[Intro: Marley Marl]
Here, where's the Black man in America mentally dead..
[Chorus: Chuck D & Tragedy]
America eats the young
America eats the young
Yeah, Traged'
America eats the young
America eats the young
Yeah, come on
[Verse 1: Tragedy]
America eats the young, that's the title
Black-On-Black-Crime is suicidal
Racial outburst, killed in Bensonhurst
Now he's free in the universe
Killed the cop, he's unworthy
Murdered that poor black boy in Jersy
There's no sorrow, but you can borrow
America kills tommorrow
Get a grip and, time is slippin'
Howard Beach, Michael Griffin
To Halliburton, Larry Davis
These are the exemples America gave us
Pain inserter, Black converter
Mr. President, he's the murderer
Brothers waitin' for the Government to save them
Instead of usin' the minds the Lord gave them
High School drop out, now you clocked out "come on"
Did a crime, got caught and you copped out
Incarcerated, you're just hate it
Made your bed, but you don't wanna lay in it
No probations, black and racin' "come on"
My founation is the Nubian Nations "let them know somethin"
Culture saker, political faker
Black raper, molder and maker "Ugh"
Where is my mule and fourty eight acres? "aiy"
Abraham Linclon, dead and stinkin'
Use your brain black men start thinkin' "give it them"
I refuse to die 'til my job is done "give it them"
America eats the young
[Chorus: Chuck D & Tragedy]
Give it to them
America eats the young
America eats the young
Give it to them now
America eats the young
America eats the young
Ugh, let them know somethin'
America eats the young
America eats the young
Tell them Traged'
[Verse 2: Tragedy]
You used to look so good, but now you don't
You used to work, but now you won't
Scotty got your body cracked out
Got so high one day, you blacked out
Sold your body to an old white waiter
Had a friend, nine months later
Abused the child cause you hate every bit of him
Sayin' the saga that you shouldn't have got with him
You ain't no mother, you're a monster
Killed the youngster, put him in the duster
Sounded mournin, cold and swollen
Out of control and, your soul is rollin'
You played the keeps for life got stolen
Cracked the pain, killed your brain
Now you're criminally insane
The judge gave a sentence to outlive ya "Hay"
Now you're beggin' for God to forgive ya "come on"
In a cell, is where you dwell "that's right"
You scream and yell, you tried to hail
Grabbed the rope cause you choked on your last breath
The only way out is death
From the cell you hung, your body is swung
Now justice is done
[Chorus: Chuck D & Tragedy w/ minor Variations]
America eats the young
America eats the young
That's right Traged', tell him
America eats the young
America eats the young
Eats its young
America eats the young
America eats the young
[Chuck D]
Yo Traged, show them why you're the Intelligent Hoodlum
Let them know somethin, come on now
[Verse 3: Tragedy]
Give a black man a badge and a gun and he thinks he is bigger
Ugh, he ain't nothin' but a sell out nigga
Pay him off and he'll pull the trigger "come on"
Just to do me in, cause I'm a Nubian "right, right"
First he pulled me in, then he cued me in
Lights of Islam, drop the bomb
It's Tragedy, not Uncle Tom
Preacher practice, our blacklist
Black leaders, you lost your blackness "let them know somethin"
I ain't Tobie, you can't mold me
FIGHT THE POWER, Chuckie told me
So I'm doin' this, you wanna ruin this
Keep your eyes on this, lyrical scientist
I'm aimin' a gun and I won't miss
Deeper dominant, poetical prominent "word them up"
There's no stoppin' it, once I'm droppin' it "yeah, Traged'"
I'm almost done, America eats the young
[Chorus: Chuck D & Tragedy w/ minor Variations]
America eats the young
America eats the young
That's right Traged', kick it
America eats the young
America eats the young
Hey, ha ha
America eats the young
America eats the young
Yo, Marley Marl In Control
America eats the young
America eats the young
[Chuck D]
Yeah, that's right with soul
Turn table number one and Turn table number two
The Intelligent Hoodlum in full effect
Fightin' the Power for you and yours
Marley Marl In Control
Tragedy, that's right
Yo, you got pick up one
Yo, let them know somethin' Tragedy
We gon' kick it to you like this, come on
In control, with soul
In control, with soul
America eats its young
You're Goddamn right
