Ridin'
Talib Kweli Lyrics

I'm from a place
I come from a location

Where you gotta let yo' nutz hang
Where you have to display your strength and assertiveness

Where them crakas used to cut your stomach open
Where white oppressors would mutilate your body

Just to let your fuckin' guts hang
In order to leave you exposed and vulnerable

Right there in front of the kids
In plain sight of the young ones

I might as well split your wig
I might as well harm you violently

'Cause that's just what the master did
Because that's what the slaveowner did

But now I'm the new Nat Turner
But now I am a symbol of resistance and rebellion like Nat Turner

Spreadin' something to the kids
Educating and inspiring the younger generation

Like Sojourner, man, the truth
Similar to Sojourner Truth, spreading the truth and advocating for change

Fuck a 'Creek, I care
Disregard political correctness, I actually care

But you in doubts and go 'Woof'
But you hesitate and pretend to be tough

He ain't dead, what pledge
He is not dead, what promise or commitment

There's a stank up in the Bush
There's something suspicious or corrupt in the political system

Or a stank up in the White House
Or a similar stench of corruption in the seat of power

Shootin' board bullshit, man, it's dead props
Engaging in pointless arguments and it's worthless

Here in Chicago but hit this hi-lo
Here in Chicago, but notice the high and low aspects of life

Warriors come play, click the bottles
Warriors gather and celebrate, raise a toast

Cock them AK's, bust on KK's
Load the AK-47s, fire at the Ku Klux Klan

With the knuckle boy or the other two and the Stic-Man
With the group of fighters or the other two members of Dead Prez (M-1 and stic.man)

Given dead on your shirt like a wristband
The bodies of the fallen displayed like a wristband

You a grown man, nigga, stand tall
You are an adult, man, show strength and perseverance

Don't it hurt, 'cause you really ain't a nigga, dog?
Doesn't it hurt because you are not truly perceived as a person of African descent?

Country boys, city boys
Rural and urban individuals

Cadillacs, Rolly Royce
Luxury cars like Cadillacs and Rolls-Royces

Whatever, long as we ridin'
Anything is acceptable as long as we stick together

Pretty girls, ghetto boos
Attractive women, individuals from disadvantaged neighborhoods

On the boulevard, in the avenue
On the main streets, in the city

It's a long walk, now that we ridin'
The journey is difficult now that we are united

Yo, niggas is not original
Hey, individuals are not being authentic

Niggas follow the radio
People mimic what they hear on the radio

Niggas think if you blow
People believe that if you achieve success

Then you gotta be on the TV show
Then you must appear on a television program

Crackas is hypocritical
White people are contradictory

Crackas will rob and shit on you
White people will steal from and disrespect you

'Cause see you do what they do
Because you imitate their behavior

They know freedom is powerful
They are aware that freedom is potent

Niggas is very visual
People are easily influenced by what they see

If we see it, we think it's true
If we witness something, we believe it's factual

Very few niggas make a move
Very few individuals take action

And even less'll see it through
And even fewer will follow through with their intentions

Crackas make up the chemicals
White people create the harmful substances

Then they call us the criminals
Then they label us as the wrongdoers

Crackas make all the loot
White people accumulate all the wealth

And we just get the residuals
And we only receive the leftovers

Niggas will rob and shoot on you
People will rob and shoot at you

Crackas will drop a bomb on you
White people will detonate a bomb on you

Niggas is having funerals
People are attending funerals

Crackas is having barbecues
White people are having leisurely gatherings

Niggas sing the blues
People express their sorrow and hardship

That's reminicin' the spiritual
That's reminiscent of the spiritual experience

But when you say gawd is you
But when you say 'God is within you'

Niggas ain't really hearing you
People are not truly listening to you

Crackas like to capitalize
White people like to take advantage

Them crackas a lie
They are deceiving

They say if you don't unionize
They claim that if you don't form a union

Then you'll probably die
Then you are likely to perish

I hate callin' niggas, niggas
I dislike using the term 'nigga' to refer to people

So I'ma take it backwards
So I am going to reverse it

But I got now love for Whithey
But I have no love for derogatory terms towards white people

I love callin 'em crackas
I prefer using the term 'crackas'

Yeah, I call myself real N I G G A
Yes, I refer to myself as a 'real nigga'

'Cause Kweli be showin' on the floor
Because Kweli expresses himself genuinely

And they policies, my philosophies
And their actions align with my beliefs

Show you that the block is a part of me
Demonstrate that the neighborhood is an integral part of who I am

Freedom fighter like Richard Carter be
Freedom fighter like Richard Carter is

It's deep how the street knowledge beef
It's profound how street wisdom conflicts

'Cause it ran like a code inside of me
Because it flowed through me like a code

It's practical, not scholarly
It's pragmatic, not academic

Now why do I call myself a nigga, you ask me
Now, why do I refer to myself as a 'nigga', you inquire

Who's got my back when the cops harass me
Who supports me when the police intimidate me

New York, L.A or Cincinnati
Whether it's New York, Los Angeles, or Cincinnati

Can ride the train or with the Caddie
Can use public transportation or drive a Cadillac

When they call you, nigga they scared of you
When they refer to you as a 'nigga' they are afraid of you

They fearin' you so actually
They are genuinely afraid of you

If crack is gone, be fearing niggas
If drugs disappear, they would start fearing black people

Then that's what the fuck I have to be now
Then that's what I am forced to become now

It's a badge of honor
It's a symbol of honor

And some say that shit's absurd
And some argue that it's ridiculous

It's more than just a word
It's more significant than just a word

We flip the shit like it's a bird
We transform the matter as if it's a bird in flight

Pass it down through generations
Hand it down to future generations

Then cuss you out and say it loud
Then scold you and shout it proudly

The first generation of muthafuckas
The inaugural group of individuals

To grab our nuts and say it proud
To boldly assert ourselves

All they got for you is a cell, my nigga
All they have prepared for you is a prison cell, my friend

They want you dead or in jail without rebel, my nigga
They desire your death or imprisonment devoid of resistance, my friend

In the streets, it's similar to hell, my nigga
In the streets, it resembles hell, my friend

But we gonna boss up and live well, my nigga
But we will rise above and live prosperously, my friend