Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos Lyrics - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back - Public Enemy

I got a letter from the government 

The other day 

I opened and read it 

It said they were suckers 

They wanted me for their army or whatever 

Picture me given' a damn, I said never 

Here is a land that never gave a damn 

About a brother like me and myself 

Because they never did 

I wasn't wit' it, but just that very minute 

It occurred to me 

The suckers had authority 

Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell 

How long has it been? 

They got me sittin' in the state pen 

I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before 

I contemplated a plan on the cell floor 

I'm not a fugitive on the run 

But a brother like me begun, to be another one 

Public enemy servin' time, they drew the line y'all 

To criticize me some crime, never the less 

They could not understand that I'm a Black man 

And I could never be a veteran 

On the strength, the situation's unreal 

I got a raw deal, so I'm goin' for the steel 

They got me rottin' in the time that I'm servin' 

Tellin' you what happened the same time they're throwin' 

Four of us packed in a cell like slaves, oh well 

The same motherfucker got us livin' is his hell 

You have to realize, what its a form of slavery 

Organized under a swarm of devils 

Straight up, word 'em up on the level 

The reasons are several, most of them federal 

Here is my plan anyway and I say 

I got gusto, but only some I can trust, yo 

Some do a bid from one to ten 

And I never did, and plus I never been 

I'm on a tier where no tears should ever fall 

Cell block and locked, I never clock it y'all 

'Cause time and time again time 

They got me servin' to those and to them 

I'm not a citizen 

But ever when I catch a see-O 

Sleepin' on the job, my plan is on go-ahead 

On the strength, I'ma tell you the deal 

I got nothin' to lose 

'Cause I'm goin' for the steel 

You know I caught a C-O 

Fallin' asleep on death row 

I grabbed his gun, then he did what I said so 

And everyman's got served 

Along with the time they served 

Decency was deserved 

To understand my demands 

I gave a warnin', I wanted the governor, y'all 

And plus the warden to know 

That I was innocent, 

Because I'm militant 

Posing a threat, you bet it's fuckin' up the government 

My plan said I had to get out and break north 

Just like with Oliver's neck 

I had to get off, my boys had the feds in check 

They couldn't do nothin' 

We had a force to instigate a prison riot 

This is what it takes for peace 

So I just took the piece 

Black for Black inside time to cut the leash 

Freedom to get out, to the ghetto, no sell out 

6 see-Os we got we ought to put their head out 

But I'll give 'em a chance, 'cause I'm civilized 

As for the rest of the world, they can't realize 

A cell is hell, I'm a rebel so I rebel 

Between bars, got me thinkin' like an animal 

Got a woman C-O to call me a copter 

She tried to get away, and I popped her 

Twice, right 

Now who want to get nice? 

I had six C-O's, now it's 5 to go 

And I'm serious, call me delirious 

But I'm still a captive 

I gotta rap this 

Time to break as time grows intense 

I got the steel in my right hand 

Now I'm lookin' for the fence 

I ventured into the courtyard 

Followed by fifty two brothers 

Bruised, battered, and scarred but hard 

Goin' out with a bang 

Ready to bang out 

But power from the sky 

And from the tower shots rang out 

A high number of dose, yes 

And some came close 

Figure I trigger my steel 

Stand and hold my post 

This is what I mean, an anti-nigger machine 

If I come out alive and then they won't, come clean 

And then I threw up my steel bullets, flew up 

Blew up, who shot 

What, who, the bazooka was who 

And to my rescue, it was the S1Ws 

Secured my getaway, so I just got away 

The joint broke, from the black smoke 

Then they saw it was rougher that the average bluffer 

'Cause the steel was black, the attitude exact 

Now the chase is on tellin' you to c'mon 

53 brothers on the run, and we are gone