Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

My Wise Country Cousin on Blak Folk an de 8 yr Blues…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
15 Jul 2015
🖨️ Print Article

by BAR's poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

With the clock ticking down on Barack Obama's presidency,
black America discovers it was a marriage of conveninece.
And not ours.

My Wise Country Cousin on Blak Folk an de 8 yr Blues…

by BAR's poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

If you axe me, son, Blak folk got a bad case ob 8 yr Blues
Nuthin’ lak Leadbelly, B.B., Muddy— nuthin’ I can use:

“We in lub wit a wo’ crimnul, but he ain’t in lub wit us
We in lub wit a wo’ crimnul, but he ain’t in lub wit us
His mine on de Koch Bros., Buffit ,’in gawd we truss’

We in lub wit a wo’ crimnul, but he ain’t lubbin us bak
We in lub wit a wo’ crimnul, but he ain’t lubbin us bak
Way he treat us, sumtime, feel lak a sin to be bo’n blak

Wo’ crimnul cum creepin’ roun,’ ‘bout ebry fo’ years
Wo’ crimnul cum creepin’ roun,’ ‘bout ebry fo’ years
Res de time, he in de guardin wit Po-po, sippin’ beers

Got no time fo us, he busy chasin’ Al K. Duh, I. Sool
Got no time fo us, he busy chasin’ Al K. Duh, I. Sool—
Didn’t know betta, we swear he playin’ us fo’ de fool!

Knew our wo’ crimnul was no gud, runnin’ wit dat AG
Knew our wo’ crimnul was no gud, runnin’ wit dat AG
Dey should be stylin’ orange jump sootz, if you axe me

Dat ol’ AG boy jus’ wase all de freakwent-flyur mileage
Dat ol’ AG boy jus’ wase all de freakwent-flyur mileage
Flappin his flappers at funruls— cheesin’ liar smile-age…

He lak tits on a bull, sayin’ dat Dem big boyz too big to jail
He lak tits on a bull, sayin’ dat Dem big boyz too big to jail
But, he listenin’ to us conversate, an he be openin’ our mail!

We’s gonna leeb Dem no gud mens sum day, de lawd willin’…
We’s gonna leeb Dem no gud mens sum day, de lawd willin’…
Toozday, dey stay out all day an’ nite wit Dem drones, killin’

Feel lak we ben commun law, jes shackin’ up fo’ 8 long years
Feel lak we ben commun law, jes shackin’ up fo’ 8 long years
Dem men’s giffs: wo,’  fouclosur, poleez murdur, lies an’ tears…”

Raymond Nat Turner © 2015 All Rights Reserved

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • Stephen Kimber
    True Lies Across the Water
    27 May 2026
    The real story behind the so-called murder charge against former Cuban President Raúl Castro.
  • BAR Radio Logo
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio May 22, 2026
    22 May 2026
    In this week’s segment, we discuss the issue of deed theft, the loss of property by fraudulent means, which disproportionately impacts Black communities. But we begin with a conversation about Congo…
  • Congo
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Congo, Ebola Virus Disease, and Colonial Exploitation
    22 May 2026
    Maurice Carney, Executive Director of Friends of the Congo, joins Black Agenda Report to discuss the latest outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease and explains what it tells us about conditions in that…
  • Carmella Charrington
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Deed Theft and Black Communities
    22 May 2026
    Leah Goodridge, a New York City-based attorney, housing advocate, and writer, is a member of the City Planning Commission. She joins Black Agenda Report from New York to discuss deed theft and…
  • Margaret and Ahmed
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist , Ahmed Kaballo
    Ahmed Kaballo on the France Africa Summit
    20 May 2026
    Margaret Kimberley of Black Agenda Report speaks with Ahmed Kaballo, founder of Nairobi-based Sovereign Media, about the Africa Forward summit with France, the Pan-Africanism Summit Against…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us