Testify
Reflection Eternal feat. Styles P Lyrics

Time I testify, listen
I'm about to speak my mind and you better listen up

Why Malcolm get killed by the N.O.I.?
Why did the Nation of Islam kill Malcolm X?

I'm yellow but I'm dark for real
Although I have light skin, I still face racial discrimination

And why nobody flip when Martin was killed?
Why was there no outrage or protest when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated?

Why Mandela did all them years
Why did Nelson Mandela spend so many years in prison?

All that blood, all that sweat, and all them tears?
Why did so many people sacrifice their lives and endure hardships in pursuit of justice?

And I can name thousands more
There are countless other examples of injustice that people have suffered from

That died in the struggle from Mr. Wallace to Mr. Shakur
There have been many deaths of people who fought for justice, from Notorious B.I.G. to Tupac Shakur

That's why I stay influenced to 'Kick in the Door'
That's why I'm motivated to break down barriers and fight against injustice

Bring the White House dudes around the blacks that's poor
The people in power need to see and empathize with the struggles of the black community

Notice that it's 'unity' in 'opportunity'
Unity is key to creating equal opportunities for all

Make a lil' cash, now the block is screwin me
Making some money has caused me to be a target in my own community

Brand new E-Class, cops pursuin me
Even if I have some success, the police still target me because of my race

Guess they wanna see me park it
The police are just waiting for me to slip up so they can arrest me

Lookin at my gun, they wanna see me spark it
The police are hoping that I'll use my gun so they have an excuse to use force against me

But I'm the Ghost and if I could vote it would be for Sharpton
I'm still going to stand up for what I believe in, even if it means supporting controversial leaders like Al Sharpton

{tes-ti-fy} {tes-ti-fy} equality
I'm testifying about the need for equality

We never stop like the news watch
We keep fighting for justice, just like how the news never stops broadcasting

Still tryin to fill the void of Biggie and Tupac
We're continuing the legacy of rappers like Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur who spoke out against injustice

Dudes hot to shoot cops from the rooftops
Some people are so angry at the police that they're willing to resort to violence

Too many snitch niggaz TESTIFY
There are too many people who betray their own community by testifying against them

Warrior kings sent to the bing and left to die
We're losing too many brave leaders who are unjustly imprisoned and left to suffer

Girls confuse sex with love so they extra dry
Women are often pressured to engage in sexual relationships in order to feel loved, but end up feeling emotionally empty

And got birth control stuck to they necks and thigh
Women are also targeted by systemic oppression and have limited access to birth control

It ain't a game, they want the blacks all killed off
The systemic oppression against black people is not a joke - there are those who truly want us to be killed off

Our caps all peeled off, nigga this real talk
They're trying to strip us of our identities and power, and we need to recognize the seriousness of the situation

What's ill is y'all niggaz still caught up in them battle raps
Some people are more concerned with petty beefs and rivalries than the larger fight for justice

There's beef in the hood, Escaladin like Cadillacs
Violence and conflict are rampant in our communities, and it's a serious problem that needs to be addressed

Monkey on your back livin like a junkie
We're addicted to the idea of the American dream and it's weighing us down

Addicted to a dream, wanna die for your country
We're so invested in the idea of the American dream that some people are willing to sacrifice themselves for it

Tear down the prison walls, set everyone free
Our justice system is broken and needs to be reformed in order to help rehabilitate people instead of imprisoning them

From freedom fighters to Askari X to Pimp see
From the civil rights movement to contemporary leaders, we need to recognize the contributions of all who have fought for justice

kids slip in the clip and aim
Children are becoming desensitized to violence and guns at an early age

For the fortune cause the fame ain't shit to gain
Money is often the root cause of violence and greed, and fame isn't worth compromising your values

Now that's crazy, a function of raisin the crack babies
The crack epidemic had a devastating effect on our communities, and the government's response to it was inadequate

Sell it back to them cats freebasin back in the 80's
The government allowed drugs to ravage our communities, and now they're trying to profit off the very same people they hurt

Hi-Tek on the track and we rock with the Ghost
We're united in our fight for justice and we're gonna keep pushing until we see real change

Damn right I make gangster music
My music might be hardcore, but that doesn't mean I don't care about social issues

But I still spit poetry like Langston Hughes did
I may have a tough exterior, but I'm still an artist at heart

Pressures of the ghetto might make you lose it
Growing up in poverty and facing systemic oppression can be incredibly difficult and overwhelming

Grab AK's and go and make the news kid
Some people turn to violence as a way to channel their frustrations with the system

Might lose control, but not my soul
Even in the face of adversity and violence, I will never compromise my values and beliefs

Won't sell for the white man to buy me some white gold
I won't let myself become a pawn in the systems of oppression that benefit the white establishment

Sell for the black man, to buy me control
I'm working towards empowering and uplifting my own community

P, Tek and Kweli, the shit come from the soul why'know?
Our music comes from the heart and speaks to the struggles and experiences of our community

{tes-ti-fy} {tes-ti-fy} equality
We're testifying about the importance of equality and social justice