The Reparation

Reparations, aka the payback
You raped my mother nation by the boatloads
Then, proceeded to rape our mothers and daughters like savages
So what's the payback

Well it's simple
I pick up my pistol with my clip and load
Now I'm coming back for everything you owe
For potential, rights, and dignity you stole

Ever since we touched down in 1619, it's been hell
We've been disrespected, spit on, suppressed, but kept our eyes on heaven
The only thing we had was our hope and fellow brethren
Not to forget the sisters, our backbone throughout all the suffering

I think about the injustices, stare at my bullets, I long to start busting
While I'm out here hustling, knowing that in my veins pump the blood of kings
And in my dreams, I can still hear my ancestors' screams
I wake up sweating, my girl tries to hug me

I push her away, still tripping on how them devils crippled my country
They say times have changed, but that's a lie
Perpetuated by these crooked politicians campaigning, just trust me
America is a fine country, but it's history is ugly

It all started with the slaughtering of the Native American
Then they built their economy with the blood of the African
1792 comes the cotton gin, and ain't no breaks for blacks
Because now there's more cotton that needs to come in

A nation divided by politics, not racial tolerance
Hands 200,000 blacks a gun in 1861
The Civil War starts, and by 65 it's done
Now that's 242 years of endless bloodshed and tears

That's 88,330 days my people were beaten instead of paid
And it's a shame, considering who's to blame
It's still a white man's world, but since our ancestors built it
The fruits we deserve

However, broken promises and lies are all we observe
So we fight day and night for a luxury as simple as civil rights
In the 1960s, and even until now, 2002
But remember, everything they teach y'all kids in school isn't true

Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves
Nah
He sold us a dream, got us to fight, and then got paid
I struggle not to embrace hate and question my people's fate

Hoping we see the light before it's too late
Seems like all of our visionaries have been slain
And that just adds on to the pain
Black-on-black crime ain't helping you see to them

We all the same
And it's plain to see, ever since they had the nerve to change our names
So what's the payback
How about humanity, after all the tragedy, racism, and insanity

Couple of dollars, see, but more importantly, equality, respect
And how about an apology
But we didn't do it
Yeah, but you living on the land my people built with their hand

And if it wasn't for the natives, y'all would have starved
And if it wasn't for my relatives, you stole from afar
You'd have had no economy, been subject to the king and just a colony
And I see the question itself just bothers me

What's the payback
Don't even ask me, because nothing can make up for the past
My only hope is that my people find unity and that it lasts