Untouchable
Eminem Lyrics

Hands up, officer don't shoot
I surrender, please don't shoot me

Then pull your pants up, promise you won't loot
Behave appropriately, don't engage in criminal behavior

We may never understand each other, it's no use
We will never truly comprehend each other's experiences and perspectives

We ain't ever gonna grasp what each other goes through
We will never fully comprehend the struggles and challenges faced by each other

Black boy, black boy, we ain't gonna lie to you
You, as a black boy, deserve honesty and truth

Black boy, black boy, we don't like the sight of you
We, as society, have prejudiced views towards you, based on your skin color

Pull up on the side of you
Approach you in our vehicle

Window rolled down, 'profile'
We stereotype you based on your appearance

Then we wonder why we see this side of you
We question why you react in a certain way, but fail to consider our own actions

Probably comin' from the dope house
Assuming you are involved in illegal drug activities

We could let you slide but your tail light is blew, out
We might overlook minor infractions, but your broken tail light gives us reason to harass you

We know you're hidin' that Heidi Klum
We suspect you are hiding illegal substances

On you another drug charge, homie, it's back inside for you
You will face another drug-related charge, leading to imprisonment

And just in case a chase might ensue, we got that tried and true
If a pursuit occurs, we are prepared and equipped

Pistol drew right at you, we'd be delighted to unload it
We aim our gun directly at you, finding pleasure in the thought of shooting you

In your back, then walk up and lay that taser on the side of you
Shoot you in the back, then casually approach and use a taser on you

Fucked up, but what the fuck am I to do?
This situation is messed up, but I feel helpless to change it

I keep tellin' myself, keep doin' like you're doin'
I try to encourage myself to keep pushing forward

No matter how many lives you ruin
Regardless of the negative impact on people's lives

It's for the red, white and blue
I justify my actions as serving the country

Time to go find a new one and split his head right in two
Now, it's time to target someone else and inflict severe harm

No one's ever indicted you
Nobody holds you accountable for your actions

Why? 'Cause you're a
The reason is simply because you are a

White boy, white boy, you're a rockstar
As a white person, you are seen as successful and privileged

My momma talkin' to me, tryna tell me how to live
My mother advises me on how to navigate life

But I don't listen to her, 'cause my head is like a sieve
I ignore her advice because I have a tendency to forget and not retain information

The world's coming to an end, I don't even care
I am indifferent to the impending doom of the world

Nobody can tell me shit 'cause I'm a big rockstar
I believe I am untouchable and superior due to my fame and success

Black boy, black boy, we don't get your culture and
We, as society, fail to understand and appreciate your culture

We don't care what our government's done to fuck you over, man
We disregard the ways in which the government has oppressed and mistreated you

Don't tell us your attitude's a result of that
We dismiss the notion that your behavior stems from these circumstances

Balderdash, where'd you get the chip on your shoulder at?
We cynically question the origins of your grievances and resentment

Why you kicking that soda can?
Why are you expressing frustration by kicking that soda can?

Pull your pants up, we 'bout to roll up and
Adjust your clothing, we are about to approach and confront you

Throw your ass in the van cuffed
We forcefully detain you and place you in the van in handcuffs

You don't have to know our plans or what our intentions are
We refuse to disclose our motives or strategies to you

Our cards are close to our chest, you better show your hands
We conceal our true intentions, so you must prove you are not a threat

And put our minds more at ease
Doing so will alleviate our suspicions and concerns

Or get shot in the thyroid, comply or die, boy
Otherwise, we will shoot you in the throat, forcing you to comply or face death

We're fightin' a crime war, here come the swine
We are engaged in a battle against crime, and the police are arriving

Tryna clean up the streets from all these minorities
Attempting to rid the streets of minority communities

That's what we call 'em pigsties for
Derogatorily referring to those areas as pigsties

They're like eyesores to police
The presence of these communities is unpleasant to the police

Talked to like, you're just a piece of trash
We disrespectfully address you as if you are worthless

Feels like we're stuck in a time warp to me
It seems like we are trapped in an unchanging, oppressive situation

As I kick these facts and get these mixed reactions
As I express these truths, I receive conflicting responses

As this beat backspins, it's like we're drifting back in
As the beat returns to its previous state, it feels like we are regressing

To the sixties, having black skin is risky
Being black is still a dangerous and precarious existence, akin to the 1960s

'Cause this keeps happening
Because this mistreatment and discrimination persist

Throughout history, African-Americans have been treated like shit
African-Americans have faced systematic mistreatment and oppression across time

And I admit, there have been times where it's been embarrassin' to be a
I acknowledge moments when being white has been shameful

Seems like the average lifespan of a white man
White men, on average, have longer life expectancies

Is more than twice than a black life span
Black individuals, on average, have significantly shorter life expectancies

I wonder sometimes if it has a price scanner
I ponder if this discrepancy in life expectancy is influenced by economic valuation

I feel like checking out on life, can't escape this circumstance
I contemplate giving up on life, as I feel trapped in this situation

I'd rather hear 'em say "Die N-word" than Die Antwoord
I would prefer to hear racial slurs instead of facing real-life hardships

Ninja, now it's better disguised banter
Using alternative words like 'ninja' makes the derogatory remarks seem less offensive

But that's life, strapped 'cause we're strapped financially
That's the reality we face, constantly burdened by financial struggles

And can't find answers
We are unable to find solutions or explanations

We're applying, but McDonald's
We are attempting to secure employment, but only find opportunities at McDonald's

Seems to be the only franchise that'll hire
It appears that McDonald's is the only big company willing to hire us

So how can we have higher standards?
How can we expect more when our options are limited?

As Dallas overshadows the battle for Black Lives Matter
The Dallas shooting incident takes attention away from the Black Lives Matter movement

We fight back with violence but acts like that are
In response, some individuals resort to violence, but these actions are

Black eyes on the movement
Detrimental to the overall reputation and progress of the movement

Which makes black lives madder
These violent incidents fuel anger within the black community

At cops and cops madder
Which, in turn, intensifies the animosity between the police and the black community

That's why it's at a stalemate
This is the reason for the current impasse and lack of progress

And can't arrive at a compromise so it's Black Ops
Both sides fail to find a middle ground, leading to a conflict resembling covert operations

I wonder if we hire more black cops, the crap stops
I contemplate if increasing the number of black police officers would improve the situation

The block is our backyards, officers, not the crack spot
We, as black individuals, consider the neighborhood our home, not just a drug-infested area

Call the attack dogs off of us, man
Stop the aggressive and overly physical response towards us

You always act all pissed off at us at a traffic stop
You consistently exhibit anger and hostility towards us during routine traffic stops

And bad cops fuck it up for the good cops, and man, stop
The actions of corrupt police officers tarnish the reputation of the honest ones, so please cease

Sendin' white cops in the black neighborhoods
Deploying white police officers into predominantly black neighborhoods

Who ain't acclimated to 'em, like that's the way to do it
These officers are not familiar or accustomed to the community, yet it is seen as a suitable approach

Who seen some fuckin' videos of rappers waving guns
They have only seen music videos featuring rappers brandishing firearms

And know nobody black so they act afraid of us
Their lack of interactions with black individuals leads them to act fearful and apprehensive

And that's racism, the fear that a black face gives 'em
This fear and prejudice towards black individuals is a form of racism

A subconscious racist
Their racial bias operates on a subconscious level

Wait, why are there black neighborhoods?
They question the existence of predominantly black neighborhoods

'Cause America segregated us, designated us to an area
The United States enforced racial segregation, assigning black individuals to specific areas

Separated us, Section-Eight'd us
They deliberately separated and marginalized us through housing policies like Section 8

When we tear it up's the only time attention's paid to us
The only time we receive attention is when we engage in destructive behavior

And education sucks, and every day's another
Our education is subpar, and each day brings new challenges

Freddie Gray for us, a levy breaks or fuzz
Incidents like Freddie Gray's death or police brutality agitate and incite us

Why is it, they treat us like dryer lint?
Why do they view us as insignificant and disposable, like dryer lint?

We just want a safe environment for our kids
We simply desire a secure and nurturing environment for our children

But can't escape the sirens
Yet, we are constantly exposed to the blaring sounds of police sirens

Don't take a scientist to see our violent nature lies in
It is evident, even without scientific analysis, that our inclination towards violence is rooted in

The poverty that we face so the crime rate's the highest in
The high crime rate stems from the poverty and deprivation we experience

The lowest classes, it's like a razor wire fence
Those in the lowest socioeconomic classes face significant barriers and hardships

And we're trapped in these racial biases
We are ensnared in these prejudices based on race

That plague our society which makes our anxiety levels raise
These biases afflict our society, causing heightened levels of anxiety

Every time we see a devil's face
Whenever we come across a police officer, whom we perceive as an oppressive authority figure

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my
Metaphorically expressing our fears and anxieties

It's more like billy clubs and gats
Our fears manifest as encounters with police wielding batons and guns

And we really love it when you think we're guilty 'cause we're black
We sarcastically relish in the assumption of guilt solely based on our race

"But you kill each other, facts
People argue that we harm each other, which is true to an extent

You peel each other's caps, for silly stuff like hats"
We engage in violence against each other over trivial matters such as fashion attire

Single mother strugglin' through substance abuse
A single mother facing challenges in battling substance addiction

While people with nothin' to lose shoot each other for shoes
Meanwhile, individuals with little to lose resort to violence over material possessions like shoes

Fuck your Republican views
Disregard your conservative political ideologies

Pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, where the fuck are the boots?
We are told to be self-sufficient, but lack the necessary resources and opportunities

And streets act as a narrator, don't gotta read comics
The streets themselves tell stories, making comics unnecessary

Or be that into characters, just to see that, just to be black
We don't need to idolize superheroes to understand the struggles of being black

You better be strapped with a Derringer
You should protect yourself by possessing a small concealed firearm

Or be "capped in America" like Steve Rogers
Alternatively, you risk being shot, a reference to the superhero Captain America

'Cause no one oversees these cops and
There is no proper oversight of these police officers, and

All we see is 'em beat charges
All we witness is them avoiding accountability for their actions

We done seen 'em beat Rodney King unconscious, and got off
We witnessed them brutally beat Rodney King, leaving him unconscious, yet they faced no consequences

So we don't need all you crooked police officers' peace offerings
We reject the hollow gestures of goodwill from corrupt police officers

Just keep marchin', 'til we reach Congress
Instead, we will continue protesting and demanding change until our voices are heard in Congress

But they're gonna say you're tryin' to take an irrational stance
Critics and authorities will dismiss our efforts as unreasonable and without merit

If you try to slander the flag but
If we criticize or speak out against the flag, then

Somebody has to be the sacrificial lamb
Someone must be willing to bear the burden and suffer the consequences

So they call it a Kaepernick tantrum
Thus, they label it as a Kaepernick-induced tantrum, referring to Colin Kaepernick's protest

If you don't stand for the national anthem
If you choose not to stand during the national anthem

We raise it, you better praise it
We raise our voices to express our discontent, and they demand our praise

Or you'll be made to feel like a traitor, we'll
Otherwise, they will make you feel like a traitor, and

Treat you like Rodney Dangerfield
Subject you to disrespect, similar to how Rodney Dangerfield was treated in his comedy routines

Home of the brave is still racist 'ville
The supposedly courageous nation is still plagued by racist practices

So this whole nation feels like a plantation field
Consequently, the entire country feels like an oppressive plantation

In a country that claims that its foundation was based on United States ideals
In a nation that boasts a foundation built on the principles of the United States

That had its Natives killed
A nation that exterminated its native inhabitants

Got you singin' this star-spangled spiel
Compelling you to sing the national anthem, promoting patriotism

To a piece of cloth that represents the "Land of the Free" that made people slaves to build
To a mere flag symbolizing freedom, while it was built on the forced labor of slaves