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The year is 2015
(samples from Amy Goodman's podcast entitled Imagine Something Different):
The eighty richest people in the world
are wealthier than the bottom half of the world's population
you got it! and this bears repeating
the eighty wealthiest people,
a group that could fit on a bus,
control more wealth than three and a half billion people
Imagine Something Different
welcome to this Indigenous Isle
no this ain't kanada! 'cause every mile
has been colonized the land's been defiled
occupied but AY! don't sweat it child
resistance powerful 'cause we be getting riled up
by First Nation warriors protecting the wild
from pillaging fat cats sitting on money piles
doing dirty deeds of the 1st percentile
here the body you in determines the style
of social conditions you receive
and how dialed up prejudice is
details about your life compiled
put away in your government file
your race and gender still define your worth
the type of access you receive on this earth
state sanctioned murder is a part of this curse
but none of us free like Solomon Burke
imagine something different
if only for an instant
imagine something different for a moment
who's world is this? and whats your place on it?
whats a small victory against a faceless opponent?
faceless and blame free like a drone is
what's fair when our fight's for atonement
and we got mad strength inside like a Patronus
cant afford to lose with stakes this high
and nothing can stop us with the truth on our side
still money got us confused mind fruits been bruised
misinformed about happiness like men in suits
the school teacher taught us, get rich get freedom
if you poor, fuck you then
that's how we living in these open air prisons
that's why prisons make some men millions
to the pigs listen if you got a gun in our face pointed
when we point ones back don't act so disappointed
imagine something different
if only for an instance
AYO we told to savour the moment we've come so far
but this far is only enough when low be the bar
focus your attention on this like a lead guitar
racial tension still exists 'cause racists are
heads of state trusted with gates
and demonstrate the blatant type of hate
that POCs (people of colour) face everyday!
still they resist fighting for basic human rights
just 'cause it's legal don't mean that it's right
tactics diverse 'cause the struggle we aim to win
Malcolm X and MLK (Martin Luther King Jr.)
were both considered militant
i for one don't give a damn 'bout your skin
or what bits your packing, just what fight you in!
which side of this wealth divide you hold?
'cause we must organize to reach common goals
organize anarchic, no hierarchy
standing with freedom fighters is where i'ma be
naw! we ain't afraid to be wylin!
our rage is nothing but love for Turtle Island
standing with the land and the marginalized
while the cops profiling and the state be violent
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the city fell asleep woke up with bed sores
the forest fell asleep woke up to locked doors
i don't wanna sleep no more
nah nah
i don't wanna sleep no more
without a pause or camouflage for a deadly cause a stand is took
full of dedication no second looks
but faith can be shook
especially when having to deal with a lot of crooks right?
emotional content 'round here be paid ridden
truth naked to the eye yet remains hidden
and money's no religion money's a confession
to the original sin
taking vs giving
in a dream i transcribed a future warm and inviting
visions etched onto cave walls
the first of many sightings
the first of radiant poetic lighting
shock waves through brave slaves that found freedom-writing
the caged bird might sing blues but not rock n roll
'cause flightless wings certainly do take a toll
grab a hold of yourself and your wealth before the night fall comes through with that potent stealth
i saved my jokes on shelves their time never came
the forecast has been dark clouds in my brain
all i ever retained was Babylon migraines
and moments of bliss that only fleetingly exist
i ain't a pessimist but i use colours hues
that come in two shades like false and true
while interest accrues on late promises
the comets kiss the wishing goodbye
adios! nice try
ayo the challenges will test
the damages will vex
the amateurs will quit but the champion wont rest
'til the cosmos knows the nudity that is the emperor's clothes,
while some see the light sadly most have chose
to stay canopied in the shade as though brightness they opposed
the pace of change was slow
by the time its era arrived the dirt has a strange glow
and when the waters let show their divine prose
the humans replied with a set of intertwined blows
like blood clots and holes
pipelines and growth
poisonous mines so they could ride on Fou-Fou's
All a no go for those that wished the land peace
the few that spoke love and didn't want to ban trees
that was then at least now the snake's skin is shed
for far too long Decepticons had us mislead
now it's war, 'cause profiteering came ahead
made a bed in your backyard and laughed
made a kill-list and called it The Draft
complied with blind pride and made you feel its wrath
ayo we thought we had the whole but ain't got the half
the future's avalanche getting mocked in the past (repeat)
the city fell asleep woke up with bed sores
the forest fell asleep woke up to locked doors
i don't wanna sleep no more
no
i don't wanna sleep no more
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Hidden behind shadows of smiles
corrosive viles of hatred
dialed up to the nth degree
the greed it bends psyches
to fit this for pretend no ascend
go and fend for your own health
advice ascribed upon a cave wall from past fallen
civilizations that made their own hell
possible optical illusion
except not really this is reality
and its unfathomably eff'd
AYO i'm diving into glowing waters
holding one breath
thinking mother nature's divine
though destructive when stressed
and as of late it has been pressed
pressed for cash and juiced that drives us fast
into oblivion
humans volunteered to be the devil's minions
walking thin lines of sanity like Palestinians
the shadows that's hiding dead bodies
don't show up late to the colonizing party
yo! the choice is yours for the making
things take their course be awake when
it comes aware of the outcomes
the line between liberator and enslaver
is drawn on American paper
so who's the future's landscaper?
i'm talking revolution!
new constitutions!
no borders! human rights!
any takers?
or will you eat the cake huh?
will you take the bate huh?
stand around debating the merits
while they over-take us
i'm sayin
i got this Suri DNA in my veins thus
i find i got a strange lust to liberate us
i got this Suri DNA in my veins thus
i got a strange lust to liberate us
'cause the shadows is hiding oh so much
yeah
cause the shadows is hiding so so much
yeah
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from sea to shining sea
what was once could no longer be
the season favours those with the thin paper sheets
the ice used to be thick but now its will is weak
the future's not bleak but a little preposterous
the saviour's prominence is gone
along with his bodily form deformed
the queen bee is swarmed with gluttony
the signs read pages from history
his story was fabricated to deny its implications
legacy commemorated by violent altercations
so few revelations got passed on
that the light never really made it past dawn
a fully drawn blade awaits
its thirst unsatiable
its target unmistakable
the hour glass broke its fast to encourage growth
flint rocks sparked a sacred hope
screaming "EARTHQUAKES ARE REPEATABLE!"
raindrops joined arms to sink the top soil
so the devil lived to see his best plans foiled
his genealogy demanded apologies from the highest
who carefully listened on tapped wires
inept messiahs came and went
their followers gave up lent
they had enough! of borrowing time and paying rent!
to prevent the past from recurring the weak were sacrificed
given to the odds
unseen paradise
they too were unclean parasites
decomposed life with all of their might
it wasn't right! but it was claimed necessary
no hindsight patchwork evolutionary
after all recent weather felt unseasonably fair
to replace all these concepts that don't need to be there
like pain the stimulus was followed by response
the non-sentients were now found writing joyous songs!
their troubles marched on!
outta sight off the earth
ate the dirt then became it
purity overcame the tainted
on and on the fables were recollected
directed our attention to when the mountains necks dripped
Noah's fam didn't make it but the arc did float
all of its inhabitants eloped
by then the season was favouring those with no thumbs
healed it from the trauma that once had it on the run
no guns saluted lost souls
silence did unfold
to recite the last story ever told
no guns saluted lost souls
silence did unfold
to recite the last story ever told
what once was could no longer be
from sea to shining sea
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<Mother Tareka>
the crack of dawn smiles unrequited
the faces it hits are deeply disappointed
disappointment rampant like white collar crime
those crimes are undetectable by design
the design never meant to crush so many hopes
they evaporate and rain on newborns' coats
the infants can hardly trust adults
the grown have jobs in corporate cults
the cults sing harmony to honour the queen
on a paper she draws the life of her dreams
dreams gather dust on the king's throne
the throne's a deathtrap treason prone
treason left a note and abandoned the humble
who saw sunshine up through concrete rubble
the rubble which came from an unplanned metropolis
that fell in the hands and the will of those without a conscience
it's
just the way it goes
until the system's overthrown
just the way it goes
that's why we finna BLOW!
those without a conscience saw the signs of times changing
the change ensured that tradition kept fading
tradition memorized what humans couldn't scribe
the scribes were algorithms on how to survive
survival got mocked by lust and desire and
social Darwinists that rejected the messiahs
now He may have died for the sins of all
as they all watched amused and enthralled
the excitement there gave birth to religion
religion had faith but love went missing
love was unsure of how to defend its castle
now its people got locked up inside a mental strangle
their minds wrestled hard with the words of gods
that claimed to have invented man from mud
the soil bore fruit with a toxic tinge
'cause mankind went on a big pollution binge
it's
just the way it goes
until the system's overthrown
just the way it goes
that's why we finna BLOW
<Emay>
And it'll be overthrown
when people are standing over thrones
we're overdosing over overloads of Provolone
we're taught to leave the pro's alone in parliament
i've got to plead my prose alone as armament
doesn't seem to be harming it
disarming it
alarms are going off and every flag is red
our heads are in the dirt
we're waiting for that which hasn't happened yet
a massive step into the right direction
but the compass broke
and left us nothing slumped and lumping in these sunken boats
i dreamt I wrote a hundred flows
in a position i once opposed
antagonistic sprayed painting tagging misfit
mad intrinsic and simplistic
woke up and the dream had manifested
but the goons were even stronger
and infested man in respit seeking exit
ain't no peace of mind
that's why i give a piece of mine
and why i never preach to swine
or appease the crimes committed with impunity
i see the signs
the contract said to kill the system
i was pleased to sign
so please resign
<Mother Tareka>
just the way it goes
until the system's overthrown
just the way it goes
that's why we finna BLOW
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Welcome welcome welcome!
welcome to the the generation with no identity
the life that we lead bares no tranquility
known for being on the couch falling asleep
TV worshiping until our fingers bleed
picture a large international demographic
that's bonded by satellites n being stuck in traffic
virtually interactive inwardly detracted
in love with synthetic so our hearts are made of plastic
made to be slaves that are well behaved
minds rinsed in TV lies deliver us the oppression we crave
we're the ones who fear what they create
the ones with a phobia of being afraid
they say with the land we've lost connection
the youth they're victims of the art of deception
they get no relief and learn no lessons
walk around like zombies with no intentions
divided not conquered
divided
in this life i have grievance
mad at the world its patterns they keep repeating
its retribution is coming but much illusion
stand in the way the same abusers keep abusing
its not like hope has been fully exterminated
i mean i try to feed it
i mean its understated that
we all got power waiting to be unleashed
we carry it with us like memories of the deceased
we all seeking the same things, the same sting is felt
many of us got the same cards dealt
the same welts leave the same marks on our health
led around in the dark beaten by the same belt
divided not conquered never KO'd
like a thieves in the night we taught that change moves slow
incrementalism inflates our mental prisons
but we keep keep pushing!
divided not conquered
divided
divided not conquered
divided
still i got hope though
you could think of me as one of the hopeful
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"so what happened? were you bored in Manchester?"
"bored? no i wasn't fucking bored
i'm never bored
that's the trouble with everybody, you're all so bored!
you've had the nature explained to ya, and you're bored with it!
you've had the living body explained to ya, and you're bored with it!
you've had the universe explained to ya, and you're bored with it!
so now you want cheap thrills and like plenty of 'em
and it doesn't matter how tawdry
or how vacuous they are
as long as it's new
as long as it's new
as long as it flashes and fucking bleeps
in forty fucking different colours
but whatever else you could say about me
i'm not fucking bored!"
<Mother Tareka>
The water's never stagnant
the sky's looking down at the humans like
"the fuck happened?"
what's the net worth of all these actions?
uncivilized suits with violent reactions
pacified factions of society
lacking sobriety frying deep fats
and looking at coloured maps to entertain the ID drive
across the planet to prove they're still alive
barely lucid fragments of life
<Lee Reed>
life smothered in comfort
sprayed fake butter plates
of the instant trace element tastes
and Glutamates Fructoses comatose
and who know what think let alone eat or drink
or what designer stink is made to make you think shit
paid to make instinct with no blinking
got wallet in the sink with subconscious spaces
product placement that go straight to your brain
it's deeply ingrained the pleasure or the pain mix
comfort's a fix and junkies wanna hit that
working man lift some
soma 'cause your shift's done
come on baby get some
comfort's nice
so have a big slice of it! right?
you can just turn down the lights on it for tonight
just put it to the side
you'll never make it right
turn the blanket up high!
turn the blanket up high high high!
turn the blanket up high high high!
"don't you see that comfort can be dangerous?
i mean you like to be comfortable and I like to be comfortable too,
but comfort can lull you into a dangerous tranquility"
"see what i'm saying basically is
you can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs
and humanity is just a cracked egg
and the omelet stinks"
<Mother Tareka>
i've broadcast my own revival from that passive status
rediscovered a most angry mother nature
hoping she could reach
'cause i didn't recognize my own mirror's stranger
hoping she could teach
drink spiked with bleach to stimulate my taste buds
over-fried sensory's forgotten what taste was
all i got left is taste
electric blanket rendition
"i like the cold! my god!
i never realized! I don't want a blanket
it's fun to be cold! i could snuggle up
against you even more because it's cold!
all sorts of things occur to you!
turn on that electric blanket
its like taking a tranquelizer
its like being lobotomized by watching television"
<Mother Tareka & Lee Reed>
please lord no! no remote control!
please lord no! no six o'clock report!
please lord no! no talking head quote!
please lord no! no radiation glow!
please lord no! no microwavable!
please lord no! no shit i cant afford!
please lord no! no more thought control!
please lord please wake the peeps from they sleep!
please lord have mercy
please lord have mercy
have mercy on my soul
i have dug my own grave
i'm a victim of the craze
i've created troubles
now let it breathe! now let it breathe!
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some do it for the money but we rock for love!
roll for the love!
bear our soul for the love!
for the what?
for the love y'all!
ain't nothing above ain't nothing below
love is all there is
love we got to show
life plant seeds that survive mad snow
and the reason for that is the L.O. !
that's a message missed by the man types
thinking showing love means you ain't man right
such a sad sight. but i'ma remove some blindfolds
give that script a re-write
since forever we fight over insignificant
earthly possessions and devilish covenants
ain't no Lucifer yet to him we been listening
it's not equality that got the planet militant
no
it's the opposite fo sho
it's the lust for wealth and all that glows
it's the petrol and all that glitters
but I won't lose love I won't be bitter
i wont for pray no better future ill teach the
youth to rebel for the sake of all creatures
'causes to love the universe and its full embrace
is the one destiny of the human race
it might take aliens from outer space
to start that process of when we replace
that hate with the L O to the V E
treat each other like works of art not graffiti
<graffiti is art tho...you should know that>
some do it for the money but we rock for love
roll for the love, bear our soul for the love
for the what?
for the love y'all!
whats it like to show that 'amore' ?
it's kinda like when we keep no score
ain't no mine ain't no theirs ain't no yours
just are you full yet? no? do you want more? ok.
some of y'all call that communism
you'd be wrong but that's your decision
can you imagine a place with no prisons
and no leaders to whom we be submitting
no taking only giving
no hierarchy or forced religion
self determination means no politicians
it ain't impossible when the people have risen
i'm saying people want the good vibration
not an incitation to recite limitations
simply inviting you to use your imagination
and push! push! towards a love proclamation
some do it for the money but we rock for love
roll for the love, bear our soul for the love
for the what?
for the love y'all!
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<Mother Tareka>
Yo!
but i believe we can make it
to see the new day
one day
of course this is Mother Tareka
Lee Reed
MonkeyWrench
one time!
two time!
We Rock!
rock the cage life put us in
break it open
apply rage like medicine
feds scoping
crosshairs focusing again
but we floating outta range of their bullets and
then we facing'em
diverse tactics disgracing'em
got polluters on the run
plus the banks financing'em
so many of us stepping
it feels like we don't need a gun
the truth is our weapon
war drums we beating'em
for jobs and salaries the earth is killed casually
Indigenous sovereignty's among the first casulties
move on'em radically!
organize massively!
slide past they cavalry!
causing mad havoc we
know thy enemy
thus
step readily
truth
dropped heavily's the tune of our melody
global no 'baladi' (Arabic for local)
dictators gotta flee
ain't none of us are 'til every last one is free!
<chorus>
we live in fear of the doomsday!
so we rock for the new day!
lay roots with the true say!
see a future with us in it!
<Lee Reed>
we move like its ending like life depends on it
live to representative
move that message
movements methodry
no half stepping we
off map repping we
cough infection we
brought mad weaponry
fought the oppression
cops and aggression constant stress of them
modern pressures resistance letterman
protest veterans post that threat of
both coasts go Oakland
with numbers go potent
explosive man the folks broke it open
BO! we want to roll that power move strategy
systems anatomy kicked they nad and then
smack them out of it
megaphone louder than
5-0 Mounties move cities and the counties
township boundaries no doubt we shouting
rooftops and streets the beat keeps bouncing
<Mother Tareka>
we live in fear of the doomsday!
so we rock for the new day!
lay roots with the true say!
see a future with us in it!
<MonkeyWrench>
go figure
go rilla
go form flowtillas
go iller
'gainst these stone cold killers
punch pigs make beats like Dilla's
right on cop heads here's my op ed
don't kill us (don't kill us)
dope dealers
yo and bad students, grad students
you should join the mass movement
that means the land defence and black and trans
and working class movement
that's prudent
in the face of vast illusions
snap to it (snap to it)
we're blocking the intersection with intersectional activism
CBC tells lies of omission but we're in the fact division
who said the left lacks a vision
we got that we just lack stacks to get it
malcontented people need a vehicle for
setting it off
feed em free breakfast like the Panthers then the bets are all off
go make it, go recognize power, go take it
don't fake it, go understand empire, go break it
<Mother Tareka>
we live in fear of the doomsday!
so we rock for the new day!
lay roots with the true say!
see a future with us in!
man, we just trying to live
trying to survive
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"well it's nice to see you so fresh and awake guvnor!"
"someone put something in my drink last night"
"what?"
<Mother Tareka>
THE TRUTH!
upon a wishing star I spelled out relief
prayed for those who fell and for the death of the thief
not the survivalist type but those that hog the mic
always taking more than claiming they important
i pondered this while trucking through my grave shift
strange plots that never once had ever made sense
apes 'cause we drag our knuckles on the pavement
slaves 'cause we trade away days just to save cents
the whip cracks at dawn
driverman's mad as hell as so on
his whip is readily drawn
with no hesitation
we studied and read Qurans
Bibles and scriptures that claimed where we from
still we saw no results
no emancipation
the fuck happened?
we ain't foxes made for duke's trapping!
time for reacting!
driverman's packing heat but we beat his ass
and fight back with that direct action!
"driver man he made a life"
he made a life full of trouble and strife
"but the mammy ain't his wife"
he made a mother working undercover
"chopping cotton don't be slow"
don't be slow or they letting you go
"better finish out your row"
do what you're told work 'til you're too old
"driverman he made a life"
he made a life full of trouble and strife
"but the mammy ain't his wife"
he made a mother while working undercover Ugh!
"chopping cotton don't be slow"
don't be slow or they let you go
"better finish out your row"
do what you're told work 'til you're too old
"keep it moving with that plow"
keep moving improving always amusing
"driverman will show you how"
driverman'll make ya! driverman'll make ya!
"get to work and root that stump"
get to work or they making you hurt
"driverman'll make ya jump"
dirverman'll make ya driverman'll make ya
"better make your hammer ring"
driverman'll make ya JUMP JUMP!
driverman'll make ya JUMP JUMP!
"driverman'll start to swing"
driverman'll make ya
pray for a sweet chariot to swing down and let we ride!
"ain't but two things on my mind
driverman and quitting time"
the fuck happened?
we ain't foxes made for duke's trapping!
time for reacting!
driverman's packing heat but we beat his ass
and fight back with that direct action!
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released March 25, 2015