Transcriber: Denise RQ Reviewer: Capa Girl
(Rapping) 1948!
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights changed
the way we thought about ourselves and how we treated other people!
From history books to allegories and hooks
we tend to represent ourselves by three important points of thought!
One!
How people perceive us?
Has anyone ever told you you talk wack?
As a matter of fact, YES!
I'm conscious of how some stereotypes --
My type -- Your type?!
See, where I'm from, it's legal friction domestic charges and addiction.
It's unspoken violence, unheard but felt whoa after silent whoa.
Sometimes, incest, molestation, life time incarceration.
No trust fund way just visits from the Children's Aid,
from working class, low class no class, group home wagga.
They kicked me down and made themselves feel bigger.
But this type of rhyme style and slang it's part of my culture so --
how can they tell me to change if they claim the multicultural?
Two!
Where we came from?
From the slums isn't accurate!
Nah!
From my mum's is more accurate!
But tell me the stories from the journey
from the birthplace of humanity which you could find the essence
of your family tree, deep within the savannah regions of Africa!
Africa! Africa! Africa!
A place where I've heard is beating when I'm not
since the blood of our fathers bled! Yes!
Into the blood of our fathers bled
suturing the soil from which they came
as their bodies and minds broke like aged bread
a place we all called "Home" until the waters of our mothers broke
bearing seized balls with shackles that could only choose around their neck
a noose or a yoke!
And three!
Where were at?
Her and I are equal!
Him and I are equal!
Not "I" as in "I am", as in "myself", as in "me"
but "you" as in "yourself" as in "yourselves", as in "we"!
But physical and social inequalities still dictate the way that people treat us!
And I know our differences need to be embraced and celebrated
respected and tolerated!
But this is always more easily spoken than implemented!
Because we were always re-invented, re-evaluated and re-educated!
Then remembered and remanded!
Re-grouped, re-forged, reduced, reused and recycled!
But surely never reimbursed because you see this, not us!
And labels never did us justice!
How do you ask?! Get the right answers!
If you are not asking the right question!
Who do I think you think I am?!
Not "I" as in "I am", as in "myself", as in "me"
but "you" as in "yourself" as in "yourselves", as in "we"!
So, sister, brother, try to follow.
World is cold, chest is hollow
hard to swallow! But!
I would find it highly unusual to visit a poor place
and find a plethora of beautiful citizens just hanging like lanyards
but we have to think hard and redefine our standards
and hold the Inquisition like the Spaniards!
Explicitly exploring things from Ego 2, Eurocentricity, and in the end
to drop knowledge like comets. We must explore the cosmics!
Because you can't use a micron to prove that you're correct
if you disregard that macro trickle-down effects!
Because we are people
born of growth and time to turn in cycles not circles.
Evolution it's called revolution!
And we revolve around change to find revolutions to our problems room
for discussing issues.
History has taught us we had to fight for it,
so, we can't afford not to own it now!
Everyone had the Bill of Rights saying
we are now paying for it!
Recognition! Of the inherent dignity
and equal and inalienable rights
of all members of the human family!
But we don't just talk this! We live this! We walk this!
And I apologize at times I get Don Cherry' commentary type obnoxious!
Yeah, he does! He does!
But I reminded mine to be mindful that process of turning and pushing back
from the injustice between being mislabeled and misunderstood,
because you can just as easily find use
for yourself back to where justice needs to be found.
So when I'm force fed the definition of the choirs I'm complicit with
I'm fairly cheating people! My intuition makes me wanna scream
explicit shit!
I will not be defined by any assumptions!
But they keep reaching for their Webster's!
So they can cling to some definitions!
What?!
Their definitions? Neah!!
Our proposition is this:
We def--eh-- (vinyl scratch sounds), I said We def--eh-- (vinyl scratch sounds), I said
We def--eh-- (vinyl scratch sounds), I said
We=Definition!
(Applause) (Cheers)