Thieves (Screamed the Ghost) [Feat. Tunde Adebimpe]

(Conversing with a ghost, conversing with a ghost)

He just leavin', and he screamin', "Jesus!"

(He had the highest hopes, he had the highest hopes)

People yellin', screamin' at polices

(Riots tonight, riots tonight)

Burnin', lootin', shootin', takin', thievin'

(Fire and light, fire and light)

Fill the air and most don't know the reason

(Never knew his name, never knew his name)

But they know his problems and feel his pain

(Shit's still the same, shit's still the same)

We just prey off in they deadly game

(It'll never change, it'll never change)

Too much profit in it, and it stay the same

(The facts still remain, the facts still remain)

You can burn the system and start again

(Spoke with a ghost)

Late night, same night, "God, let me sleep, please, I'm begging you"

(Said, "Don't be afraid")

Daylight might never break right again once they get at you

(Said, "You'll never be alone again")

This house is haunted by pain, transposed into revenue

("The murdered all stay")

That thing when your mind says "run," but your heart isn't letting you

(Said, "We got an army now")

You strike 'em down, they still live inside hearts, hearts carry them

(The weapon is our memory)

Some get to count sheep, some gotta count kids that they burying

(I don't wanna scare nobody)

Fear's been law for so long that rage feel like therapy

(But I'm gonna make 'em remember me)

Nobody gets no more sleep till we teach them remembering

Thieves!

Thieves!

Coming live at five, we got new news breaking

You heard it here first if you don't die waitin'

Hard to review the scene I just seen

I'ma try to convey, but it defies explainin

Started with folks just crying

Nothing but broken hearts, sobs, and the shriek of the sirens

Right at the spot where the blood's still dryin'

(My God) I saw it, the dead began risin'

I don't know much about science

But I seen an army of armed men stop and get quiet

Mist hung low like a prayer from a tyrant

Sky became black like the stars aren't alignin'

So many years of this violence

Now we're surrounded by the souls of the dead and defiant

Saying, "Look what you've done, you designed it"

When the bough breaks, hear the wraith scream, "Riot!"

No more moms and dad cryin'

No more arms in the air

We put firearms in the air

Molotov cocktails thrown in the air

CNN got dummy Don on the air

Talking 'bout he smell that ganj' in the air

Dummy don't know and dummy don't care

Get that punk motherfucker outta here

Aye, ghosts are walkin', ghosts are talkin'

Everything gon' be different, man

Shh, karma's coming, ain't no running

Death gon' deal with the guilty, man

The universe curses the killers, man

Can't keep killing God's children, man

A pound of flesh is what you owe

Your debt is due, give up your ghost

Thieves!

Thieves!

Thieves!

What have you done?

What have you done?

What have you done?

What are you making us do?

Thieves!

It's on you

It's on you

Thieves!

It's on you

It's on you

It's on you

Thieves!

I think America must see riots do not develop out of thin air.

Certain conditions continue to exist in our society, which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots.

In the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard.

Thieves!