Martyrs (Steve Biko)

[Hook] Didn't want no black consciousness If you can't kill his soul Put 'em in the box where darkness is Biko, Steven was a martyr Fighting for the people Africa, to U.S.A they say we not equal The price that we paid them Devils know When will the heavens take control Trapped in the ghetto Martyrs, martyrs [Verse 1] Rest in peace to the heavenly deceased Gone forever 'til we meet Keep memories of thee in my speech These beasts know the price we paid, in chains whips Slave ships ages 'pon ages racist All the '-isms kept us in the graveyards and prisons Thus raising our children with a lack of broader vision Applaud the killings, police brutality's a given The blacker the nigga the smaller the cells to fit in Forbidden my people been forgotten, from picking cotton To sit and robbing til you get to plottin' Sticking of robbing cause 9 to 5 is not can option When you a felon it's sentences they sellin' And niggas buyin', momma cryin' Her son dyin' lyin' in pool of ruby red Truly fed dreams deferred one third lead To slaughter, Malcolm, Martin, Medgar Evers martyrs Imprison the father, suffering baby mamas Didn't want our consciousness [Hook] Didn't want no black consciousness If you can't kill his soul Put 'em in the box where darkness is Biko, Steven was a martyr Fighting for the people Africa, to U.S.A they say we not equal The price that we paid them Devils know When will the heavens take control Trapped in the ghetto Martyrs, martyrs [Verse 2] Come alive son of Lies For every newborn another dies Word to wise uncover the veiled eyes We are martyrs from the incubator The slave of slave cause we are mentally entrapped, it's fact When will your savior come save us Take us to the promised land Mama's hands got the callouses, arthritis Damn we are not fighters Why cry cause rebels are no longer rebels The black leadership failing in the ghettos We are not equal, why Biko died for the people Why Emmett Till killed for a whistle I see you but your eyes don't see us In your minds don't need us So in infested slums leave us, we just Minus justice, just is what it is Should I lie to my kids or tell 'em Life is a bitch Word to Nasir and Asiatic Being black is not a sickness But thinking backwards as if we lack promised consciousness [Hook] Didn't want no black consciousness If you can't kill his soul Put 'em in the box where darkness is Biko, Steven was a martyr Fighting for the people Africa, to U.S.A they say we not equal The price that we paid them Devils know When will the heavens take control Trapped in the ghetto Martyrs, martyrs [Bridge] For freedom cried Steven died He and I, bonded in love See the lies, read the eyes, realize Surrounded by love Hate can not, shall not, will not Ever prevail, Africa, hailed Slained soldier over again Steven, the martyr, Biko [Hook] Didn't want no black consciousness If you can't kill his soul Put 'em in the box where darkness is Biko, Steven was a martyr Fighting for the people Africa, to U.S.A they say we not equal The price that we paid them Devils know When will the heavens take control Trapped in the ghetto Martyrs, martyrs