The Face of Racism

It's no wonder that most whites just don't understand,
They lack the facts that blacks are trapped under the hands,
Of oppression, yes I'm pressin the issue,
Here's yo lesson, if you cry 'bout it I'll get you a tissue,
Cuz it's true, even is this truth's missed you,
You say I'm lyin and you're cryin, you think I dissed you,
But my aim aint to blame an indivdual,
The strain of racism's engrained, it's institutional,
It's in rituals, its a system of assumptions,
Our call's to reconcile while the walls we bust'em,
Change our customs to move away from bigotry,
But then you deny it, and that just sickens me,
It's real even if you don't feel like believin it,
We're trapped in this crap, walkin' knee deep in it,
Talkin' 'bout keepin it real, you're asleep at the wheel
of reality, with that denial mentality,

Whether you're livin in a mansion in the suburbs,
Or societies got you living by the trash in the gutters,
We need to rise up and have passion for each other,
'stead of laughin with the crowd and bashin our brothers,
Whether you're livin in a mansion in the suburbs,
Or societies got you living by the trash in the gutters,
We need to rise up and have passion for each other,
'stead of laughin with the crowd and bashin our brothers,

The face of racism's hidden behind a veil,
When it comes to purgin prejudice, we more than kinda failed,
We kinda bailed out on our responsibility,
We had the ability, just lacked the nobility,
It's still killin' me but I can't go at it alone,
It's gotta start with the moms and the dads in the home,
'stead of react we postponed, swept it under the rug,
Left it runnin' but it's finally time for pullin the plug,
The struggle of prejudice ain't just from white supremists,
It's white stereotypes that were built on false premises,
We just told a bunch of lies like good ol' Nostradomas did,
The reason they're pleadin for freedom is cuz we promised it,
They ain't pullin' the race card, cuz this ain't game,
Whites talk about changes but it's always the same thing,
The same dream Dr. King had, still ain't come to pass,
but it's definitely time to do something at last,

Whether you're livin in a mansion in the suburbs,
Or societies got you living by the trash in the gutters,
We need to rise up and have passion for each other,
'stead of laughin with the crowd and bashin our brothers,
Whether you're livin in a mansion in the suburbs,
Or societies got you living by the trash in the gutters,
We need to rise up and have passion for each other,
'stead of laughin with the crowd and bashin our brothers,

I'm not a visionary, I'm just on a mission to bury,
all the doubt about the clout we carry,
and the privilege we posses inside us, but our pride just,
Blinds us, makes us think we're righteous,
But life just ain't a battle for who wins,
Who's out and who's in, it's the route you're choosin,
Doubt and confusion are just natural feelings,
You have before you can break through the ceiling,
And the roof of racism, but admission is a start,
Its the start of a transition, a mission of the heart,
It's time for us to sing a new song, it's time to take a stand,
It's time to right the wrongs, so I hope now you understand, that,

Whether you're livin in a mansion in the suburbs,
Or societies got you living by the trash in the gutters,
We need to rise up and have passion for each other,
'stead of laughin with the crowd and bashin our brothers,
Whether you're livin in a mansion in the suburbs,
Or societies got you living by the trash in the gutters,
We need to rise up and have passion for each other,
'stead of laughin with the crowd and bashin our brothers,