Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

Lyrics

[Intro: Flavor Flav] Bass for your face, London! Everybody in the house, make some noise! I want everybody in the house to say, "Ho!" (Ho!) Yo, Chuck – kick it to 'em, man! [Samples] "A ballad behind bars, or you could say 'real rock from The Rock.' An unusual musical happening in a most unusual place. The state prison..." "Get in that cell, nigga!" [Verse 1: Chuck D] I got a letter from the government the other day I opened and read it, it said they were suckers They wanted me for their army or whatever Picture me giving a damn – I said, "Never" Here is a land that never gave a damn About a brother like me and myself Because they never did, I wasn't with it But just that very minute, it Occurred to me, the suckers had authority Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell, how long has it been? They got me sittin' in the state pen I gotta get out – but that thought was thought before I contemplated a plan on the cell floor I'm not a fugitive on the run But a brother like me begun–to be another one (Word) Public Enemy serving time – they drew the line, y'all To criticize me for some crime Nevertheless, they could not understand that I'm a Black man And I could never be a veteran On the strength, the situation's unreal I got a raw deal – so I'm looking for the steel [Interlude: Chuck D & Flavor Flavor] Aiyyo, Chuck, are you serious? You in the Justice, man? Word 'em up! I'm looking for that steel Yo, man, we gon' break you outta there, man We ain't going out like that, man [Verse 2: Chuck D] Don't you know–they got me rotting In the time that I'm serving Telling you what happened, the same time they're throwing Four of us packed in a cell like slaves – "oh well" The same motherfucker got us living in his hell You have to realize, what is a form of slavery Organized under a swarm of devils Straight up – word 'em up on the level The reasons are several, most of 'em Federal Here is my plan anyway, and I say I got gusto, but only some I can trust – yo! Some do a bid from 1 to 10 But I never did, and plus I never been I'm on a tier where no tears should ever fall Cell block and locked – I never clock it, y'all 'Cause time and time again Time, they got me serving To those, to them, I'm not a citizen But ever when I catch a C.O.  Sleeping on the job, my plan is on go-ahead On the strength, I'ma tell you the deal I got nothing to lose 'Cause I'm going for the steel [Interlude: Chuck D & Flavor Flavor] Aiyyo, Chuck, we're gon' break you outta there, man Word to the strength, G I'm going for that steel Word up, G They tryna put a black eye on the game by keepin' you in there Youknowhaimsayin'? But you can't keep the Black man down [Scratch Break: Chuck D, scratched by Terminator X] "Now" "Now" "Now" "Now they" "Now they" "Now" "Now" "Now" "Now they" "Now they" "Now they got me in a cell" "Now" "Now" "Now" "Now they" "Now they" "Now" "Now" "Now" "Now they" "Now they" "Now they" "Now they" "Now they" "Now they" "Now they got me in a cell" "Now they" "Now they" "Now they" "Now they" "Now they got me in a cell" [Interlude Continued: Flavor Flav over scratches] Aiyyo, Chuck, we got the– –coordinatin' on the job, baby.... Aiyyo, Chuck, they gettin' you out, boy, stand tall Aiyyo, Chuck, they– Yo, yo, yo, yo... now... yo... [Verse 3: Chuck D] Don't you know I caught a C.O.  Falling asleep on Death Row I grabbed his gun, and he did what I said so And every man's demand got served Along with the time they served, decency was deserved To understand my demands, I gave a warning I wanted the governor, y'all, and plus the warden To know, that I was innocent, because I'm militant Posing a threat, you bet it's fucking up the government My plan said I had to get out and break North Just like Oliver's neck, I had to get off My boys had the Feds in check They couldn't try nothing We had a force to instigate a prison riot This what it takes for peace So I just took a piece Black for Black inside, time to cut the leash Freedom to get out to the ghetto, no sell-out 6 C.O.'s we got, we ought to put their head out But I'll give 'em a chance, 'cause I'm civilized As for rest of the world, they can't realize A cell is hell, I'm a rebel, so I rebel Between bars, got me thinking like an animal Got a woman C.O. to call me a copter She tried to get away, and I popped her Twice, right? Now who wanna get nice? I had 6 C.O.'s, and now it's 5 to go And I'm serious, call me delirious But I'm still a captive, I gotta wrap this Time to break, as time grows intense I got the steel in my right hand, now I'm looking for the fence [Verse 4: Chuck D] As I ventured into the courtyard Followed by 52 brothers, bruised, battered, and scarred but hard Going out with a bang, ready to bang out But power from the sky, from the tower shots rang out A high number of dose, yes, and some came close I figure I trigger my steel, I still stand and hold my post This is what I mean, an anti-nigga machine If I come out alive, then they won't come clean Then I threw up, my steel bullets flew up And to my surprise the water tower blew up, who shot What, who, what, the bazooka was who And to my rescue, it was the S1Ws Secured my getaway, so I just got away The joint broke from the black smoke Then they saw it was rougher than the average bluffer 'Cause the steel was black, the attitude exact Now the chase is on, telling you to c'mon 53 brothers on the run, and we are gone