What Will It Take

Verse 1:
Here we go, another day, new crime, new yellow tape
New cries at a fellow’s grave
Old news, that’s the ghetto hay
We make ends meet where we can
Eating lima beans from a can
Dream a lot of dreams, understand
Born in poverty, we barely got a chance
We were told from our childhood we can grow to be president
Jesus knows as a black in America this has never been
Evident this was never meant
Outside screaming, "Let us in"
Better send food, medicine for the poor and the war veterans
Mr. Bush, I’m the son that you and my mother Laura never claimed
You ashamed of my ghetto aura then support us more than we can change
We complain just seeking change
We in pain plus we in chains
We have slaved plus we have paid much in our day
What will it take?

Chorus (Sheda B):
What will it take to stop the hate and the lies?
And have [?]
Now what will it take to stop the pain that lies inside?
What will it take? Hey-ey-ey

Verse 2:
This is for all my peeps striving in the inner city streets
Who were born into grief, we retreat to our dreams for relief
‘cause in reality it’s a mess, sentenced to life, freedom is death
Give me a blunt, freedom is cess
Leastly depressed with weed in my chest
All the same, when it’s high leaves and this cloud comes straight back
All a sudden now I know why my favorite cousin embraced crack
She a victim of the heroin
Needle marks fill her bare arms
Smoked out, all her hair gone
Her dealer got them new Airs on
And that’s what prevails where I’m from
So pardon my tales from the slum
Pardon my wails for the bums who have come to you asking for crumbs
We can start with half of your crumbs
Half of us some, dag, give us some
We don’t wanna starve in this place, clutching our face, what will it take?

Chorus (Sheda B):
What will it take to stop the hate and the lies?
And have [?]
Now what will it take to stop the pain that lies inside?
What will it take? Hey-ey-ey

Verse 3:
Some would say trying to save the world
Through your rhymes don’t pay the rent
I reply, in this world of crime, people dying, y’all should repent
Give me one reason with sense why I shouldn’t make an alternative
And I’ll give you ten instances in which kids pay for this ignorance
Nonetheless, these the same folks who would kill Martin Luther King
I recall April 4, 1968 when they took the dream
Mommy, tell me things will be better
Help me shake him so he can get up
Dry the teary eyes of Coretta
Let her know this land we in is a setup
Tell the kids it’s alright to be well informed, that intelligent
Even though society would act like your past is irrelevant
Speak about what’s taking place
Read about what’s taken place
To be about love in this case, justice today, what will it take?

Chorus (Sheda B):
What will it take to stop the hate and the lies?
And have [?]
Now what will it take to stop the pain that lies inside?
What will it take? Hey-ey-ey