Yo... Ice
you been down with the struggle
for a long time... man
Why don't you drop some knowledge
for these brothers
Who want to get involved in this war
Take notes real gangstas wear trench
coats
grey suits... black ties
And they seek votes
and you're not to be misled
They'll kill you in your fuckin' bed
they don't sell dope
Yo, excuse me
yes they do
but they don't look that much like me
Or you but if you pull up the sheets
and expose them
They'll crawl up like snakes
and show fangs of venom
Now I've been soldier
for years
representin' the tattooed tears
Other brothas locked up with no choice
left in the bowels of devil
With no voice
phones are tapped!
my crib is bugged!
My car is tailed from club to club
and this ain't no fuckin' joke
They want to see a nigga broke
you can't slip
if you slip you're out
You gotta know what
you're talkin' about
drop science
Every chance you get
hit direct and indirect
speak in code
'Cause you're never alone
that's why I use this low tone
Follow this and you might grow older
this is a message to the soldiers!
Message to the soldiers
Message to the soldiers
Message to the soldier!
Now they killed King and they shot X
now they want me
You could be next!
all you gotta do is speak too loud!
All you gotta be is be too proud!
cause once you let 'em know
Who you are and where you're at
you better watch your back!
Cause you might think you're just dope
while you're livin
In a sniper's scope
I'm not tryin' to scare you
but there's a danger
If you get too deep
some nights I don't sleep!
all you wanna do is tell the truth
all you wanna do is save the youth
Ice Cube knows!
Souljah knows!
PE knows!
they throw death blows
and if you got kids or a girl
that's true
they'll move on them too!
but when I'm gone I need
you to carry on
you gotta be strong!
and fight for our salvation
But there will be retaliation!
Soldier!
this is a message to the soldiers!
Soldier!
this is a message to the soldiers!
To think that rap could be attacked
Is ignorin' the simple fact
that they never meant us to speak
They had planned to keep
the black man weak
but rap hit the streets
Black rage amplified over dope
beats
now they want to shut us down
And they don't fuck around
check the history books... son!
Black leaders die young
they tell us that your words
are scary
They're revolutionary!
because we speak the truth
about crime and drugs!
And expose the real thugs
this info is not beneficial!
to the groups that go by three initials
so they try to discredit
they'll dog you with an edit
print the words the way
you never said it
But we gotta make 'em regret it!
Soldier!
message to the soldiers!
message to the soldiers!
word... I know a lot of brothas out
there want to get in this war!
you know what I'm sayin?
A lot of sistas got a lot of knowledge
to drop on our people
But right now they're movin' to
shut down all hip- hop!
The first amendment had absolutely
nothin' to do with black people
At the time constitution was written
we were considered nothin' but property
the expectation of havin' black
people speak on records
Never came to mind!
so we gotta move
but believe me all the black
leaders have been silenced!
and most of the time
It's been violent!
so if you choose to get in this war...
realize what you're in for but we
gotta move on
and we gotta stay strong
Message to the soldiers!
Welcome to the struggle!
Message to the soldiers!
Be careful...
