The Message

Lyrics

It's a real bad time for black celebrities, they locking everybody up: Michael Jackson, James Brown, Tupac, R. Kelly, OJ Simpson, Mike Tyson Kobe Bryant, Jay-Z, Mystikal, P. Diddy, Allen Iverson, Snoop Dogg, DMX Styles P, Shine, Beanie Segal, Lil' Kim [Hook:] Is it because I'm Black Is it because I'm Black When you black you got to hustle, got to struggle and strive And not every cat that goes through that struggle survive But he got to stay stronger and keep the struggle alive They say the struggle died, I say the struggle revived My profession is going through oppression That's why I'm so stressed and I'm working with no rest And no question I'ma fight for y'all 'cause I don't like it, y'all We make half as much as them, we working twice as hard, y'all It ain't fair sometimes you seeing heaven signs I ain't Pharaohcon but I got knowledge and I'm sharing mines I swear it's time to be aware that they fear you mind And they fear your heart You want to change, here's the start I'm tired of watching cops outline My peers and y'all I'm trying to make a move, I'm not trying to make the news They say the consequences worst when we break the rules To get back and right you got to make a sacrifice [Hook:] Is it because I'm Black Is it because I'm Black We got some problems we need solve, here's our chance to get them handle Just take the boycott in Alabama for example They stop riding the bus till they address their affairs And they ended segregation in less then a year So imagine what our status if we made a contribution We'll probably be able to change the constitution I can't see no other kind of solution We deserve our reparation, it's time for a revolutions I'm a step ahead of Satan, I read it in Revelation Forget your reputation, let's make it a better nation 'cause they trying to cage us in, make us slaves again Eventually it's meant to be the new plantation, the penitentiary For centuries they had a plan we let them executed Everyday another brother getting executed And all our artist getting arrested I aspect improvement It's a message in the music, I suggest you use it [Hook:] Somebody tell me what can I do Will I survive or will I die On the streets it's hard to survive Why, is it because I'm black Hot Shot got rock, I can't bring my cousin back Five-hundred thousand sold, gold, yeah, it wasn't platinum But Clyde gave me another try, 'cause I wasn't whack And now I'm buzzing back, yeah, I got my budget back Renegotiating got a mil to do a dozen tracks Yeah, I'm eating, only reason is because I rap My homies eating, only reason is because of crack They can't get a job so them niggas quick to rob, quick to steal Quick to kill, grip the steal, quick to ride Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, we can't forget them guys These politician, hypocrites, they got us hypnotize That why I kiss rick, why, we got to lift our eyes 'Cause if we keep 'em close they just goin' keep control And hold our sisters and brothers in the pen And we was born guilty 'cause the color of our skin