Lift Your Fist

Uh, to all my people, just lift your fist

Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice

How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?

Either way you got to lift your fist, we get it down like this

To all my people, ball up your first

Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice

How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?

Either way you got to lift your fist, yo, come on

We livin' life close to the edge, don't push

But this ain't eighty-three and it's not the Cold Crush

It's kids on the streets strapped, huffin' that kush

They eyeing the next cat, livin' all plush

I guess frustration make a brother do what he must

What's the combination that can make a human erupt

Team leaders gettin' mutinied up, who couldn't read

The signs, thinkin' the day and times is like tariq

Indeed, we blast, refuse to kiss ass

Quick fast, ready to mash 'cause of a bugged out past

Swallow the pain, follow the mental terrain

It takes s hell of a man, nowadays to maintain

Garments bloodstained, face bruised and battered

Our eyes reflect the agony of dreams that were shattered

And they love it, when we wild out and kill our own

But the greater responsibility, yes, is still our own

Uh, to all my people, just lift your fist

Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice

How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?

Either way you got to lift your fist, we get it down like this

To all my people, ball up your first

Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice

How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?

Either way you got to lift your fist

Uh, worldwide famine, ghetto people demand

That somebody do somethin' soon, and let's examine

The facts, behind the violent attacks

Behind the daily gunplay the cocaine and the crack

Thug season, what's the reason for the treason?

Everybody's gotta eat, some gotta resort to thievin'

Take money, money, make money, money, money

To all my people, just lift your fist

Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice

How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?

Either way you got to lift your fist, we get it down like this

To all my people, ball up your first

Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice

How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?

Either way you got to lift your fist

Yo, from the time open till the clocks strike death

Brothers is stressed, walkin' 'round holdin' they chest

They got the government surveying they steps and can't breathe

They dynamitin' 'em projects to smithereens

Money comin' but 'em days too few and far between

You tryin' to taste just what the world's offering, ya, mean?

I seen enough to make a grown man scream

Brothers thirsty and hungry to get that thing

Too many tears of pain, too many years of struggle

Too many many drops of blood, too many problems to juggle

Too few jobs available, too few schools equipped

Too few role models, just gagsters and pimps

Will you succumb? Will your heart grow numb?

Or will you save the world, and use your mind like a gun?

I'm the one, I turn a stick up kid to a soldier

Me and The Roots, word up, we takin' over

Uh, to all my people, just lift your fist

Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice

How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?

Either way you got to lift your fist, we get it down like this

To all my people, ball up your first

Word up, it ain't no peace, no justice

How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?

Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh

To all my people, just lift your fist

How you want it? There's no peace, no justice

From the bullet, or even from the microchip

Either way you got to lift your fist, we get it down like this

For real, for real, lift your fist

All my people yell, "It ain't no justice"

Dig it, uh