancestors
Fought and died for the right to vote
But, I didn't feel like voting for
The lesser of two evils
In a broken system was the proper way
To honor them it was pageantry, and I
Wasn't with it i wasn't with Vote or
Die, because I knew that voting it'self
With no real knowledge of who is paying these
Candidates to run million dollar
A day campaigns
Is far from a revolutionary act i
Haven't even started to talk
About the electoral college that they
Taught us about in
Grade school in this republic
Delegates votes are counted, and states with
More land have more votes you
Can technically have more votes, but lose
The election when the verdict is in
Question, the Supreme Court decides
As they did when Al Gore clearly won the
Election but lost due to bipartisan bullshit
The bankers of the world pay our politicians
And often tailor laws and regulations to
Line their own pockets i
Have often stated that I cannot
Participate in a system
That not only is designed to see me fail
But corrupts it'self as well
This was all before Barack Obama
Threw his hat in the
Ring i, like many, appreciated his
Effort from the sidelines
Watching him do the dance on the news i found
Myself relating to him and
Enjoying hearing him speak
But I still remained
Distrustful of politicians in general i felt
Like I could serve my
Community in many ways on a
Grassroots level that proceeded
Politics i started to see the
Obama campaign doing that grassroots
Work i hear him speaking about
Poor people, the environment
Things that I haven't heard from
Politicians who have electability
My criticism of the political
System is that it
Siphons out rational thought because who
Have to be all
Things to all people you can't stand for
Anything doing that i remember when Obama
Spoke out against the war
Early i think the time he spent as a civil
Rights attorney on Chicago's South
Side gives him
A unique perspective i often hear
About his lack of experience
But his experience is
One that I most closely identify with i'm
Not saying I could be president, but I am
Saying that our government could use a new
Energy in order for a revolution to
Happen, you need revolutionary
Writers, soldiers, teachers
Poets, musicians, garbage-men, cab
Drivers, politicians, across the board
Everyone will not always agree, but
The things we agree on
We should strengthen when
I was younger, none of this really mattered
Now I have two beautiful children
And Barack Obama is an incredibly
Positive influence on them i
Want them to know they can
Be anything they want
With that said, I still feel the same
As I do about the political system, and one
Man can't change it but this man deserves our
Support nonetheless i appreciate
What he's doing
And there comes a time in history when
Change is necessary for all of
Us to prosper i can't be critical
Of a society that is scared of change
But be stubborn in my ways for the
Sake of it i support Barack
Obama and encourage others to take a
Real look at his campaign
So they can come to their own conclusions
I am not delusional about what the
Office of the president represents, but my
Support for him is just that
Support for someone speaking my
Language amidst an ocean
Of double talk thank you for you time
Talib Kweli, artist cEO, Blacksmith Music