Hands Up

[Verse 1: Imagine]

Deep into the caves of hate we paved the waste
We ate our race and enslaved it in disgrace!
We took the confidence out of the timid
And enlightened their shame
We sucked the bravery out of the soldier
And made of him coward fighting in vain
We drank the blood of our brothers out of the fountain of pain
Society is swallowed by the shallowness of this system
The darkness is just the shadow of the government
Reflecting on our vision
Only seeds of greed can grow acres of lust
Only trees of conviction can carry fruits of trust
Seize the day is what we must!
Stop thinking only "I" and work on a better "us"
Only together we will grow wiser
Each one teach one, reunited we shall glow brighter

[Chorus]
Hey mister policeman
Can't you see we got our hands in the air?
Hey mister politician
Can't you see we got our hands in the air?
(bis)

[Verse 2: Evita Koné]

Please mister officer, how could you put him to death?
For standing on the corner selling some loose cigarettes?
You put him in a chokehold, and you robbed him of breath
Mercilessly put an asthmatic brother to rest
'Cause I'm black and I walk alone makes me me a target
Packing a pocket full of heat makes a man forget
That we human too. And melanin don't change that
Ain't it strange how our judgement gets so skewed and faded?
Straight hair, bleached skin: camouflage to the cops
They still shooting at us though we got our hands up!
Ego tripping, quota filling, overcompensating villains
Disguised in uniforms, fulfilling evil intentions
Militarised with the design to protect civilians
Terrorising communities that we living in
Police brutality's an everyday reality-
We gotta wake up to real criminality!

[Chorus]
Hey mister policeman
Can't you see we got our hands in the air?
Hey mister politician
Can't you see we got our hands in the air?
(bis)

[Verse 3: Dr Koul]

In this world where we drink petrol and eat plastic
Clothes made of money, and mouths of elastic
We swallow tears of pain, burn rain forests
Sleep with computer chips planted in brains
White-washed, a diet option, the side's plain
Quiet eyes pry, watching us die, besides playing -
We raise funds for causes
That have names of sponsors
That ironically mastered the game
Military giving aid to those they blown up
As we sip kool-aid and the news gets shown
Mock those who pray as we praise the norm
Enter the Matrix, where the sun explodes
And y'all don't even know!
Begin to seek for peace within
The meek inheriting mean streets, not police!
Samaritan beats bringing the heart breeze
Of real healing
To beings who need love: Start breathing

[Chorus]
Hey mister policeman
Can't you see we got our hands in the air?
Hey mister politician
Can't you see we got our hands in the air?
(bis)