(Everybody in the history of our people
from Garvey through Martin Luther King through Malcolm
all the way to Queensbridge Houses
have hit the streets and spoke)
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
[ VERSE 1: Intelligent Hoodlum ]
There was a brother in the Bridge, Richie Lou
Beaten to death by the red, white and blue
I can still hear the siren, and I hate it
Headlines read: Death was drug-related
What does crack have to do with the life that's bein taken
Drugs that one is usin, or money that one is makin
No one can bare the pain of his mother, I know it hurted
The thought of her son bein beaten, then murdered
Too late to turn the other cheek now, cause I'm bothered
This little girl's gonna grow without a father
And all we can do for brother Rich is say peace
And make sure the killin cease
Cause if we don't have justice, there is no peace
No peace, this is the message you're sendin me
Killin my brothers makes you my enemy
Another man's heaven is a blackman's hell
If you think he's not your enemy, then time will tell
Cause America's a prison, America's a prison
America's a prison and we wanna be released
No justice, no justice, no peace
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
[ VERSE 2: Intelligent Hoodlum ]
It's the '90s, and I speak for my descendants
Africa deserves its independence
Unity is strength, separation is illusion
There's no such thing as a peaceful revolution
Let's all fight for the motherland
Man, woman and child, child, woman and man
Abortion or birth, you tell me what's sweeter
Who knows, you could've just killed a young black leader
Givin birth is a beautiful ability
Sex should be safe if you lack responsibility
Strenght is the son, support is the daugther
Some say it's murder and some say that it's slaughter
A woman should be trialed, prosecuted
When a innocent life is executed
So before you lay down with a man, think of results
Abortion is a sacrifice as an adult
Uncle Sam pays for college, waring skill
Your man is programmed with the desire to kill
Uncle Sam declares war on the Japanese
For black you never bled, but for white you bleed
Black children grow in a world like this
Where they kill black leaders and activists
Public housing is prison, get out of the place
Welfare is a system hold back the black race
Power for people, progress converter
Welfare is economical murder
Physical and mental murder must cease
(Come on, baby) No justice, no peace
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
[ VERSE 3: Intelligent Hoodlum ]
There was a brother in the Bridge named Richie Lou
Beaten to death by the red, white and blue
I can still hear the siren sound, and I hate it
Headlines read: Death was drug-related
What does crack have to do with the life that's bein taken
Drugs that one is usin, money that one is makin
No one can bare the pain of his mother, I know it hurted
The thought of her son bein beaten, then murdered
Too late to turn the other cheek now, cause I'm bothered
This little girl's gonna grow without a father
And all we can do for brother Rich is say peace
And make sure the killin cease
Cause if we don't have justice, then there is no peace
No peace, this is the message you're sendin me?
Killin my brothers makes you my enemy
Another man's heaven is a blackman's hell
If you think he's not your enemy, then time will tell
Cause America's a prison, America's a prison
America's a prison and we wanna be released
(Now what time is it?) No justice, no justice, no peace
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
No justice, no peace
No peace, no justice
Hey yo
this goes out to Richie Lou
and his family
Stay strong
Peace
