Rebirth Is Necessary - J Dilla

Detroit is bleeding

If you’re young black and male

You’re more likely to die by violence

Than by any other cause

Die by violence

Die by violence

Than by any other cause

Like, a whole generation is being wiped out

I, like, they just don’t care about, life it’s nothing

Gimme the track and I’ll murder it

I come from the small town maybe you’ve heard of it

Detroit: land of the Cartiers and murderers

Where most cats probably keep the burner tucked

Blowin' on a zip of that piff

Rollin' in stolen trucks

My congregation on land mines: we blowing up

Put a 45 to your tan line, now hold em up

I spit what I know not saying I condone this stuff

But that’s your mentality here when your home is fucked

We out here tryna make a living or make a killin'

Or make a killin' on any nigga that’s livin'

Tryna juke cats like Robin Givens

You rapper’s my sons

I’ve watched you grow from boys to men: Micheal Bivins

To you Scotty Pippens who coat-tail and name drop

I hope you overdose on this verbal coke and your vein pop

Interfere with my growth, it’ll lead to a grave plot

Only thing that they’ll find is your DNA at the Save-A-Lot

So stop telling these lies

Talking about that we ain’t hot

The D home of the dopest period

Some of then ain’t drop

And some of em your favorite rappers, mine too

This year cover your mouth nigga, swine flu

We everywhere in this city, maybe behind you

Even the little kids can probably out-rhyme you

You could be halogen based, I’d still outshine you

Pay attention to the rhetoric

Cheers for etiquette

To attack Detroit is to attack black

Politicians ran for office, by attacking Detroit

Detroit is armed and dangerous

More guns than there are people

People breakin' in

They come down here

They see nice houses

Oh, now I gotta protect myself from them

You know the best is found here though

Alot of people call it recession ground zero

Responsible for these legend and town heroes

On the hunt for these Benji’s and found Euros

Monumental murals

Murder mig mayhem

Make Pakistan look like day camp

But the best place to get that A?

blammed

This ain’t a gang land

'cause everybody hustle here

You got a right to be scared

You better trust your fear

I’m an advocate, spokesperson for cannabis (uh)

Savages, surviving the laws of averages (yeah)

School system got them acting like they screws missin'

The lead beams get red wings on stool pigeons

The murder capitol, ain’t nothing that I’m proud about

They killed Patrick for everything he lied about (see)

My city limits taught many men to divvy digits

Ironically, the economy got them being evicted

That’s why the rebirth is necessary

Everything is secondary

To what I’m speaking of is legendary

You love your city ain’t no doubt about it

Thugs do

But the real question is: Do your city love you?

See, I’m the one nigga that most niggas will vouch for

Should be the mayor, or at least head of city council

At least head of city council

The truth may hurt, but the truth is

Detroit is burning

Like a whole generation was being wiped out

I, like, they just don’t care about, life it’s nothing