Rise Up

[Verse 1: Jon Connor]

Look where we headed, niggas want baby mamas instead of weddings

They holler "she crazy" - you knew that before you got her pregnant

Visualize the dream of Malcolm and Martin opposite

We all God's children, making the devil's adoption list

Free will keep overriding our common sense

Born with a conscience, but over time we buildin' up a tolerance

Immunity to scrutiny, that's just how the world turn

And Alfred taught me some people just want to watch the world burn

Ashes to ashes after flashes of decisions made

The world disintegrates, as shallowness takes center stage

As I pen this page, some would say that I'm a renegade

Cleanin' out my closet, I'm just man enough to renovate

Seduction or corruption'll have us all fucked

Before we all stuck, see the light before we awestruck

Back to that baby mama, nigga, here your little boy come

Lifetime to build a future, only seconds to destroy one

[Hook: Jon Connor]

Rise - they say my message is a weapon

Say hello to Mr. AK47

Send me to the jury or the reverend

Cause I'm 'bout to spray this extra clip I left in

So rise, motherfucker, rise

Oh, what's the point?

You will die or probably commit suicide to this joint

My nigga, they say my message is a weapon

Say hello to Mr. AK47

[Verse 2: Jon Connor]

Before they close my casket, I want my words to reach to the masses

Before they have me in shackles sayin' I didn't pay my taxes

We laughing, but what's wack is that this shit could actually happen

Shit is real life, the lights and the cameras just a distraction

Spoon fed out the mob from the time we open our eyes

We don't try to seek the truth, we more comfortable with the lies

Like if I told you black was blue and you never knew all this time

Or 1+1 was really 3, you'd go out of your fucking mind

Kids is suicidal, homicidal, wanna be famous

Hopin' that the video of the trial gon' go viral

How we've spiralled as a generation, not enough answers

Too many questions, I close my eyes and count my blessings

I'm realistic about this life, shit, that's why I write shit

That make a nigga think twice and focus on the right shit

When happiness ain't got a price, man, that shit is priceless

But it takes some folks they whole life to recognize this, so

[Hook]

[Verse 3: Talib Kweli]

Violence begets violence, but killers respect the silence

Not religious, but I still pray to God and respect the science

We're deaf when the kids is crying, and stare when the TEKs is firing

So we the endangered species, they'd rather protect the lions

In the Matrix looking for Zion, dying by the gat

Is as American as the bacon that they're frying with the fat

They lying, them niggas flat when they clappin' at 'em like blap

Your opinion on the matter don't matter, matter of fact

They be aiming it at our back cause we market it as a target

Went from modern day prophets to martyrs dying for profit

Went from body rockin' to molly popping

Niggas will probably wipe your heart

Probably stop at the sight of this nigga rockin'

At the supermarket shopping

Trying to cop a shotgun with a debit card

Listening to demagogues

Who's representing Brooklyn like Decepticons

This is the new Renaissance

My accountant get 5% cause he respect the gods

[Hook]