09XXI - Hope Lyrics

The past is still our present
Gift that keeps on giving but we never asked for this blessing
That's truly a curse, what's worse, yesterday slaves
Or the present obsession with whips and chains
At alter praying for real alteration
Not presented differently, forgive me for imagery
Altercation seeing it vividly
Through history we been beaten viciously
Affidavit far from no pressure oppressors ability
To maliciously point out deficiencies
Cracks the whip for their own insecurities
That's the payment I'm anxious
Now we listen and move with the next kid
Latest dance craze contagious, the label head sits back and sips
Champagne from afar so we can't feel the pain coming from they lip
When they see us as a star only good for making them rich
Controlled like puppets on a string
Made to believe if we don't dance ball or sing
That we worthless, what hurts is
We just a source of entertainment fore the pavement
Or prison cages, new form of enslavement
Racism never died even while being filmed they can't contain the hatred
You already know, you already know
We just tryna cope, we just tryna cope
They tell us stay woke, they tell us stay woke
We need hope, hope, hope
You already know, you already know
We just tryna cope, we just tryna cope
They tell us stay woke, they tell us stay woke
We need hope, hope, hope
We need to discuss this injustice disgusted
The news that I view in abundance corruption
Undeniable, to many examples of destruction
Liable to give you a sample of this anger that's erupting
Another day another trending topic emphasized
Another black man dead at the hand of police, watched it scene memorized
The pain can't stop it, saw it with my own eyes form of genocide
Where are the rights that we try to exercise
2 Cops, 1 man, 5 shots in the span
Of 7 seconds, weapon for protection turned weapon of oppression
Bullet for every member of his family at point blank range
Things been rearranged and exchanged
But nothing has really changed
We still trapped in systemic hate
And it's deep rooted
Don't tell me that we are all the same
When I see this persecution
It is one sided through perception misguided you can't deny it
They hate when we riot stereotype us as violent so we stay in silence
You already know, you already know
We just tryna cope, we just tryna cope
They tell us stay woke, they tell us stay woke
We need hope, hope, hope
You already know, you already know
We just tryna cope, we just tryna cope
They tell us stay woke, they tell us stay woke
We need hope, hope, hope

The past is still our present
Gift that keeps on giving but we never asked for this blessing
That's truly a curse, what's worse, yesterday slaves
Or the present obsession with whips and chains
At alter praying for real alteration
Not presented differently, forgive me for imagery
Altercation seeing it vividly
Through history we been beaten viciously
Affidavit far from no pressure oppressors ability
To maliciously point out deficiencies
Cracks the whip for their own insecurities
That's the payment I'm anxious
Now we listen and move with the next kid
Latest dance craze contagious, the label head sits back and sips
Champagne from afar so we can't feel the pain coming from they lip
When they see us as a star only good for making them rich
Controlled like puppets on a string
Made to believe if we don't dance ball or sing
That we worthless, what hurts is
We just a source of entertainment fore the pavement
Or prison cages, new form of enslavement
Racism never died even while being filmed they can't contain the hatred
You already know, you already know
We just tryna cope, we just tryna cope
They tell us stay woke, they tell us stay woke
We need hope, hope, hope
You already know, you already know
We just tryna cope, we just tryna cope
They tell us stay woke, they tell us stay woke
We need hope, hope, hope
We need to discuss this injustice disgusted
The news that I view in abundance corruption
Undeniable, to many examples of destruction
Liable to give you a sample of this anger that's erupting
Another day another trending topic emphasized
Another black man dead at the hand of police, watched it scene memorized
The pain can't stop it, saw it with my own eyes form of genocide
Where are the rights that we try to exercise
2 Cops, 1 man, 5 shots in the span
Of 7 seconds, weapon for protection turned weapon of oppression
Bullet for every member of his family at point blank range
Things been rearranged and exchanged
But nothing has really changed
We still trapped in systemic hate
And it's deep rooted
Don't tell me that we are all the same
When I see this persecution
It is one sided through perception misguided you can't deny it
They hate when we riot stereotype us as violent so we stay in silence
You already know, you already know
We just tryna cope, we just tryna cope
They tell us stay woke, they tell us stay woke
We need hope, hope, hope
You already know, you already know
We just tryna cope, we just tryna cope
They tell us stay woke, they tell us stay woke
We need hope, hope, hope