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Malcolm X Movie: Speech in Harlem Lyrics by Spike Lee

Malcolm X

1992

I must emphasize at the out-start that the honorable Elijah Muhammad is not a politician
So i'm not here this afternoon as a republican nor as democrat
Not as a mason, nor as an elk, not as a protestant or as a catholic, not as a christian, nor a Jew, not as a baptist or a Methodist,in fact not even as an American.
Because if I was an American, the problem that confronts our people today wouldn't even exist
So I have to stand here today what I was when I was born. A black man.
Before there was any such thing as a republican or a democrat, we were black
Before there was any such thing as a mason or an elk, we were black
Before there was any such thing as a Jew or a christian, we were black people
In fact, before there was any such place as America, we were black
And after America has long passed from the scene there will still be black people
Every election year these politicians are sent up here to pacify us
They are sent here and set up here by the white man
This is what they do, they send drugs down here in Harlem to pacify us, they send alcohol down here to pacify us, they send prostitution down here to pacify us
Boy you can't even get drugs in Harlem without the white man's permission
You can't get prostitution in Harlem without the white man's permission
You can't get gambling in Harlem without the white man's permission
Every time you break the seal on that liquor bottle, that's a government seal you're breaking
Oh I say it, and I say it again, you been had, you been took, you been hoodwinked,bamboozled, led astray, run amok
Credits
Spike Lee

Spike Lee

About “Malcolm X Movie: Speech in Harlem” by Spike Lee

Read the complete lyrics to "Malcolm X Movie: Speech in Harlem" by Spike Lee from the album "Malcolm X" in 1992. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Screen.

"Malcolm X Movie: Speech in Harlem" is performed by Spike Lee. from the album "Malcolm X" in 1992 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Malcolm X Movie: Speech in Harlem", explore more songs by Spike Lee using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Malcolm X Movie: Speech in Harlem" is credited to Spike Lee. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Malcolm X Movie: Speech in Harlem" appears on "Malcolm X" in 1992.

Visit the Spike Lee artist page at /artist/spike-lee for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.