Audio

To all those who look at you with those judgemental eyes, these are my words from another’s tongue.

I never asked my brothers to put that crown on me
Now they want to frown on me, look down on me
Pardon me I don’t think I’m hurting anybody
Just because I took shahadah but I’m cursing at the party
Ain’t showing I’m holy just showing the whole me
Ya’ll just pretend to be whatever your role be
Don’t get me wrong priest, rabbi, imam
but maybe that’s why the masses don’t respond
Can’t sit and nit pick but miss the big shit
Expect us not to see the contradictions
Want us to listen and join your religion
I ain’t got a pot to piss in who ya’ll kidding
I believe in the Qu’ran and all that’s within it
The concepts and all of the prophets that are mentioned
But I talk directly to God so if I’m sinning
ya’ll ain’t got nothing to do with me repenting

Mr. J. Medeiros has a new album… it’s very different from his other work, but there are always powerful words.

I lost touch
I caused much and never meant to
Dry ink one eye blink
Heaven rescues
Worthy you could hurt me
How would you help me
I ask this may I have this
Healthy
Feelings my mind stays fixed beyond my ceiling
Trusting in the image of my first love
Healing
Chase me cus if I run away you can’t replace me
Face me
Fear and safety

These lyrics, on the The Roots, Common, Mos Def, Dice Raw, Flo Brown & The Jazzyfatnastees track “Hurricane” are some of the best I’ve ever heard:

“Yes, I am the inescapable, the irresistible,
The unnegotiable, the unchallenged [who dat?]
I am time
I scroll in measurements, control the elements,
I hold the evidence, I tell the story [say what?]
I am time
I know no prejudice, I bare no sentiments
For wealth or settlement, I move forward [who you?]
I am time
You can’t recover me, conceal or smuggle me,
Retreat or run from me, crawl up or under me,
You can’t do much for me besides serve
Me well and have good dividends returned to you
Or attempt to kill me off and have me murder you
Many have wasted me but now they are facing me,
Treated me unfaithfully and now endure me painfully
Plaintively, I wait to see what history will shape to be,
Who’s hearts will never die inside the sake of me
Angel’s scribe the page for me,
Keep a full account of all the names for me
And make a special mark for Hurricane who waited patiently” – Mos Def

Listen here. Hit play, it’ll start at the specified point.