Retribution or Revolution by John Connor, Nabeel Ayub, Sydney Edwards Lyrics
Refrain:
Retribution or revolution
It's stupid
It's been proven that all we doing
Ain't doing enough
Saying the system will fix itself but we know that's a bluff
Don't think too much and listen up
Part I:
It goes back to Jim Crow, black code
No colored people allowed in my store
All the way to the Civil Rights Act of ‘64
Ending discrimination based off color & race
Seems to me it’s still got a grip on us today
Listen to words of Malcolm X and MLK
Different views on the minority of the USA
Modern form of slavery is really taking over though
Minorities filling up jail cells starting to make them overflow
No slavery no servitude states the 13th amendment
But no restrictions for the gov. vs. a criminal that’s when they don’t defend it
You start to remove yourself from US
And start to question who to trust
You try to move on up
But your stuck without a buck
While the tower of the founders breeds power
They sit and they scour
They make you wait and you cower
Into another plea deal for something you didn’t do
Another example showin we stuck in the same loop
Depending upon your race they keep you in a separate coup
Another reason we feel we gotta try out something new
Refrain:
Retribution or revolution
It's stupid
It's been proven that all we doing
Ain't doing enough
Saying the system will fix itself while we know that's a bluff
Don't think too much and listen up
Part II:
The people at the top they got the money and the power
But for the rest of them that not just end up like Kalief Browder
Imprisoned for 3 years, solitary confinement
Is the price tag for stealing a backpack, taking a black life man?
If so then I don't know if this would happen to white folks
Seems to me we get out free, guess it's just how life go.
But how can that be
If this the land of the free
And this the country that raised me to love and spread equality
I am America and America is me
Gotta lotta work to do until we can all be at peace
But still they scream that we should fight prouder, write louder
But they know that there is more power in gunpowder
If lady liberty was asking for help would you allow her?
You start to doubt her
That's when it all falls apart
& it could happen anyday
That's when the end becomes the start
Refrain:
Retribution or revolution
It's stupid
It's been proven that all we doing
Ain't doing enough
Saying the system will fix itself while we know that's a bluff
Don't think too much and listen up
Part III:
Time after time we push em down in society
The chains remain
It's all the same
As we acclaim, the white dynasty
You have the right to remain silent
They have the right to remain violent
You have the right to an attorney
They have the right to twist your story
You have the right to a speedy trial
They have the right to turn your life into another file
We’d rather execute the innocent
Than admit that we are at a fault
We let the strange fruit hang
As we cruise control on default
By any means necessary we’ll fight for what is right
But by dominant genes which are hereditary we keep the dominant race White
Were built upon hypocrisy
One God, One Gov. for all to see
We claim it's a democracy
So do we stay the same or make a change to be free
Refrain:
Retribution or revolution
It's stupid
It's been proven that all we doing
Ain't doing enough
Saying the system will fix itself but we know that's a bluff
Don't think too much and listen up
Retribution or revolution
It's stupid
It's been proven that all we doing
Ain't doing enough
Saying the system will fix itself but we know that's a bluff
Don't think too much and listen up
Part I:
It goes back to Jim Crow, black code
No colored people allowed in my store
All the way to the Civil Rights Act of ‘64
Ending discrimination based off color & race
Seems to me it’s still got a grip on us today
Listen to words of Malcolm X and MLK
Different views on the minority of the USA
Modern form of slavery is really taking over though
Minorities filling up jail cells starting to make them overflow
No slavery no servitude states the 13th amendment
But no restrictions for the gov. vs. a criminal that’s when they don’t defend it
You start to remove yourself from US
And start to question who to trust
You try to move on up
But your stuck without a buck
While the tower of the founders breeds power
They sit and they scour
They make you wait and you cower
Into another plea deal for something you didn’t do
Another example showin we stuck in the same loop
Depending upon your race they keep you in a separate coup
Another reason we feel we gotta try out something new
Refrain:
Retribution or revolution
It's stupid
It's been proven that all we doing
Ain't doing enough
Saying the system will fix itself while we know that's a bluff
Don't think too much and listen up
Part II:
The people at the top they got the money and the power
But for the rest of them that not just end up like Kalief Browder
Imprisoned for 3 years, solitary confinement
Is the price tag for stealing a backpack, taking a black life man?
If so then I don't know if this would happen to white folks
Seems to me we get out free, guess it's just how life go.
But how can that be
If this the land of the free
And this the country that raised me to love and spread equality
I am America and America is me
Gotta lotta work to do until we can all be at peace
But still they scream that we should fight prouder, write louder
But they know that there is more power in gunpowder
If lady liberty was asking for help would you allow her?
You start to doubt her
That's when it all falls apart
& it could happen anyday
That's when the end becomes the start
Refrain:
Retribution or revolution
It's stupid
It's been proven that all we doing
Ain't doing enough
Saying the system will fix itself while we know that's a bluff
Don't think too much and listen up
Part III:
Time after time we push em down in society
The chains remain
It's all the same
As we acclaim, the white dynasty
You have the right to remain silent
They have the right to remain violent
You have the right to an attorney
They have the right to twist your story
You have the right to a speedy trial
They have the right to turn your life into another file
We’d rather execute the innocent
Than admit that we are at a fault
We let the strange fruit hang
As we cruise control on default
By any means necessary we’ll fight for what is right
But by dominant genes which are hereditary we keep the dominant race White
Were built upon hypocrisy
One God, One Gov. for all to see
We claim it's a democracy
So do we stay the same or make a change to be free
Refrain:
Retribution or revolution
It's stupid
It's been proven that all we doing
Ain't doing enough
Saying the system will fix itself but we know that's a bluff
Don't think too much and listen up