Its a real bad time for black celebrities They lockin' everybody up Michael Jackson, James Brown, Tupac, R. Kelly OJ Simpson, Mike Tyson, Kobe Bryant, Jay-Z, Mystikal P. Diddy, Allen Iverson, Snoop Dogg, DMX Styles P, Shine, Beanie Segal, Lil Kim Is it because Im black? Is it because Im black? When you black you got to hustle, got to struggle and strive And not every cat that goes through that struggle survive But he got to stay stronger and keep the struggle alive They say the struggle died, I say the struggle revived Hey you, my profession is going through oppression Thats why Im so stressed and I'm working with no rest And no question I'ma fight for y'all 'cause I dont like it y'all We make half as much as them, we workin' twice as hard y'all It ain't fair sometimes you see and hear the signs I ain't Farachan but I got knowledge and Im sharing mines I swear it's time to be aware that they fear you mind And they fear your heart, you want to change here's the start Im tired of watchin' cops outline my peers and y'all Im trying to make a move, Im not tryin' to make the news They say the consequences worst when we break the rules To get back and right you got to make a sacrifice Is it because Im black? Is it because Im black? We got some problems we need solve Here's our chance to get them handle Just take the boycott in Alabama for example They stop ridin' the bus till they address their affairs And they ended segregation in less than a year So imagine what our status if we made a contribution Well probably be able to change the constitution I can't see no other kind of solution We deserve our reparation, it's time for a revolution Im a step ahead of Satan, I read it in Revelations Forget your reputation, let's make it a better nation 'Cause they trying to cage us in make us slaves again Eventually it's meant to be the new plantation, the penitentiary For centuries they had a plan we let them executed Everyday another brother getting executed And all our artist getting arrested I expect improvement Its a message in the music, I suggest you use it Somebody tell me what can I do Will I survive or will I die? On the streets it's hard to survive why, is it because Im black? Hot Shot got rock, I can't bring my cousin back Five-hundred thousand sold, gold, yeah, it wasnt plat But Clyde gave me another try 'cause I wasnt whack And now I'm buzzin' back, yeah, I got my budget back Renegotiating got a mil to do a dozen tracks Yeah, Im eatin' only reason is because I rap My homies eatin' only reason is because of crack They can't get a job so them n***as quick to rob Quick to steal, quick to k**, grip the steal, quick to ride Malcolm X, Martin Luther King we cant forget them guys These politician, hypocrites they got us hypnotized That why I kiss writt, why we got to lift our eyes? 'Cause if we keep em close they just goin' keep control And hold our sisters and brothers in the pen And we was born guilty 'cause the color of our skin Is it because Im black?