The Proud

We survive, it's more than pride, we stay alive, ready to ride Today the paper say Timothy McVeigh's in hell So everything's okay and all must be well I remember Oklahoma when they put out the blaze And put Islamic terrorist bombing, on the front page It's like saying only gays get AIDS, propaganda Like saying the problem's over when they locked that man up Wrong! It's just the beginning, the first inning Battle for America's soul, the devil's winning The President is Bush, the Vice President's a Dick So a whole lot of fucking is what we gon' get They don't wanna raise the babies so the election is fixed That's why we don't be fucking with politics They bet on that, parents fought and got wet for that Hosed down, bit by dogs, and got blacks into house arrest for that It's all good except for that, we still poor Money, power and respect is what we kill for, for real We survive, it's more than pride, we stay alive, ready to ride Niggas with knowledge is more dangerous than than niggas with guns They make the guns easy to get and try to keep niggas dumb Target the gangs and graffiti with the Prop 21 I already know the deal but what the fuck do I tell my son? I want him living right, living good, respect the rules He's five years old and he still thinking cops is cool How do I break the news that when he gets some size He'll be percieved as a threat or see the fear in they eyes It's in they job description to terminate the threat So 41 shots to the body is what he can expect The precedent is set, don't matter if he follow the law I know I'll give my son pride and make him swallow it all (Damn!) Fuck the pigs! I think the pigs killed Big and 'Pac too If they didn't they know who did, they got to! Who they serve and protect, nigga not you Cops shot off of ten G's but they got Glocks too Let you protect yourself, or better yet respect yourself Straight into the hospital is where you gotta check yourself They be getting tips from snitches and rival crews Doing them favors so they working for the drug dealers too Just business enforcers with hate in they holsters Shoot you in the back, won't face you like a soldier Kurt Loder, asked me what I say to a dead cop's wife Cops kill my people everyday, that's life We survive, it's more than pride, we stay alive, ready to ride My heart go out to everybody at Ground Zero Red, black, yellow, white and brown heroes It's more complicated than black and white To give your own life is the greatest sacrifice But it's hard for me to walk down the block Seeing rats and roaches, crack viles and 40 ounce posters People broken down from years of oppression Become patriots when they way of life is threatened It's a hard conversation to have We lost kids, moms and dads, people ready to fight for the flag Damn, when did shit get this bad? America kill the innocent too, the cycle of violence is sad Damn! Welcome to the world, we here We've been at, war for years but it's much more clear We got to face what lies ahead Fight for our truth and freedom and, ride for the dead We survive, it's more than pride, we stay alive, ready to ride