In honor of our 'ownership society',

[Deja Q]

and for 'ownership society' read 'unfettered slavery', I present the lyrics to the following songs: (note: They're from Public Enemy, but a lot of it is very appropriate today, for the same reasons and more.)


And you thought the beat slowed down
Power to the people
Get on up, get into it, get involved
Feel the bass as the cut revolves
To the brothers wit the 808
Like I said before PE got a brand new funk
Turn it up, boom the trunk, yeah
Internationally known on the microphone
Makin' sure the brothers will never leave you alone
To my sisters
Sisters yes we missed ya
Let's get it together make a nation
You can bet on it, don't sleep on it
'Cause the troops cold jeepin' it pumpin
(Power to the people)
Turn us loose we shall overcome

They say where you get that bass from
Hey ohh people, people as we continue on
Come along, sings this song, are you ready for '91
Rhythm nation pump that bass an
We like to know from Chicago, New York and LA
Are y'all ready, cause the plans in the jam
And we're ready to roll yo y'all got to tell me
Are y'all read read to go c'mon
(Power to the people)
Had to kick it like that as we roll as one
One under the sun, to all the cities and the side
Stateside and the whole wide
There it is
P-e-a-c-e 1991


I get down to what it is
And if it ain't funky (see ya)
People askin' me what's goin' on
With my mind
(Huh) wait a minute

It's just a matter of race
Cause a black male's in their face
Step back for the new jack swing
On the platter scatter huh
We got our own thing
Just jam to let the rhyth run
Day to day, America eats it's young
And defeats our women
There is a gap so wide we all can swim in
Drown in (uh get down) an get it
Got it goin' on wit it
Sister (hey) soul sister
We goin' be all right
It takes a man to take a stand
Understand it takes a
Woman to make a stronger man
(As we both get strong)
They'll call me a crazy Asiatic
While I'm singin' a song
Oh my god, oh my lord
I can't hold back
But I get exact on a track
It's an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth
Forget about me
Just set my sister free
R-e-s-p-e-c-t my siters, not my enemy
(Cause we'll be stronger together)
And make the suckers say
(Damn) this generation

They don't know what we got goin' is (sound)
To turn it all around
To my sisters I communicate
With the bass and tone
Thru speakers and the microphone
Cause I'm tired of America dissin' my sisters
(For example, like they dissed Tawana)
And they try to say she's a liar
My people don't believe it
But even now they're getting higher
Of the feeling inspiration
We must know that in this nation
Every single generation
(They teach us how to dis our sisters)
Stange as you say, I say revolution
Need for change brings on revolution
The great book just look see solution

God chooses who and what for the bruisin'
There's been no justice for none
Of my sisters
Just us been the ones that's been missin' her
Now we got to protect
We get together and damn this generation

I said so to what it is
Where it is
She needs a li'l respect
There it is
I say she needs a lotta
Brother from a mother like me has gotta
Give it up
Give it now
And pass it all around
To my soul (sister)

They disrespected mama and treated her like dirt
America took her, reshaped her, raped her
Nope, it never made the paper
Beat us, mated us
Made us attack our woman in black
So I said sophisticated B, don't be one
Not to head the warning crack of dawn
Or is it the dawn of crack?
Stop the talk they say, but
We talk and say whats right or wrong
Some say we wasting time singin' a song
But why is it that we're many different shades
Black woman's privacy invaded years and years
You cannot count my mama's tears
It's not the past but the future's
What she fears
Strong we be strong
The next generation
It's what not who we are facin'
The fingers pointed to us in our direction
The blind state of mind needs correction
Word to the mother we tighten connection
To be a man you need no election
This generation generates a new attitude
Sister to you we should not be rude
So we come together
And make 'em all say
Damn this generation