Culture Power45 ft. 80's Babies ft. Thaione Davis - “News Flash Pt. 2”
[Emcee(s): Dee Jackson and Thaione Davis]
[Producer(s): Tall Black Guy]
[Sample (Melody): Bullet - "Smokey Joe the Dreamer"]
[Intro: Sample from the Free Huey Rally on February 17, 1968]
“See, unlike America would have us believe, the greatest problem confronting this country today is not pollution and bad breath (*Laughter*). It's black people. It's black people. See, that's just one of the big lies that America tells you and that you go for 'cause you chumps. You go for it.“ - Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin (H. Rap Brown)
[Verse 1: Dee Jackson and Thaione Davis]
[Dee Jackson]
Yeah. Yo. The last
Time I checked, I’m still black, not finished with this mission
Still down to start the revolution—with or without permission
Conditions is still foul, kind of flagrant if you ask me
Jack me, attack me, harass me. Exactly
[Thaione Davis]
Now, I was born in September, told, “Never surrender”
Cultivate the babies of Brenda so, when they enter
The stage, they can go and set this (*Siren*) on fire
We’re still shackled and it’s baffling ‘cause we ain’t arrived yet
[Dee Jackson]
Hah. Another shot by the cops. Son, I heard him go
It’s hard for me to stand for that like vertigo
[Thaione Davis]
Fuck that. Home of the equivocal gun clappers
Pastors congregate with strippers the morning after
[Dee Jackson]
Well, it ain’t safe in the place. Bro, we’re terrified
We seek peace and it means to be paralyzed
Stay still. We’re selling them rocks or hitting them blocks to pay bills
What else do we got? The struggle is hot. Let metal at cops ‘cause they kill
Stay real when everything is fake—guess I’ma stand out
And when I dap you, that’s the only time I’ll hand out
Man down. You’re falling like the Roman Empire. Been
Tired of the Devil’s work—do you feel the fire?
[Thaione Davis]
It’s internal. Consider myself a captain and a colonel
No commercial—not at all. If I was Southern, I’d say, “Curful who you’re
Dealing with.” Y’all’ll say I’m more legitimate
Than mysterious chemtrails toxic with ingredients
My peoples ain’t obedient ‘cause ain’t no hand above us
They can’t break us even though they try to dis-
-rupt us. Suckers with them culture flaws
But we created everything to keep your sister involved
It’s raw
[Dee Jackson]
Ayyo, yo, yo
I’m "Buggin' Out". Phife Dawg my witness
Microphone check one, two. What is this?
The youth got us spooked. The truth is they don’t listen
Or can’t hear us like Billy Hoyle to Jimi Hendrix
[Thaione Davis]
News flash. Two stories, bold-faced commen-
-tary, crass agenda, a celebration of our splendor
See, we’re the type of folk you can’t conquer
There ain’t enough poison in your belly to stop us
See, you gon’ need more ammo to drop us
You’re better off calling the cops
[Interlude 1: Thaione Davis]
Hahaha. 9-1-1. Change of the guard
[Bridge 1: Dee Jackson]
Uh. Yeah, this is just another news flash
Ain’t nothing changed. Why you acting brand-new, black?
Reporting live from the streets where they move crack
And these cops taught they’re black, so we shoot back
[Hook: Dee Jackson]
Hands high (We out here). We never die (We out here)
Will never fall (We out here) to their assault (We out here)
Each one teach one (Yo, we out here)
Each one teach one (Yo, we out here)
[Bridge 2: Samples] (x2)
"Woop-woop! That's the sound of da police" - Sample from KRS-ONE - "Sound of da Police"
"Woop-woop! That's the sound of da beast" - Sample from KRS-ONE - "Sound of da Police"
[Outro: Sample from the Free Huey Rally on February 17, 1968]
“One of the lies that we tell ourselves that we are making progress. We’re not making progress.” - Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin (H. Rap Brown)
