Dead Prez’s “They Schools”

Why haven't you learned anything? Man that school shit is a joke The same people who control the school system control The prison system, and the whole social system Ever since slavery, naw I'm saying? [Verse 1 - stic.man] I went to school with some redneck crackers Right around the time 3rd Bass dropped the Cactus Album But I was reading Malcolm I changed my name in '89 cleaning parts of my brain Like a baby nine I took a history class serious Front row, every day of the week, 3rd period Fucking with the teachers head, calling em racist I tried to show them crackers some light, they couldn't face it I got my diploma from a school called Rickards Full of, teenage mothers, and drug dealing niggas In the hallways, the popo was always present Searching through niggas possessions Looking for, dope and weapons, get your lessons That's why my moms kept stressin' I tried to pay attention but they classes wasn't interestin' They seemed to only glorify the Europeans Claiming Africans were only three-fifths a human being HOOK: They schools can't teach us shit My people need freedom, we trying to get all we can get All my high school teachers can suck my dick Telling me white man lies straight bullshit (echoes) They schools ain't teaching us, what we need to know to survive (Say what, say what) They schools don't educate, all they teach the people is lies You see dog, you see how quick these motherfuckers be to like Be telling niggas get a diploma so you can get a job Know what I'm saying but they don't never tell you how the job Gonna exploit you every time know what I'm saying that's why I be like Fuck they schools! [Verse 2 - M-1] School is like a 12 step brainwash camp They make you think if you drop out you ain't got a chance To advance in life, they try to make you pull your pants up Students fight the teachers and get took away in handcuffs And if that wasn't enough, then they expel y'all Your peoples understand it but to them, you a failure Observation and participation, my favorite teachers When they beat us in the head with them books, it don't reach us Whether you breakdance or rock suede Adidas Or be in the bathroom with your clique, smoking reefer Then you know they math class ain't important 'less you adding up cash In multiples, unemployment ain't rewardin' They may as well teach us extortion You either get paid or locked up, the principal is like a warden In a four year sentence, mad niggas never finish But that doesn't mean I couldn't be a doctor or a dentist [Outro] Cuz for real, a mind is a terrible thing to waste And all y'all high class niggas with y'all nose up Cuz we droppin this shit on this joint, fuck y'all We gon speak for ourselves Knowhatimsayin? Cuz see the schools ain't teachin us nothin They ain't teachin us nothin but how to be slaves and hardworkers For white people to build up they shit Make they businesses successful while it's exploitin us Knowhatimsayin? And they ain't teachin us nothin related to Solvin our own problems, knowhatimsayin? Ain't teachin us how to get crack out the ghetto They ain't teachin us how to stop the police from murdering us And brutalizing us, they ain't teachin us how to get our rent paid Knowhatimsayin? They ain't teachin our families how to interact Better with each other, knowhatimsayin? They just teachin us How to build they shit up, knowhatimsayin? That's why my niggas Got a problem with this shit, that's why niggas be droppin out that Shit cuz it don't relate, you go to school the fuckin police Searchin you you walkin in your shit like this a military compound Knowhatimsayin? So school don't even relate to us Until we have some shit where we control the fuckin school system Where we reflect how we gon solve our own problems Them niggas ain't gon relate to school, shit that just how it is Knowhatimsayin? And I love education, knowhatimsayin? But if education ain't elevatin me, then you knowhatimsayin it ain't Takin me where I need to go on some bullshit, then fuck education Knowhatimsayin? At least they shit, matter of fact my nigga This whole school system can suck my dick, BEEYOTCH!!