A drunken police officer mows down an entire family in Brooklyn
We got to face what lies ahead
One two, one two yo
Become patriots when they way of life is threatened
It's more complicated than black and white
And the country breathe a sigh of relief
Just business enforcers with hate in they holsters
Doin them favors so they workin for the drug dealers too
I struggle, to explain the situation to my son, it's hard
It reminds us, of just how worthless our lives are to the justice system
Red, black, yellow, white and brown heroes
Like saying the problem's over when they locked that man up
That's why we don't be fuckin with politics
I remember Oklahoma when they put out the blaze
Today the paper say Timothy McVeigh's in hell
Goodness prevails over evil, it seems
Shoot you in the back, won't face you like a soldier
We stay alive, ready to ride
We stay alive, ready to ride
June 21, 2001
It's a hard conversation to have
Let you protect yourself, or better yet respect yourself
Somehow when he's gone, we feel safer
They be gettin tips from snitches and rival crews
It's like saying only gays get AIDS, propaganda
America kill the innocent too, the cycle of violence is sad
They don't wanna raise the babies so the election is fixed
Battle for America's soul, the devil's winning
And put Islamic terrorist bombing, on the front page
But it's hard for me to walk down the block
Kills thousand and permanently scars America's false sense of security
Niggaz with knowledge is more dangerous than than niggaz with guns
How do I break the news that when he gets some size
If they didn't they know who did, they got to
We survive, it's more than pride
Terrorists attack the Pentagon and the World Trade Center
Fuck the pigs! I think the pigs killed Big and 'Pac too
So 41 shots to the body is what he can expect
Seeing rats and roaches, crack viles and 40 ounce posters
The judge lets him go with no bail
Target the gangs and graffiti with the Prop 21
I want him livin right, livin good, respect the rules
Aight put it down yo
We survive, it's more than pride
Hosed down, bit by dogs, and got blacks into house arrest for that
The world will never be the same again
He's five years old and he still thinkin cops is cool
September 11, 2001
It's all good except for that - we still poor
We've been at, war for years but it's much more clear (yeah)
Cops kill my people everyday, that's life
Wrong! It's just the beginning, the first inning
Kurt Loder asked me what I say to a dead cop's wife
Cops shot off of ten G's but they got glocks too
August 4, 2001
The President is Bush, the Vice President's a Dick
People broken down from years of oppression
So a whole lot of fuckin is what we gon' get
They bet on that, parents fought and got wet for that
We survive, it's more than pride
I know I'll give my son pride and make him swallow it all (damn!)
We stay alive, ready to ride
We see the best examples of humanity in the face of the worst
We lost kids, moms and dads, people ready to fight for the flag
To give your own life is the greatest sacrifice
It's in they job description to terminate the threat
The precedent is set, don't matter if he follow the law
Little do we know
Who they serve and protect, nigga not you
As fire fighters, police officers, rescue workers
My heart go out to everybody at Ground Zero
Break it down
Straight into the hospital is where you gotta check yourself
Damn! Welcome to the world, we here
Uhh, yeah
What we do?
So everything's okay and all must be well
He'll be percieved as a threat or see the fear in they eyes
We survive, it's more than pride
Damn, when did shit get this bad?
And volunteers of all sorts, fight to save lives
Timothy McVeigh is executed
They make the guns easy to get and try to keep niggaz dumb
I already know the deal but what the fuck do I tell my son?
Fight for our truth and freedom and, ride for the dead
Money, power and respect is what we kill for, for real
