If It Was Up II Me
Bun B feat. Junior Reid Lyrics

I hear we livin' in the last days
The world is in chaos, natural disasters are increasing and it's a sign of the end of times

Its revelation and you best get right with god
According to the Bible, the end of the world is coming, and it's time to become closer to God

Or else is waitin', the world is comin' to an end
If people don't shape up, then the end of the world is going to happen soon

Everyday is a storm or a flood, tsunamis, this shit ain't the norm
Natural disasters are happening much more frequently than they should be, and this is not normal

We got Katrina and Rita minds keep collapsing
The aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita has caused people to feel hopeless and overwhelmed

With the fires and mud slides, I'm like whats happenin'
Various natural disasters are happening all over the country, making people feel scared and anxious

Got the kids in the school gettin' raped and molested
Children in schools are being sexually abused, and not enough is being done to protect them

Under-funded, unprotected no wonder they tested
Schools are not getting enough funding to provide a safe learning environment for students, which is leading to more and more problems

And the lowest percentage rate,
The poverty rate is high, and people are struggling to get by

In my city damn near the lowest in the state
The poverty rate in my city is nearly the lowest in the state

You can equate that to the state funds
The lack of funds going to my city is contributing to the high poverty rate

That ain't breakin' down right,
The way funds are being distributed is not fair

Rich districts get more and poor ones less, and it just don't sound right
Wealthier areas are receiving more funding while poorer areas are not, and this is not just

So I'm fittin' to pound right on the doors of my city hall
I am going to demand change and speak out against the unfair distribution of funds

And kick them doors down, they killin' my city yall
I am going to use all my power to make the government address these issues and help the people in my city

We need to get my people back to where they should be
We need to help the people in my city get out of poverty and succeed

And since nobody else is gonna do it its gonna have to be me
Since nobody else seems to be taking action, I am going to be the one to make a change

If it was up to me,
If I had the power to make changes

No gun, no crack, or whore could of comin' in our community
I would eliminate the gun violence, drugs, and prostitution that is making our community dangerous

You couldn't have no war between Tupac and B.I.G
I would prevent senseless violence between rappers and their fans

If it was up to me,
If I had the power to make changes

They couldn't lock up Shyne and they couldn't lock up Emcee
I would prevent unfair imprisonments

If it was up to me,
If I had the power to make changes

You wouldn't have no aids and you wouldn't have no H.I.V
I would eradicate these diseases and help those who are suffering from them

First of all the projects is fucked up
The housing projects are in disrepair and not safe to live in

And it ain't just with the drugs,
The problems go beyond drug use and sales

We got more problems than just the dealers and thugs
There are underlying issues that are contributing to the problems in the projects

They using lead based paint, and investments is killing us
The housing projects are constructed with materials that are harmful to the residents

We tell 'em to fix it up but they just ain't feelin' us
We are demanding changes to be made, but the government is not listening to us

They rather kicks us out and tear it down to the ground
The government would rather demolish the housing projects than fix them

So they can put up a parking lot, a mall, or some condos
The government would rather use the land for profit than provide affordable housing for those in need

Condemn the whole place cause if you sell crack
The government is punishing everyone in the housing projects, even the innocent, because of the few who sell drugs

Shit the rest ain't do nothin' wrong, what the fucks up with that
The residents who are not involved in drug sales should not be punished for the actions of a few

They say one rotten apple can spoil the whole bunch
The government is using a flawed argument to justify their actions

But we talkin' bout some people not apples, this ain't lunch
We are talking about human lives, not fruit

Make me wanna punch a politician dead in his face
The government's actions are making people angry and violent

You say you represent my district, get your ass on the case
Politicians are not doing enough to help their constituents

Development is good for the hood yeah thats what you tellin' us
The government tries to make it seem like gentrification and development is beneficial to the community, but it often does more harm than good

But bitch you on the pay roll of the builders and developers
Politicians are often in the pockets of developers and therefore do not act in the best interest of the community

Fuck what you sellin' us, pipe dreams for suckers
Politicians are not being honest with their constituents and are promising things that they cannot deliver

You can take that around the corner to them other motherfuckers man
I see through your lies and you can't fool me

So much youth they sacrifice
Young people are losing their lives or being forced to sacrifice their future for their current living situation

Just to live in paradise
Many people believe that life in America should be better than it is right now

Play they tricks and tell they lies I know
Politicians and those in power are not being honest with their citizens and are deceiving them

Its hurting to see how they treat the poor
The government is not doing enough to help those in poverty and instead treats them unfairly

They have so much and still they still want more
The government and wealthy individuals are always focusing on getting more and are not content with what they have

I see my people everyday on the floor
I see my fellow citizens struggling and suffering every day

Its time to educate the people man, free school and college
Education is the key to success, and everyone should have access to it without worrying about the cost

So everybody cross the border can get the same knowledge
Everyone, regardless of where they come from, should be able to receive the same education

Education leads to jobs and jobs kill poverty
Education is the way to break the cycle of poverty and provide opportunities for success

And no more poverty means we makin' money obviously
If everyone has the opportunity to succeed and make a living, then the economy will thrive

Everybody makin' money everybody smilin'
If everyone has financial stability, then everyone will be happy

Motherfuckers ain't eatin', them motherfuckers wildin'
When people can't afford to eat, they turn to other harmful activities to survive

Matter fact speakin' of eatin' lets feed the homeless in America
There are many people in America who do not have enough to eat, and we need to help them

Let these motherfuckers handle their own shit
The government needs to take responsibility for solving issues instead of ignoring them or placing the burden on others

How am I gonna clean your house, and mine still dirty
The government should not be telling other countries what to do or how to live when there are still issues at home

How am I gonna feed your kids, and mine still thirsty
The government should focus on helping their own citizens before trying to help other countries

And speakin' of the kids we need to spend some more time with 'em
Children need more attention and care from parents, teachers, and other adults

Cant turn 'em loose in the streets, cause they dying in 'em
Children are at risk of danger and violence when left alone on the streets

And all this naked ass sex man you trippin', fuck love
People are too focused on sex and not on building meaningful relationships with one another

Im livin life you aint gonna catch your boy slippin'
I am living my life the way I want to, without being distracted by superficial things

You say your boy trippin', I'm just keepin' in it G
I am focused on making changes and speaking out about issues, even if it is not the popular thing to do

Cause you could see how good the world would be if it was up to me
If I had the power to make changes, the world would be a better place

So much youth they sacrifice
Young people are losing their lives or being forced to sacrifice their future for their current living situation

Just to live in paradise
Many people believe that life in America should be better than it is right now

Play they tricks and tell they lies I know
Politicians and those in power are not being honest with their citizens and are deceiving them