Chapter 2: Michael - Sho Baraka

On and on I know life goes

I’m mourning the death of a Michael

Not Jackson, but one missin' in action

One who was shot over some fashion

Who lost hope when his dad split

Who caught AIDS from a self-proclaimed bad— (watch yo mouth homie)

My culture’s goin' down, gather around, my culture’s goin' down

Watch it burn baby burn, my culture’s goin' down

Watch it burn baby burn, my culture’s goin' down

Let’s start the revolution while we’re still young

Industry hype well this is the real in for some

Off the wall moonwalk no need for a drug

I’ve been bad I’m just tryin' to find my other glove (yo talk to 'em)

And play catch with the widow’s son

He tryin' to ball, I’m tryin' to tell him to own a club

Young boy got himself a little lady bug

They call em B’s in the street, he’s tryin' at catch a buzz

My hood needs more fathers and less bachelors

Introduce 'em to the Father — no more bastards

Introduce 'em to manhood, let’s see what that does

If he’s tryina reach the stars I’ll call NASA (you better preach homie)

But I’m no pastor — runaway slave who has now turned rapper

College educated but no need for a master’s

Fall in love with this sound baby and we’ll catch ya

Hah, man Sho who are you dog?

You come around here like this a zoo dog?

You look the part, but what’s really hood?

We don’t see you 'round here but ya talk is good

On and on I know life goes

I’m mourning the death of a Michael

Not Jackson, but one missin' in action

One who was shot over some fashion

Who lost hope when his dad split

Who caught AIDS from a self-proclaimed bad— (watch yo mouth homie)

My culture’s goin' down, gather around, my culture’s goin' down

Watch it burn baby burn my, culture’s goin' down

Watch it burn baby burn my, culture’s goin' down

They may have heard about God but they think why bother

They heard Hail Mary’s but never knew our Fathers

Have they heard of the love of Christ?

Is heaven so far that it’s out of sight?

(what's up dog?)

A son starts to cry, his father’s found dead and I don’t know why

I can’t really look him in his eyes

It’s hard to explain why his father really died (yo cuz we gotta go)

Maybe pride, maybe lies, maybe over a girl who belonged to another guy

She’s a proud video vixen

She ain’t got jelly, she the whole dang kitchen

Young boy’s addicted, yeah them boys itchin'

Old men hooked with a look got em fishin' (man, shorty bad)

She promised me a hell of a night

All I can think to myself is how Lucifer write

Brothers in the club throwin' you some bucks

How about these same brothers throwin' you some trust?

Baby girl you mistake your own value

You’re only worth the value of the idol you bow down to

On and on I know life goes

I’m mourning the death of a Michael

Not Jackson, but one missin in action

One who was shot over some fashion

Who lost hope when his dad split

Who caught AIDS from a self-proclaimed bad, bad

My culture’s goin' down, gather around, my culture’s goin' down

Gather around, my culture’s goin' down

Gather around, my culture’s goin' down

Minute after minute

Hour after hour

Day after day we be lustin' for that power

Politicians and thugs, intellectuals and cowards

Will do anything to get their hands on some power

I gotta get that power

Gimme some of that power

Need some of that power

Can’t live without that power

I gotta get that power

Gimme some of that power

Need some of that power

Can’t live without that power