Block Party
Jean Grae Lyrics

Listen
Pay attention and hear what I'm about to say.

I don't want to preach or come off bitter, this is a commentary auditory Editorial, about the state of things, state of mind and state of being
I am not trying to preach, but I want to talk about how things are in the world and how we think and feel about them.

What the fuck is goin' on? How the fuck we gonna make it out? It's hectic, from asbestos filled classrooms To the stench of death that's still in New York The air is thick with it, but it reaches further Like the world murder rate
There is so much chaos and confusion in the world. From schools being contaminated with deadly materials like asbestos, to the high rate of violence in New York City and beyond.

Circulate, cultivate your mind and soul, your heart and your body So stagnant, niggaz, get off your block and travel Stop actin like your flesh is metal and your hood's a magnet We need to globalize, further spread on this earth To appreciate the full value of individual worth To realize how ridiculous the thought of ownership is And protectin' your turf, that's bullshit man That's how we got colonized Missionaries create foreign schools and change the native way and thinkin' So in ten years, we can have a foreign Columbine In some small village in the Amazon, c'mon man
We need to expand our horizons, travel and broaden our perspectives. We also need to stop thinking that our neighborhoods and possessions define us. This territorial mindset leads to conflict and violence. It has happened before with colonization and can happen again if we don't embrace other cultures and ways of thinking.

[Chorus] You need to get out your house, get off your block, and see somethin' Go do somethin', go change somethin', or else we fall for nothin' You need to, travel the world And when you come back, tell your girl and your girl and your girl And your man and your man and your man, you understand? So spread the word
We need to get out of our comfort zones and explore the world to gain new perspectives. Then, we need to share our experiences with others so that they, too, can learn and grow.

It's every man for himself That's why the black community is lackin' in wealth, there's no unity We soon to be chillin' with rich white folk And that means that we made it Let our kids go hungry before our wardrobe is outdated Rap careers are drug related, ballplayers, we need more lawyers More housin' and job created, why we waitin' for it to be given? We need to get up, and get out, and make our own livin'
There is a lack of unity within the black community which leads to less wealth and opportunity. Instead of valuing material possessions, we need to focus on creating jobs and building more houses to reduce poverty. We also need to stop waiting for someone to give us opportunities and create our own.

Instead of just makin' more, inner-city children More doctors in your building, righteous cops next door If the system's corrupt, then change it Fought for the right to vote, don't even use it Forget electoral winnin' The way the world's goin', we in the ninth inning Hey, and we still aren't up to bat
We need to create more opportunities for children in urban areas, like having more doctors and trustworthy police officers in their communities. If we want change, we should vote and use our voices to demand it. We aren't running out of time, but we need to step up and take action.

Niggaz is happy just to have the rights to sit on the bench Like floor seats is alright, and that's as far as we reach Materialistic values, not morals, that's what we teach I see it in the youth, hungry for fame and money Not for knowledge and pursuit of the truth Pick up a book or a newspaper Take a free class in politics or human behavior We need to stop actin victimized, it's like we're day-walkin' blind Open your eyes, there's a whole world out there
Many people are content with just having basic rights and don't strive for greatness. We need to move beyond materialistic values and teach our youth the importance of knowledge and truth. Education is key to growth and empowerment, and there are plenty of resources available to us if we seek them out. We also need to stop playing the victim and realize that we have the power to shape our own futures.

[Chorus]
We must get out and experience the world, and then share our experiences with others.

And you don't have to agree, or just be happy Content and lose your hunger, push further 'Cause I don't believe that pipe dreams exist The world is what you make it, your life is all that you got So take it to the limit
We don't have to agree with each other, but we shouldn't be complacent about our lives. We should always strive for more and push ourselves beyond our current limits. Anything is possible if we believe in ourselves and our goals.

Why would you deny your spirit growth and happiness? And if your peoples hold you back, they not your peoples at all You know the, misery cliche Ladies, know your worth; the way we givin' it up We might as well auction ourselves on eBay, to the lowest bidder So what if his dough is better? Money doesn't make the man Maybe self-sufficiency would better make you understand Let's get it together There's so much promise and it's just goin' to waste We turn crude, lack of class, lack of taste And trust, they laughin' at us It's slow genocide And I don't care how many bottles of Cristal you pop It won't un-expose you as a known pedophile Native child, runnin' wild, to the ends of the earth I'll see y'all at the last hundred miles, bet
We should never deny ourselves opportunities for growth and happiness. If those around us are holding us back, they are not truly our friends. Women should know their worth and not settle for any man just because he has money. True wealth comes from being self-sufficient and understanding our own value. We need to come together as a people and stop wasting our potential. Society often looks down on us and sees us as inferior, but we need to rise above that perception and prove them wrong. We must keep fighting until the very end to achieve our dreams.

[Chorus: x2]
We must continue to explore and experience the world, and then share our knowledge with others.