Black Ice - "Imagine" - ADD Presents: Dialogue with Black Ice lyrics

So what happens in neighborhoods where the self-esteem has been overshadowed by the decay? And the children no longer play the way they used to? Where young boys choose to follow figures that had no father figures A place where lies have been reduced to two mid (?) names on a n***a wall A lot of dead shames on a n***a wall ‘cause most of my childhood friends died over some dumb sh**. It's like we on some slum sh**. Whatever happened to that “we shall overcome” sh**? Where I'm from...sh**. They went and took away Boys Clubs and neighborhood sports. It's a place where little boys put on jerseys and shorts, Dream big about stardom on fine hardwood courts, But awake to the harsh reality of a stripped unfinished inner city floor Where life splinters. Called(?) where there is a shelter by crack houses instead of recreational centers that they claim to not have the paper to keep open for operation. The deconstruction of the poor family has been in perpetuation ever since Willie Lynch set his theory in motion. Decharacterization was his sole promotion. Therefore, if you take the basketball out of his face and put the coke in its place he'll still score. What's a young boy to do when he doesn't want to do wrong but there's a lock on the right door? When he has the heart of a soldier The aggression of a prize fighter But no one's told him what to fight for? See, most of our families are fatherless and quite poor so we miss out on meals as well as kisses and hugs You've got the audacity to cut the funding for the facilities that keep us off the streets Then ask us why we sell d** But imagine if n***as put down they dice and guns Picked up they daughters and sons And put a little bit of love right there the hate is Imagine we had the chance to become accountants before being taught what the difference between wet and dry weight is Imagine if these little inner city kids had the same type of schools that these rich kids have way out there in the sticks Imagine if n***as had the chance to learn chemistry for real Before we learn how to whip seven and a half out of six Imagine if that little black girl could go to that dance school for free and learn to love the dream of that Broadway show Imagine if she wasn't forced into a gang Where you a**ume a filthy name And put your soul in and your a** up for show Imagine if she was taught to love herself Imitate no one Demand and demonstrate respect when she walks through the door Imagine if she watch the telly and saw herself doing the prime time hour Instead of the four o'clock video who*e Imagine...