In the wake of the new generation
Stories of suffering have left our thoughts, never to be brought up again.
However, men, women, and children alike have had their lives taken from them too soon.
Wives, Mothers, sisters, husbands, sons, and brothers
Will no longer be seen by their families
We can’t let their stories fade...
Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown
When they see you as nothing but a thug, man it's going down.
Oscar Grant, Eric Garner
When they see you as a criminal, life's a little harder.
Man, apparently we some demons huh?
Apparently we gotta die with our color as a reason huh?
They say we like Hulk Hogan, beasts at the mouth steady foaming.
Make a grown man feel like a five year old,
Tell my son he don't have the same exact rights at five years old.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
What are you following me for?
To leave me dead on the ground, blood on the floor?
I've been dead for hours, over me you standing.
You kill what you don't know, and never understand me.
Lord, I pray my momma okay, once she hear that her son died today.
Got killed and I was blamed for it.
Skittles, Ice Tea, and rain pouring.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
Ferguson, stay strong.
Sanford, stay strong.
New York, Los Angeles, yall been suffering too long.
We been suffering too long.
They shoot us over 40 times and say nothing was wrong.
They killed my grand baby while she slept.
I hope yall never get no rest.
Live with yourself you'll have to.
Really it ain't even about you.
And no, I don't blame your brothers in arms.
I just blame you.
You know what you did, and believe me, we do too.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
If I say it eleven times to will they finally hear me?
Will we all finally be free?
12 year old, killed by a drive-by.
Heard shots rip, boys was dressed in blue, but they wasn't Crips.
They say it ain't about race.
It aint about the melanin that's all over your face.
At least one black man shot in a day.
Go ahead, look it up, did my research all day.
That's just in the past year.
Oh, but ain't nothing to fear.
Lord, bless us.
We been through it all,
When we run, they shoot us to crawl.
When we fight,
They call us demons in sight.
Everyone believe we need to shut up and take it.
Hands behind your back and eat the curb like we plate it.
Wretched of The Earth, Letter From Jail, Miseducation, oh Lord, our silence will fail.
Ask them how they really feel about you.
If you died today, would they protest about you?
Would they believe what the news say?
Or try to make a new way?
Again, let me reiterate.
I don't blame them all.
Again let me reiterate.
I don't blame them all.
Again, let me reiterate.
As a black man we all--
A little more suspect than our counterparts.
The data claim we all want it to fall apart.
Y'all been brainwashed by the birth of a nation.
Even when we non-violent, we see impatience.
Maybe we all just need to reflect.
Maybe this one was a little too far.
But as a voice, even a small one, we can't let this one go.
The United States of America has some issues we need to figure out.
No matter what side of the fence you're on, this is something we can't ignore.
People are becoming cold.
Young children are becoming numb.
That's something that needs to change.
Everyone else can to ignore it,
We can't. It's not what we were made to do.
Love it or hate it, it's real, and it's honest.
That's all that's ever promised.
