A Letter to the Law
A Letter to the Law Lyrics
Dem boy wanna talk like dem wanna gon come
But what you gon' do if you got one gun?
I sing a song for the hero unsung
With faces on the mural of the revolution
No looking back, cause in back is what's done
Tell the preacher God got more than one son
Tell the law my Uzi weighs a ton
I walk like a warrior from them I won't run
On the streets they try to beat us like a drum
In Cincinnati, another brother hung
Again he won't see the sun, with his family stung
They want us to hold justice, but you handin' me none
The same they did Kobe and Michael Jackson
Make them the main attraction
Turn around and attack them
Black gem in the rough, you rugged enough
Use your mind and non power, get the government touch
Them boy chat chat on how him pop gun
I got the black strap to make the cops run
They watching me, I'm watching them
Them dick boys got a lotta cock in them
My people on the block got a lotta Pac in them
And when we roll together, we be rocking them
To sleep
No time for that, cause there's things to be done
Stay true to what I do so the youth dream come
From project building, seen a fiend being hung
With that happening, why they messing with Saddam?
Burn a bush, cause for peace he no push no button
Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruction
How can we follow leader when this a corrupt one?
The government's a G-Unit and they might buck young
Black people in the urban area one
I hold up a peace sign but I carry a gun
Peace y'all, love
About
Common’s 2007 Def Poetry Jam poem about the governmental abuse of power as viewed through the eyes of the underprivileged (watch a video breakdown of Common’s performance).
When invited to a poetry reading at the White House, Fox News made a big deal about it, calling Common a “vile rapper” and citing these lyrics as a reason why we shouldn’t allow someone who promotes violence against police to be at the White House.
Pundits frequently took the lyrics out of context, discussing only the killing cops part and not taking into account the patois accent Common uses to deliver some of his lines (suggesting a dramatic monologue).
Rap Genius would like it to be noted that “vile rappers” usually don’t appear in GAP ads or in romantic comedies with Queen Latifah.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 2.A Letter to the Law
- 4.Bitter Sweet
- 9.Hell
- 10.I Need to Write
- 12.Industry
- 13.Lola
- 14.Lonely People
- 17.P.O.W
- 18.Self Conscious
- 20.The Corner Store
- 21.V for Virgin
- 22.W.T.C.
- 25.Your Revolution