[Intro: ‘Community’ sample and Logic interpolation]
Well, I guess we don’t see our patterns until they’re all laid out in front of us...
You know we're all the same in the eyes of a blade...
Because when men shed blood it's to the same shade...
And that's why I'm just a man homie...
I ain't perfect I'm just a man...
[1st Verse]
Look at the boy and just see another black kid:
Well educated judging by the accent
And the diction
But in the heat of the moment, bet he causing friction
With the law. Probably causing crack addictions
Gang affiliated, wonder why he doesn't look the part -
His pants ain't sagging, no matter, I know what's in his heart
Born to be a criminal, maybe he just perfected the art
Cause I almost trust him. But I've seen enough to know that they all the same
They all bang, so I just play it safe, hands in my pockets
One's got my phone, other's got my wallet
No way this boy's going to college
And yet the word just escaped his lips
Know I never misheard that, 'fore I ask he slips
Off to go further than me and my kin:
We’re just high school drop-out white kids...
[Hook: Lucky Dube Sample]
Cause the blood, the blood is in you
Is the same, as the blood in me
I mean the blood, the blood, the blood is in you
Is the same, as the blood in me...
[2nd Verse: Phone Call]
(Hello? You’ve landed right? Where are you?)
Just came from OR Tambo, I saw another Zimbo
He ain't jump the border I still wasn't trusting him though (why?)
Just his presence was enough to make me scrutinize
It meant nothing to me that he was rocking suit and tie
Far as I'm concerned they need to mind their biz
Quite frankly it makes me sick, how they expect
Us to give keys to our shit and still a-dore them
I would rather lock them out and just ignore them
Stealing our women, stealing our country, stealing our jobs (whoa, whoa, whoa)
The motherfuckers won't stop until they have it all
What will we have left? Nothing but deepest regrets (can I... can you, can you listen?)
That we ever let our neighbours on our side of the fence
They sure as hell wouldn't do the same for us
If roles were reversed they’d never share our pain with us
(and all those crappy excuses…)
Hold on, hold on, homie that mentality is dangerous
Realize similar ways of thinking inspired apartheid...
[Hook]
[3rd Verse]
I can’t remember when it was, but the first time I heard the word “stereotypes”? Lemme try remember..
I was probably thinking audio, I wasn’t thinking misconceptions
Based on wrong perceptions, or misplaced aggressions
Or nothing like that
I saw no reason for anyone to be fronting on that
But back to the present, and I’m noticing that
Way too many of us, staying hung up on that
And I don’t get it, straight up I don’t get it
And I’m not talking down I know sometimes I am guilty
Of the same thing. On a real tip
It seems that we’re the products of a dysfunctional system
Cause we diss functional people refusing to assist them
Yet the rationale is missing, choosing not to question
When we find prejudice in ourselves
Mental prison, some of us ain't tryna break out our cells
Go out of the way, just to segregate ourselves
Based on nothing else but an appearance
But let me tell you something you ain’t realize was apparent:
News flash: the blade in your back will still get stuck
A bullet has no eyes man you’ve just run outta luck
And even cancer really doesn’t take a second look
And I ain’t the first to tell you AIDS doesn’t give a fuck
So what gives you the right to judge, what’s in your brain?
We’ve all got the same liquid flowing in our veins
And that isn’t gonna change, not now, not ever
We gon’ shed the same shade of blood forever...
