By Any Means
Lil B Lyrics

We declare our right on this earth
We assert our entitlement to exist and be recognized as human beings on this planet

To be a man, to be a human being
To have the dignity and rights afforded to all individuals

To be given the rights of a human being
To be granted the privileges and freedoms that come with being a member of the human race

In this society, on this earth, in this day
In the current social order, on this planet, at this time

(Reparations, reparations)
We demand acknowledgment and compensation for the historical injustices we have endured

Which we intend to bring into existence
We are determined to make reparations a reality

By any means necessary
Using any method or strategy required to achieve our goal

Where my forty acres and a mule?
Where is the promised land and restitution we were guaranteed after slavery?

Where my education
Where are the opportunities for learning and knowledge?

We gon need some better schools
We require improved educational institutions

Where my reparations, fuck these crackers
Where is the compensation we are owed, and expressing frustration towards the oppressors

Fuck the news off the slave ship we was in
Disregard the biased narrative created by those who enslaved us

Having the blues
Feeling down and oppressed due to societal conditions

Ridin through the west like I'm Huey P newton
Traveling confidently and fearlessly, embodying the spirit of political activism like Huey P. Newton

LA riots, Rodney King
Referring to the civil unrest and police brutality case involving Rodney King in Los Angeles

And my people out here lootin'
Highlighting the desperation and frustration that leads to looting

Now I put my hands up fore
Now I raise my hands in surrender

These crackers go to shootin'
The oppressors resort to violence and aggression

Better living, we improving
We strive for a better quality of life and continuous progress

They gon try to stop the movement
They will make attempts to obstruct and suppress the progress we make

Yellow 'rari like I'm in the projects
Driving a yellow Ferrari like a symbol of success despite humble beginnings

Yellin 'Free Larry Hoover', keeping it direct
Demanding the release of Larry Hoover, a prominent figure in street organizations, speaking openly and straightforwardly

Get static, throw the phone
Encountering trouble or conflict, disposing of the communication device

We'll get back in contact
We will find alternative ways to communicate and reconnect

Front line, I'm in that all black
Being at the forefront of the movement, dressed in all black symbolizing solidarity and resistance

Ready for combat
Prepared for confrontation and struggle

Murder row, we did it befo'
Engaging in criminal activities in the past

At that corner sto'
At that neighborhood store or shop

Gavel in my life, did it twice
Facing judgment and punishment from the legal system and enduring it twice

I'll do tenfold
I will endure and overcome hardships several times over

Cracker, you gon see me on that
Oppressor, you will witness me achieving success and recognition

TV like I'm Jenny Jones
Being featured on television like a well-known personality

Living right and wrong
Navigating life's choices and actions, experiencing both virtue and sin

Real life with my mic on (Streets)
Authentic experiences while using my microphone as a tool for expression (in the streets)

I'm tired of being oppressed
I am exhausted from enduring systematic oppression

Nobody gives a fuck about a bulletproof vest
No one cares about protecting me from harm and violence

Every time a man wanna go outside
Whenever a man wants to venture into the world

They wanna give the evil eye
They want to intimidate and scrutinize me

What about a young nigga's civil rights?
What about the rights and freedoms of young Black individuals?

It really shouldn't matter if you
It should not make a difference whether you are

Black or if you white
Black or white in terms of race

A cop might kill yo ass cuz you black
A police officer might unjustly take someone's life solely because they are Black

Because the way you sag your pants or
Due to your fashion choices, how you wear your pants low

The way you wear your hat
Or the way you position your hat

(Get down on the ground, now)
(Ordering someone to get down on the ground, immediately)

How can you say I got freedom?
How can one claim that I possess freedom?

The jail cell is where they house
The prison cell is where they confine

And then they leave em
And then they abandon them

Where the fuck, is all my pride?
Where, in the midst of this oppression, is my self-esteem and dignity?

Niggas growing up traumatized
Black individuals are maturing with lasting psychological damage

It's all for everybody, every color
The struggle for justice and equality is inclusive of all races

All my sisters, and my brothers
Referring to all fellow human beings as siblings in the fight for liberation

I need y'all to keep the
I implore all of you to maintain the

Squares out the circle
Remove the insincere and untrustworthy people from our community

So they won't hurt you
To protect yourselves from their potential harm

The whole world full of fiends
The entire world is consumed by addiction and corruption

Sometimes I wake up, but it's not a dream
Occasionally, I awaken to the harsh reality, realizing it's not an illusion

They said I'm bitchin'
They say I am complaining excessively

But I never been side-switchin
But I have always remained loyal and true to my cause

Now I gotta fight the inside out
Now I must battle both external and internal obstacles

No, I'm not a snitch and not a big mouth
No, I will not betray my people or reveal secrets

(Big Mouth)
(A nickname given to me, but it does not define me)

I understand I gotta work with that
I acknowledge that I must cope with the given circumstances

But I got the world on my back
Nevertheless, I bear the weight and responsibility of the entire world

Now ask yourself who the fuckin' man
Now reflect and consider who truly possesses power and authority

At 13, I already had a plan
At the age of thirteen, I already formulated a strategy

At 12 years old, got my first job
At twelve years old, I obtained my initial employment

Jest Jewels, nigga, ask me if I'm lyin'
Working at a jewelry store named Jest Jewels, ask anyone if you doubt my credibility

And I sacrifice every day, I risk my life
I make daily sacrifices and put my life at stake

It's a challenge but I can handle it
It is difficult, but I have the capacity to overcome it