Fire & Earth Interlude

[Spoken Word: Ernestine Johnson]

I'm speaking, I'm speaking, okay?

Silent no more

The blood of our people arising from the shores

Ascending from the sand

Straight to our hands

Dripping from our fingertips

Yelling, kicking, screaming

And dreaming

See, they were here and know they're gone

And we didn't even have to say so long

Because they gave us the blueprint

Sat in, marched, slaughtered, and lynched for this shit

But we'd rather sit around, get money, clout chase, and gloat

Evеrybody got time, everybody want smokе

You can tweet and you can type, but did you motherfuckers vote?

I dare you to vote

I dare you to leave the trap

I dare you to learn more about your credit score

I dare you to know less about sports and own more houses and stores

Own some shit you could really call yours

'Cause, news flash, it ain't really your hood if you ain't own no doors

I dare you to rap about anything but your pussy

Or how good you suck his-

How good you look and how tight your Fashion Nova fit

I remember when rap queens really used to spit

Like really used to kick shit

Would look you dead in the face and ask you, "Who you calling a bitch?"

But now it's just so wet, how wet is it?

Is it as wet as our ancestors who were thrown overboat to drown, soaking wet?

Like sweat beads running down Harriet's neck?

Wet like immigrants swimming across borders until freedom?

Is it wet like Tamika Mallory's back as she marched down to Louisville, Kentucky for Breonna Taylor as she put her life on the front line?

Not knowing if it would be her last time

How wet is it?

'Cause Breonna Taylor was here

George Floyd was here

Ahmaud Arbery was here

Rayshard Brooks was here

Ronald Green was here

Elijah McClain was here

Jamarion Robinson was here

And now they're gone

And we didn't even get the chance to say so long