Crime to Be Broke in America

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Spearhead

Spearhead is a musical group formed and led by Michael Franti. They are known for their unique blend of genres such as reggae, funk, rap, and rock. Their music often incorporates socially conscious and political themes, delivering messages of love, peace, and unity. Spearhead gained popularity in the 1990s and continues to create music and perform to this day. more »

Year:

1994

4:51

654 Views

Playlists:

#2

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I take the needle off the record 
and shove it in my arm
whenever I feel life is 
comin' on too strong 
they left me in a clinic fulla
cynical motha fuckin' bureaucrats
and other kinda ding bats

Livin on the tracks
the tracks in my arm said
it all depends which side the tracks your on.
tellin' me what to wear 
tellin me cut my hair
and tryin to convince me that they
really really care
all about my health and about my wealth
but still they built the Stealth
'cause everybody's
just lookin out for they self 

So then I ask 'em
can I have a clean needle
"Hell no that's illegal!"

(chorus)
'Cause it's a crime to be broke in America!
and it's a crime to smoke dank in America!
(repeat) 

"Yeah hit those drums now"
they lockin' brother's in the poorhouse
who can't afford Moorhouse
politicians nervous
it's the only free service they provide
you want to go inside
there's a hot meal waitin' for ya
a deal we can score ya
on a bed for a night or two
or three or four months.

They say they lockin' us up in cells
to protect us from ourselves
it smells like they got anotha
plan in store house
or should I say warehouse
fulla niggas and other misfits
that couldn't turn tricks in the courthouse
it's a justice whorehouse 

(chorus) 
It's a crime to be broke in America!
and it's a crime to be Black in America!

But there's a mutiny on the bounty 
in ever single county
we remember Attica
but don't forget to pat a few
other on the back as a matter of fact 
sister Asatta Shakur and Geronimo Pratt
'cause Amnesty international 
is fightin' for political 
but if your analytical 
you know it's much more critical than that
percentages black is really, really whack
can I kick a few facts yes?

Sx percent in college
from livin on the block
twenty five percent in prison
the school of hard knocks 
fifty percent in poverty
is livin on the rocks
five hundred brothas on a death row box

The punishment is capital 
for those who lack in capital
because a public defender 
can't remember the last time 
that a brother wasn't treated like an animal.

They say they blame it on a song 
when someone kills a cop
what music did they listen to
when they bombed Iraq? 
give me one example so I can take a sample
no need to play it backwards 
if you want to hear the devil
cause music's not the problem 
it didn't cause the bombin'
but maybe they should listen 
to the songs of people starving..

(chorus)
'Cause it's a Crime to be broke in America!
it's a crime to smoke dank in America!
it's a crime to be black in America!
it's a crime to be black in America!
it's a crime to be Puerto Rican
African 
Native American
Asian Hatian 
a Woman

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