He told me he’s been putting in work for 22-years
He said he’s been spittin on the mic for 22-years
From cipher to ciper to hole in the wall
He’s been droppin’ 16-bars at 16-bars
for 16-slobs that said they was A&Rs
Said he loved hip-hop bleed and die for hip-hop
STOP
What he really told me was that he
didn’t have a 401k which is ok I guess
when he’s young at his age
but when he’s 43 – if – he makes 43
he’ll say damn a 401k would sure sound good to me
But all he’ll have to listen to
is a 99-cent demo he dropped when he was 16 but
He told me he’s been putting in work for 22-years
He said he’s been spittin on the mic for 22-years
From cipher to ciper to hole in the wall
He’s been droppin’ 16-bars at 16-bars
for 16-slobs that said they was A&Rs
Said he loved hip-hop bleed and die for hip-hop
STOP
What he really told me
was that he’s not married and his maturity was retarded
because he would bleed and die
for hip-hop but not a real black woman
Should have been building a relationship
family and kids not a bootleg cd collection
I’m guessin he’s thinking hip-hop is a culture too
True source and vibe write that
but they ain’t write and he ain’t read Yurugu but
He told me he’s been putting in work for 22-years
He said he’s been spittin on the mic for 22-years
From cipher to ciper to hole in the wall
He’s been droppin’ 16-bars at 16-bars
for 16-slobs that said they was A&Rs
Said he loved hip-hop bleed and die for hip-hop
STOP
What he really told me was that he was born in 1980-something
which means since birth he’s used to hoping something
would trickle down to him
Even when no child left behind he was remembered
They remember to forget him
What’s worse then they remembered him
Said he was the one that liked pens and 16-bars
So they built pens with 16-bars
and since he liked tracks
they tracked him in schools
they tracked him at the mall
they tracked him like the 5-civilized tribes tracked his ancestors but
He told me he’s been putting in work for 22-years
He said he’s been spittin on the mic for 22-years
From cipher to ciper to hole in the wall
He’s been droppin’ 16-bars at 16-bars
for 16-slobs that said they was A&Rs
Said he loved hip-hop bleed and die for hip-hop
STOP
What he really told me was that for at least 22-years
a glock tek 9 38 four-five nor 22
were able to find his vital internal organs
even if chronic and malt liquor had
he nevertheless was able to avoid bullets like his Dad avoided him
then and now child support payments are too high so he get’s high
His pants sag low and he knows there’s no
Platinum or gold at the end of this rainbow
at least not beyond his teeth or Jesus piece
When socialization under alien control
behavioral result is pathologically normal
direct correlation between consciousness history
and what you want aspire to and dream
He said “I know” but I know he didn’t know -- you know? so
not to be too hard on him
because I put a big chunk of it on black men age 40 and over
He is their seed
Indeed he is them tomorrow
like they are him yesterday
so start today
start today
start today and
STOP.
Just like we glorified the black leather jackets, black berets, and guns in the 60s, we still romanticize African people with guns and mouths that fire more inaccurately than the guns they carry.
The martyred revolutionary’s assassination has finally been acknowledged by the Guyana state, and his works will become part of the educational curriculum.
To break cyclical, systemic oppression requires a functionality that rejects reified notions of governance, global capitalism, and accommodation.
Jazzman William Parker’s work is a bold art of resistance to capitalism, colonialism, racism, and the runaway train that is our present-day America.
Ruth Maclean’s article, like countless others in Western media, took place in an Africa without leaders, without public health officials or activists.
