[Emmett Phillips] So, I'm gonna get into my first piece.
It's inspired by. What up, what up 360.
It's inspired by one of my most inspirational people in my life, Maya Angelou, and It's called Rise.
Inspired by Still I Rise. So, I'm gonna need two things from y'all.
When I say we, I need y'all to say rise. We.
[audience] Rise.
[Emmett] We.
[audience] Rise.
[Emmett] Perfect. Now, the other thing I need is.
I'm gonna make a statement, and I'm gonna put my hand out.
If you feel like it's true. I need y'all to say true, when I do that. Alright?
And when I go like this, no more truths. Y'all just vibe. Just rock with me. Is that cool?
All right.
I realized that we've been lied to.
[audience] True.
[Emmett] We've been oppressed and deprived, too.
[audience] True.
[Emmett] But, they can't damage what's inside you.
[audience] True.
[Emmett] Because like Maya Angelou we gonna rise, too.
See I've been living in this nation through sensory deprivation,
cultural appropriation, incarceration, probation, promotion of self-hating.
Liberty. Still waiting to come.
Police waving their guns. You best be watching your tongue.
They even aim at the young. I pray I see 31.
When will this evil be done? What have our people become?
March to the beat of the drum. What if the drummer is scum?
Will you keep dancing or run? Simple question, right.
What good is ambition without direction? America lacks affection.
See Department of Corrections, if you got some objections.
I'm just being objective.
I speculate on this prison state. And they call me a skeptic.
But I'm more like a Coptic, just privy to some knowledge.
If ignorance is bliss, this country's happy and agnostic.
But on another topic. When I turn my focus cosmic
and fly over the continent with Confucius in my cockpit, I no longer react, see.
I'm more inclined to watch it. And leave it up to God.
But she told me that I got this.
So, I'm gonna do my work here. day-to-day and year-to-year.
Coast-to-coast and peer-to-peer. My mama's smiling ear-to-ear.
Keep the faith. And leave the fear.
Keep it up, cause change is near. Keep it up, cause change is near.
Said, keep it up cause change is near. Take a stand or even kneel.
Talk you like key and peel.
Show em how you really feel. Show em how to keep it real.
I realized that we've been lied to.
[audience] True.
[Emmett] We've been oppressed and deprived, too.
[audience] True.
[Emmett] But, they can't damage what's inside you.
[audience] True.
[Emmett] Because like Maya, yeah.
We gonna rise too.
It's my first piece. Thank you.
(clapping and cheering)
[Emmett] Now, my final piece is a new piece. Alright.
And, I dedicate this particularly to the communities of Oak Ridge. I've been working with them for about three years now.
It's really to all the youth. All the people that make our youth feel empowered.
Feel uplifted. This is for y'all.
It's called, Call to Action.
I was asked to perform here. And I accepted with ease.
It wasn't for the opportunity. I needed release.
No armchair revolutionary. This, What I believe.
Lip service is worthless, when it ain't reflected in deeds.
My call to action.
Guaranteed is Uncle Sam taxing. Calculated as mass media distractions.
Do the work and quit relaxing. I said, do the work and quit relaxing.
Purge the parasites pilfer in the glory you could bask in.
Before vaccin' and maskin', we had the social distance from the red and blue lights flashin'.
It's like our true rights are lacking. What's a civil charge when your melanin is what you trapped in.
Call it felony level black skin.
That was the probable cause. But the problem is I'm really tapped in.
And I found my call to action. Infiltrate the education system wake the children nappin'.
Like hey. Ain't no sleeping at that desk.
When Mr. E steps in, make sure that school work is correct.
Our children used to such neglect. So, I became a teaching artist just to feed him self-respect.
I had to give him the. . . I had to give him the keys to the throne.
Got some third grade students that can spell like Nina Simone. When you invest in yourself, ain't no need for a loan.
When you invest in yourself, ain't no need for a loan.
I break the spells on the youth in a rush to be grown, because that's my call to action.
Using music as momentum and my train of thought as traction.
So what's your call to action?
Oh, your voicemail's full. Well, it's all right. I'll call you back, then.
Call to action. That's my piece. Our time.
(clapping and cheering)