Til We Get There

(album: The Dusty Foot Philosopher - 2005)

[K'Naan:]
Here we go
From the poorest and blackest of people
To surviving the streets of Mogadishu
The most dangerous armed and lethal
Yet peaceful, we know evil
I come from the slums that's run down
Spit native intelligent tongue sounds
Would rather get gunned down than dumbed down
So calm down

[M1:]
Much success to you comrade
To who I wronged, if it's never been said before, my bad
I took a page from the book of Martin Luther
And decided that it's better to hug you than to shoot you
I'm sorry homie if it's not what you're used to
But the way that we living' these black lives is beautiful
All the things we've been through
And the tree we done blew
We probably family but we never knew

[Stori James:]
'Til we get there, I'm on your side
'Til we get there, I'm on your side
And it can take some time, 'til we win this fight
'Til we get there, I'm on your side

[M1:]
That's what's called solidarity
When we struggle it's therapy
After chaos we get clarity
My enemy's enemy is my man, remember?
I ain't trying' to be ending up in this man's dilemma
We only here for a minute, it's what you make it so live it
See I'm a rider and I'm going to be remembered
For those of you not born, to those of you not here
I wish you the best, and that's real

[K'Naan:]
This ain't your average
When they portray us they say "us savage"
Cause we have it, blast it, won't stash it
Cause we fight to the death and manage
To makes songs of struggle and to habits
And dammit, if I don't get even
It's chant down Babylon season
Die for New Orleans to Cleveland
'Til we even, we not believing

[Stori James:]
'Til we get there, I'm on your side
'Til we get there, I'm on your side
And it can take some time, 'til we win this fight
'Til we get there, I'm on your side

[M1:]
I love when we making plays
I love all our brilliant ways
I love when we get paid, and never move away from the hood
We keep getting while the getting is good
You right at home in our neck of the woods
Cause we people
Momma said treat others like you want them to treat you
We just want to live and be peaceful
Long as it makes sense, I'mma have patience
Especially with my brothers I go back in the day with
We speak the same language, suffer the same dangers
Cause our children are victims of lead paint chips
Out in L.A. they put the Black against the Mexicans
Old rivalries is throwing up their sets again
They put the short against the tall and the old verse the new
Pretty soon it's going to be me against you
All the things we been through
And the tree that we blew
I wish you much success, and stay true

[Stori James:]
'Til we get there, I'm on your side
'Til we get there, I'm on your side
And it can take some time, 'til we win this fight
'Til we get there, I'm on your side
[x4]