I have no choice but to lend my voice to this occasion, this Sunday night situation here
At Gallery 992, where you, me, WRFG make it do what it do, beboppin', doo-woppin'
Hip-hoppin', finger-poppin', foot-stompin' music. Music, music, music so sweet and oh so rhythmic
Soothin' and medicinal. Music, music, music circlin' around in my brain, hearin' the genius of
John Coltrane, Dizzy and Miles. Dizzy, the bebop king, bent his horn and still did his thing
Salt peanuts! salt peanuts! Miles, Miles Davis stayed on course. He changed with the times, he was so diverse
And to the finish, and from the start, Billie Holiday sang with all her heart. She sang with all her heart
Yeah, and Satchmo, the Duke, and Ella have made me a very happy fella. Brightenin' up my day with the music they sing and play
Brightenin' up my day with the music they sing and play. And how about the tempting temptations, the Supremes and James Brown
They get down, make way for the young lions, their instruments are crying. Revolution, takin' on evolution
Beboppin', doo-woppin', hip-hoppin', finger-poppin', foot-stompin', hip-hoppin' music in the West End, the best end
Can I get an amen? Can I get an amen? Well, alright then. Beboppin', doo-woppin', hip-hoppin', finger-poppin', foot-stompin' music
Music so sweet and oh so rhythmic, soothing and medicinal. Music, music, music, music circling around in my brain
Hearing the genius of John Coltrane. Dizzy and Miles, Dizzy the Bebop King, bent his horn and still did his thing. Salt peanuts! salt peanuts!
The great one said, feed the people fish, they eat for a day. Teach them how to fish, they eat for a lifetime
There is no crime in doing for self. If we don't, won't no one else. Hands that evolved from those who made the first tools have become fools of deception and victims of regression.
Koreans, Arabs, and Jews have paid their dues. Now their making money in our neighborhoods while we singing the blues
Haven't you heard the news? Small businesses are the backbone of America. And it's okay to think big, but don't be afraid to start small, y'all
The miseducation process has created a mess. Training our children to become employees. Destroying our brain cells, working for him. We can build our own IBM
Don't have to start out with a skyscraper, we can make our own toilet paper. Name it Black Cloud and rain on Master's Economic Parade
Unfortunately, many of us are waiting for the group to make a move. Following instead of leading. Partying instead of studying. Organizing and leading
While the children are bleeding from poverty. Who is willing to roll up their sleeves and rake up the leaves of apathy, jealousy, confusion, disillusion, racism, and sexism?
For the leaves continue to fall. Even after it appeared we have bagged them all. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
The griot's voices growing hoarse from the pain of the honor boy Elijah Muhammad, who died urging us to do for self. Do for self. Do for self!
Because if we don't, won't no one else. Won't no one else. We've been consumers for so long, we won't become producers until we grab hold of the song
God bless the child that's got his own.
One last selection. This poem is a classic. I had a request for this, y'all. Ain't got nothing to do with today, but it's got something to do with reality...