Public Enemy - Hannibal Lecture lyrics

(feat. Paris) (Malcolm X) Being here in America doesn't make you an American Being born here in America doesn't make you an American Why if birth made you an American you wouldn't need any legislation You wouldn't need any amendments to the Constitution I don't see any American dream, I see an American nightmare I'm one of the 42 million black people who are the victims of America (Paris) Aiyyo we all in together now, all in together now Hard truth soldierin, hard truth soldier sh*t Keep on servin 'em, cause you know we do work Mashin in my Chevy down the streets of New York, they feel me I smooth grip, and hit up the spot Snatch Flav as my dual pipes burn up the block We bumpin hardcore, heavyweight, b-boy blast On the street they hear my beat, my 69 is fast Smash down Lennox, head up to the 'View Some reporter wanna holla and I said it was cool Wanna know about the album and the Enemy's new How P.E. and Guerilla Funk is keepin it movin Breakin bread talkin politics, you know how it go 'Bout the war and how it's sh**ty that we murder for dough Then the reporter asked a question, that I had to mash How, I would act if every day was maybe my last How if every day I worried 'bout my family in this I'd be murdered on these street in a puddle of piss Or if I would get some news that my brother had died If they ran up in my house and held my kids and my wife Or if we was looted and somebody took all our thangs If my sister was abducted, never heard from again I began to compare it, so he could observe When I made the parallels with how they livin abroad I can't ignore it, these pigs ride deep in the streets Cap a n***a for his wallet, beat another for free And the cold part about it, life is cheaper than that Down there people on the bottom k** each other for scraps Imagine that, propoganda got the people confused Damned by the media that keep 'em subdued I been around the world, seen a lot of sh** in my life Same sirens, same ghetto birds swirlin at night Same racism, profilin each of us all Same outsiders where we live enforcin the law Gats clappin on the streets, gunplayin with heat Same prisons full of brothers herded in like sheep Same turncoats that'll burn folks for pay Same conditions in communities we die everyday Same brutality and ignorance, now what will it take to break the motherf**in cycle, get the people away? That's why I'm fresh out of tears for 'em, all out of tears for 'em Even though my heart goes out, what the f** you cryin 'bout? Money for rebuilding but, what about home? When the way we live is sh**ty where's the love for our own? I can't decide it, it's real, I hit you with proof Maybe I'll be suicided cause I hit you with truth See they k** for less than what we say on records to you Hear the message in the music from a rebel to you, now listen (Outro: repeat 6X to end) Save my life you gotta, save my life you gotta {*3X*} Save us, save us