Words of Wisdom

## Song by 2Pac

"**Words of Wisdom**" is a song by 2Pac, released as the sixth track from his debut studio album, *2Pacalypse Now* (1991). It criticizes America's sociopolitical landscape. He co-wrote it with producer Gregory "Shock G" Jacobs, sampling the 1973 song "Chameleon" by Herbie Hancock.

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro]

Killing us one by one

In one way or another, America will find a way to eliminate the problem

One by one

The problem is the troublesome Black youth of the ghetto

And, one by one, we are being wiped off the face of this Earth at an extremely alarming rate

And even more alarming is the fact that we are not fighting back

Brothers, sisters, n\*\*\*as

When I say "n\*\*\*a" it is not the n\*\*\*a we have grown to fear

It is not the "n\*\*\*a" we say as if it has no meaning, but, to me

It means "Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished", n\*\*\*a

N\*\*\*as, what are we going to do?

Walk blind into a line or fight?

Fight and die if we must

Die, like n\*\*\*as

[Verse 1]

This is for the masses, the lower classes, ones you left out

Jobs were given, better living, but we were kept out

Made to feel inferior, but we're superior

Break the chains in our brains that made us fear ya

Pledge allegiance to a flag that neglects us

Honor a man that refuses to respect us

Emancipation Proclamation? Please

Lincoln just said that to save the nation

These are lies that we all accepted

Say no to drugs, but the governments' kept it

Running through our community, killing the unity

The war on drugs is a war on you and me

And yet, they say this is the home of the free

You ask me, it's all about hypocrisy

The constitution, yo, it don't apply to me

And Lady Liberty? Stupid bitch lied to me

This may be strong, and no one's gonna like what I'm pumpin'

But its wrong to keep someone from learning something

So get up, its time to start nation building

I'm fed up, we gotta start teaching children

That they can be all that they want to be

There's much more to life than just poverty

This is definitely, uh, words of wisdom

[Interlude]

America! America! AmeriKa-Ka-Ka

I charge you with the crime of rape, murder, and assault

For suppressing and punishing my people

I charge you with robbery for robbing me of my history

I charge you with false imprisonment for keeping me trapped in the projects

And the jury finds you guilty on all accounts

And you are to serve the consequences for your evil schemes

Prosecutor, do you have any more evidence?

[Verse 2]

Words of wisdom based upon the strength of a nation

Conquer the enemy armed with education

Protect yourself, reach for what you want to do

Know thyself, teach by what we've been through

Armed with the knowledge of the place we've been

No one will ever oppress this race again

No Malcolm X in my history text, why's that?

'Cause he tried to educate and liberate all Blacks

Why is Martin Luther King in my book each week?

He told Blacks, if they get smacked, turn the other cheek

I don't get it, so many questions went through my mind

I get sweated, they act like asking questions a crime

But forget it, 'cause one day I'm gonna prove them wrong

Not every brother had his mother on the welfare line

The American Dream, though it seems like it's attainable

They're pulling your sleeve, don't believe, ’cause it'll strangle ya

Pulling the life of your brain, I can't explain

Beg as you can obtain from which you came

You swear to your mother that you living in equality

Forgetting your brother that's living here in poverty

Thought they had us beaten when they took out King

But the battle ain't over 'til the Black man sings

Words of wisdom

The battle ain't over 'till the Black man sings, words of wisdom

[Outro]

Nightmare! That's what I am

America's nightmare

I am what you made me

The hate and the evil that you gave me

I shine as a reminder of what you've done to my people for four hundred plus years

You should be scared, you should be running

You should be trying to silence me

Ha, but you can not escape fate

For it is my turn to come

Just as you rose, you will fall

By my hands

America, you reap what you sow

2Pacalypse, America's nightmare

Ice Cube and Da Lench Mob, America's nightmare

Above The Law, America's nightmare

Paris, America's nightmare

Public Enemy, America's nightmare

KRS-One, America's nightmare

New Afrikan Panthers, America's nightmare

Mutulu Shakur, America's nightmare

Geronimo Pratt, America's nightmare

Assata Shakur, America's nightmare

Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera