Slaves

[Intro]

“To the question of being asked to be a part of the agenda, the Black Agenda that we haven’t been asked, we should not be waiting to be asked. We should not be waiting to be asked…It is not what white people think about us, it’s not what about white people do to us, it’s what we think about ourselves and what we do to ourselves. That is the key and that is what we have to deal with.”

[Hook: Quelle Chris and Roc Marciano] (x2)

We talk about it, we be about it

We don’t bullshit, we don’t beat around it

We are what we are, brave

They are what they want y’all to be, slaves

[Verse 1: Roc Marciano]

Whips and chains, Rick James frames

We rip the stage, ships hit waves

Used to flip cane, shoot clips, aim

Elusive, if the shoe fits, get strings

Beef on occasion, we bought it, we ate it

You would have swore I told the waiter we ordered the angus

Three-quarter gators, war hall-of-famers aim flamers

Purple label blazers on hangers

Suede layers, day players deaf to naysayers

Put haters on ice like skaters

I’m persuasive, three hoes pimp

No wingmen, Gucci button-down, clean wingtips

Olive green Six I leave bent, reinvent

Your shine is properly eclipsed

Weese clique, keys get whipped like cheese grits

Throw them on you like some Al Green shit

[Hook: Quelle Chris and Roc Marciano] (x2)

We talk about it, we be about it

We don’t bullshit, we don’t beat around it

We are what we are, brave

They are what they want y’all to be, slaves

[Verse 2: Quelle Chris]

We at the top, the rest are at the bottom

The monkeys stay in the middle, throwing shit around

You’re trying to give me pound through the exhibit glass

Eating zookeeper’s trash, not at all

I’m twice evolved, understand the circle of life

To lion kings, the jungle is like a buffet

Hawaiian themed, that means the pigs roast

Communion style, even the kids toast

Fine wine, until the heavens greet us

Advanced raps, you had to drop the class

Cause making intern money while we was stacking math

Made you feel funny, your mack isn’t cohesive

We running a defense, you stunt in the bleachers

Where the Wild Things Are, we like Max and the creatures

You try to reach us, the high horse is facetious

But once you make some dope shit, I’ll be happy to meet you

[Hook: Quelle Chris and Roc Marciano] (x2)

We talk about it, we be about it

We don’t bullshit, we don’t beat around it

We are what we are, brave

They are what they want y’all to be, slaves

[Outro]

“What we have to understand is that we aren't talking about ancient history. You know, we have slave narratives that were written in 1933, people who lived in slavery. So this whole idea that we're talking about ancient history, we're talking about a few generations ago. And these traditions, this inferiority that was drummed into us through the media, through propaganda… It gets passed down. And you have this illusion of progress, you know, or even a delusion of progress, that just doesn't take away the fact that after all of the efforts that have been made, we are still, as a people, at the top of just about every bad list.”