Text: Nas. The Lost Tapes. Black Zombie.
Uh
Yo, you believe when they say we ain't shit, we can't grow?
All we are is dope dealers and gangstas and hoes?
And you believe when they be tellin' you lie, all on the media?
They make the world look crazy to keep you inside?
Why you listen when the teachers at school?
Know you a young single parent out strugglin', they think you a fool
Give your kids bad grades and put 'em in dumber classes
Killin' shorty future, I wonder how do we last it
Underground in they casket? Ancestors turnin'
I'm learnin' somethin' every day, there is no Lazareth
Words like God is Greek or Latin
So, if you study Egypt, you'll see the truth written by the masters
My niggaz is chillin', gettin' high, relaxin'
Envisionin', ownin' shit, yo, it can happen
What do we own? Not enough land, not enough homes
Not enough banks, to give a brother a loan
What do we own? The skin on our backs, we run and we ask
For reparations, then they hit us with tax
And insurance if we live to be old, what about now?
So, stop bein' controlled, we black zombies
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin'
(Black zombies)
We just copy cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin
(Black zombies)
We just copy-cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
Aiyo, we trapped in our own brain, fuck behind bars
We've already gone insane
They've already gave up, cut our own heads offs
Stab our own backs and dream too much
Without fulfillin' reality, too greedy and
Can't have one or two chains, we need three of dem
Can't have one or two guns without squeezin' 'em
On our own people and fuck black leaders
'Cause whites ain't got none leadin' them, the rhythm is cosmic
Nas is divinity, the deity's prophetless
All get down and get up
Victims walkin' 'round with down's syndrome, all stuck
Faintin', shoutin', catchin' Holy Ghost in church
Scared to do it for ourselves 'less we see somebody doin' it first
We begged, we prayed, petitioned and demonstrated
Just to make another generation, black zombies
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin'
(Black zombies)
We just copy cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin
(Black zombies)
We just copy-cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
You scared to be yourself 'cause you in a trance
Feel free, hear the music and dance
If you cared what they think, why wear what they wear, just for you
Dumb niggaz with long beards like they Arabs or Jews
Or from Israel, Bismi-Allah Al-rahman Al-raheem
Islam's a beautiful thing
And Christian and Rastafari, helps us to bring
Peace against the darkness, which is un-Godly
So, what's the black man's true religion, who should we follow?
Use your own intuition, you are tomorrow
That's the sound of the beast, I'm a Columbia record slave, so get paid
Control your own destiny, you are a genius
Don't let it happen to you like it did to me, I was a black zombie
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin'
(Black zombies)
We just copy cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin
(Black zombies)
We just copy-cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
Wake up, black zombies in a spell for more than fo'-hundred years
Ghetto niggaz won't have it no mo', can I get a witness?
Why listen to somebody else tell you how to do it?
When you can do it yourself? It's all in you, do it, do it
Do it niggaz
Yo, you believe when they say we ain't shit, we can't grow?
All we are is dope dealers and gangstas and hoes?
And you believe when they be tellin' you lie, all on the media?
They make the world look crazy to keep you inside?
Why you listen when the teachers at school?
Know you a young single parent out strugglin', they think you a fool
Give your kids bad grades and put 'em in dumber classes
Killin' shorty future, I wonder how do we last it
Underground in they casket? Ancestors turnin'
I'm learnin' somethin' every day, there is no Lazareth
Words like God is Greek or Latin
So, if you study Egypt, you'll see the truth written by the masters
My niggaz is chillin', gettin' high, relaxin'
Envisionin', ownin' shit, yo, it can happen
What do we own? Not enough land, not enough homes
Not enough banks, to give a brother a loan
What do we own? The skin on our backs, we run and we ask
For reparations, then they hit us with tax
And insurance if we live to be old, what about now?
So, stop bein' controlled, we black zombies
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin'
(Black zombies)
We just copy cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin
(Black zombies)
We just copy-cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
Aiyo, we trapped in our own brain, fuck behind bars
We've already gone insane
They've already gave up, cut our own heads offs
Stab our own backs and dream too much
Without fulfillin' reality, too greedy and
Can't have one or two chains, we need three of dem
Can't have one or two guns without squeezin' 'em
On our own people and fuck black leaders
'Cause whites ain't got none leadin' them, the rhythm is cosmic
Nas is divinity, the deity's prophetless
All get down and get up
Victims walkin' 'round with down's syndrome, all stuck
Faintin', shoutin', catchin' Holy Ghost in church
Scared to do it for ourselves 'less we see somebody doin' it first
We begged, we prayed, petitioned and demonstrated
Just to make another generation, black zombies
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin'
(Black zombies)
We just copy cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin
(Black zombies)
We just copy-cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
You scared to be yourself 'cause you in a trance
Feel free, hear the music and dance
If you cared what they think, why wear what they wear, just for you
Dumb niggaz with long beards like they Arabs or Jews
Or from Israel, Bismi-Allah Al-rahman Al-raheem
Islam's a beautiful thing
And Christian and Rastafari, helps us to bring
Peace against the darkness, which is un-Godly
So, what's the black man's true religion, who should we follow?
Use your own intuition, you are tomorrow
That's the sound of the beast, I'm a Columbia record slave, so get paid
Control your own destiny, you are a genius
Don't let it happen to you like it did to me, I was a black zombie
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin'
(Black zombies)
We just copy cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
Walkin', talkin' dead, though we think we're livin
(Black zombies)
We just copy-cat, followin' the system
(Black zombies)
Wake up, black zombies in a spell for more than fo'-hundred years
Ghetto niggaz won't have it no mo', can I get a witness?
Why listen to somebody else tell you how to do it?
When you can do it yourself? It's all in you, do it, do it
Do it niggaz