Self-Destruction
by the Stop the Violence Movement
1989
Chorus:
Self-destruction
You're headed for self-destruction
Self-destruction
You're headed for self-destruction
[KRS-One]
Well, today's topic, self-destruction
It really ain't the rap audience that's buggin'
It's one or two suckers, ignorant brothers
Trying to rob and steal from one another
You get caught in the mid
So to crush the stereotype here's what we did
We got ourselves together
So that you could unite and fight for what's right
Not negative 'cause the way we live is positive
We don't kill our relatives
[MC Delight]
Pop pop pop
When it's shot who's to blame?
Headlines, front page, and rap's the name
MC Delight here to state the bottom line
That black-on-black crime was way before our time
[Kool Moe Dee]
Took a brother's life with a knife as his wife
Cried cause he died a trifling death
When he left his very last breath
Was I slept so watch your step
Back in the 60s our brothers and sisters were hanged
How could you gang-bang?
I never ever ran from the Ku Klux Klan
And I shouldn't have to run from a black man
Cause that's...
Chorus
[MC Lyte]
Funky fresh dressed to impress ready to party
Money in your pocket, dying to move your body
To get inside you paid the whole ten dollars
Scotch taped with a razor blade taped to your collar
Leave the guns and the crack and the knives alone
MC Lyte's on the microphone
Bum rushin' and crushin', snatchin' and taxin'
I cram to understand why brother's don't be maxin'
There's only one disco, they'll close one more
You ain't guarding the door
So what you got a gun for?
Do you rob the rich and give to the poor?
Yo Daddy-O, school 'em some more
[Daddy-O, Wise]
Straight from the mouth of Wise and Daddy-o
Do a crime end up in jail and gotta go
'Cause you could do crime and get paid today
And tomorrow you're behind bars in the worst way
Far from your family, 'cause you're locked away
Now tell me, do you really think crime pays?
Scheming on taking what your brother has?
You little suckers, you talkin' all that jazz.
[D-Nice]
It's time to stand together in a unity
'Cause if not then we're soon to be
Self-destroyed, unemployed
The rap race will be lost without a trace
Or a clue but what to do
Is stop the violence and kick the science
Down the road that we call eternity
Where knowledge is formed and you'll learn to be
Self-sufficient, independent
To teach to each is what rap intended
But society wants to invade
So do not walk this path they laid.
It's...
Chorus
[Ms. Melodie]
I'm Ms. Melodie and I'm a born again rebel
The violence in rap must cease and settle
If we want to develop and grow to another level
We can't be guinea pigs for the devil
The enemy knows, they're no fools
Because everyone knows that hip hop rules
So we gotta get a grip and grab what's wrong
The opposition is weak and rap is strong
[Doug E. Fresh]
This is all about, no doubt, to stop violence
But first let's have a moment of silence
Swing
Things been stated, re-educated, evaluated
Thoughts of the past have faded
The only thing left is the memories of our belated
And I hate it when
Someone dies and gets all hurt up
For a silly gold chain by a chump, word up
It doesn't make you a big man, and
To want to go and dis your brother man, and
You don't know? That's part of the plan
Why? Cause rap music is in full demand.
Understand?
Chorus
[Just-Ice]
My name is Just-Ice, a man not a prankster
I was known as the gangster
But believe me that is no fun
The time is now to unite and be one
You don't have to be soft to be for peace
Robbin' and killin' and muderin' is the least
You don't have to be chained by the beast
But party people it's time I release
[Heavy D]
Here's the situation: idiodicy
Nonsense violence, not a good policy
Therefore we must ignore fightin' and fussin'
Heavy's at the door so there'll be no bum rushin'
Let's get together before we're fallin' apart
I heard a brother shot another
It broke my heart
I don't understand the difficulty, people
Love your brother, treat him as an equal
They call us animals, mmm-mmm I don't agree with them
I'll prove them wrong, but right is what your proving them
Take heed before I lead to what I'm sayin'
Or we'll all be on our knees, prayin
[Fruitkwan]
Heavy D, deep in the heart of the matter
The self-destruction is served on a platter
Makin' a date not failing to aniticipate
They got greedy so they fell for the bait
That makes them a victim, picked then plucked
New jack in jail, but to the vets they're a duck
There's noone to rob, 'cause in jail you're a number
They never took the time to wonder about...
Chorus
[Chuck D, Flavor Flav]
Yes we urge to merge we live for the love
Of our people to hope they get along
(Yeah, so we did a song)
Getting the point to our brothers and sisters
Who don't know the time
(So we wrote a rhyme)
It's dead in your head, you know, I'll drive to build
And collect ourselves with intellect
To revolve to evolve to self-respect
'Cause we've got to keep ourselves in check
Or else it's...
Chorus