Tag: Paradise Gray

You’re Fired – Jasiri X

We’re shooting the remix video live at #RebuildWI on May 19 in Milwaukee. Sign up at http://rebuildrevivals.org/wi and join us to make history

Download for Free at http://jasirix.bandcamp.com/track/youre-fired

https://twitter.com/jasiri_x

I was in Madison, Wisconsin when the citizens took over the statehouse and it was one of the most amazing events I’ve witnessed. I saw firsthand the power of regular people coming together in unity to fight back against corrupt politicians and corporate influence. I’m honored to add my voice to this historic campaign to recall Scott Walker and rebuild Wisconsin.

“You’re Fired” was directed by Paradise Gray and stars Silas Russell as “Scott Walker”

[LYRICS]

Yeah, it’s time for a Recall
Untied we stand divided we fall
We tired of being treated like we small
You forgot you work for us and we the boss

So let’s tell Scott Walker you’re fired
Go clean out ya desk cause you’re fired
Cash that last check cause you’re fired
You don’t wanna show us respect now you’re fired

The powers with the people don’t let these coward device you
Like since it’s time to vote now they need you
We are not who these politicians speak to
When it’s $10,000 a plate just to meet you
Ask Mr Walker about all his offers
Barely half a term look how much it cost ya
Month after month of consecutive job losses
While he with the Koch brothers in aspen straight flossin
He’s with the NRA they got they guns cocked
He passed stand your ground just took him one shot
And that lead to the death of Bo Morrison
Such a bright future now they’re more morning him
This election they don’t even want you voting in
Tried to make you have an ID before going in
But now accountable is what we’re holding them
Open up the polls we got the whole hood rolling in

Yeah, it’s time for a Recall
Untied we stand divided we fall
We tired of being treated like we small
You forgot you work for us and we the boss

So let’s tell Scott Walker you’re fired
Go clean out ya desk cause you’re fired
Cash that last check cause you’re fired
You don’t wanna show us respect now you’re fired

Is this who you really want as ya governor
The second he gets elected wanna stunt on ya
Got you’re vote now he got no love for ya
Every day he got a new way of hand cuffing ya
Like education nah we don’t need that
We don’t wanna to pay anybody to teach that
Ease back see they really believe that
Smart people vote so they don’t want you to be that
Or make a good living that pays
Scott Walker rather see you making minimum wage
With no unions, no benefits and no future
So his corporate friends can stay rich it’s so super
Unless you’re working class or poor
they always slam the door on what we asking for
It’s all we can stand and we can’t stand no more
Of these hardcore liars Scott Walker you’re fired

“Do We Need to Start a Riot?” – Jasiri X

Free Download: http://jasirix.bandcamp.com/track/do-we-need-to-start-a-riot
“Do We Need to Start a Riot?” is a response to the recent report by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement that states 110 Black people have been killed by the police in 2012, one every 40 hours

http://mxgm.org/report-on-the-extrajudicial-killings-of-110-black-people/

Filmed on location in New York City at the historic march to end Stop and Frisk, and in Los Angeles on Florence and Normandie, where the 1992 LA rebellion began, “Do We Need to Start a Riot?” features words from legendary Activist/Comedian Dick Gregory and Henry Watson, one of the “LA Four”, charged in the beating of Reginald Denny and highlighted in the recent VH1 documentary “Uprising: Hip-Hop and the LA Riots, and appearances by the Universal Zulu Nation, Occupy the Hood, the Sound Strike, the League, and Hip-Hop Artist Tahir Jahi.

“Do We Need to Start a Riot?” was directed by Paradise Gray and Radee Westfield.

[LYRICS]

Ramarly Graham, they shot him
Alan Blueford, they shot him
Ken Chamberlain, they shot him
Kendric McDade, they shot him

Darius Simmons, they shot him
Bo Morrison, they shot him
Wendell Allen, they shot him
Justin Sipp, they shot him

Scared rappers be quiet
Scared preachers be quiet
Scared leaders be quiet
You’re in the presence of warriors

Scared rappers be quiet
Scared preachers be quiet
Scared leaders be quiet
You’re in a warrior’s face boy
You can’t call this a race war
Cause we the only ones they got hate for
That get shot down when the gage roar
But we always willing to take more
From Emmett Till on that lake floor
To Trayvon, Rekia Boyd
Mumia, Troy it’s we destroyed
Since I’m public enemy I bring the noise

Marissa Alexander, they locked her
Jasmine Thar, they shot her
They keep trying to kill us
But they never get indicted
Our people crying loud
But them scared rappers stay quit
And if we don’t get justice do we need to start a riot?

In 92 those riots grew
Peace treaty
red unites with blue
In LA the Crips and the Prius
Put aside the feud and started riding true
said the NOI was behind it to
Then Police came in to divide the crews
Steal a homies car them drive it through
Another gangs hood then fire the tool
Our unity is our biggest weapon
When I asks this question you feeling threatened
But imagined your child being killed for less and
It’s 45 days for the killer arrested
mad at me cause I’m given a message
But if we can be killed by Zimmermans
And they can get off cause of privilege
Then our we really citizens
Get beaten to death if you a immigrant
Go back to your country is the sentiment
They call us monkeys say we ignorant
So we get killed they don’t give a shit
Now what would you do if you were living this?
To protect your kids from this?
If ya child got killed would you live with it?
Would you slit you wrists would you get the fifth
Would you care about ya job our ya benefits?
If they said they murderer was innocent
No trial no jury no sentencing
And you saw how foul this system is
but they keep telling us to be patient
They keep tell us to keep waiting
They keep telling us that we hating
And when we’re killed cause we black that we racist

Howard Morgan they shot em
Then for 40 years they locked him
They keep trying to kill us
But they never get indicted
Our people crying loud
But them scared rappers stay quit
And if we don’t get justice do we need to start a riot?

Who’s Illegal? – Jasiri X Ft Rhymefest

Who’s Illegal *Free Download* http://jasirix.bandcamp.com/track/whos-illegal-ft-rhymefest

In response to repressive anti-Immigration legislation SB1070 and HB56, Jasiri X, Rhymefest, and Paradise Gray traveled to Arizona and Alabama courtesy of the Sound Strike to see first hand how these unjust laws break up families, fracture communities and destroy lives.

“Who’s Illegal?” asks the question, can a nation on stolen land, built by stolen people define another group of human beings as illegal? “Who’s Illegal?” was produced by GM3 and directed by Paradise Gray.

Trayvon – Jasiri X

Demand Justice for Trayvon Martin http://colorofchange.org/campaign/trayvon/

Free Audio Download http://jasirix.bandcamp.com/track/trayvon

Jasiri X tells the heartbreaking story of Trayvon Martin, a unarmed 17 yr old boy, who was shot and killed by Neighborhood Block Captain George Zimmerman on February 26, 2012. George Zimmerman has to this date never been arrested or charged for the Murder of Trayvon.

“Trayvon” was directed by Paradise Gray and co directed and engineered by Mirage

[LYRICS]

It’s Sunday the God’s day a day of rest
The Nba all stars are playing next
But right outside that same city
The celebratory atmosphere would change quickly
Who watching the game with me you know lil Trayvon
Was reppin his home town D Wade and LeBron
He had just came up from Miami to see his daddy
Who knew such a great weekend would end so badly
In a place where you move because it’s safe for your family
But some people got a ingrown hate for your family
Halftime just a short brake from the slammin
Bout to go to the store lil cuz you want some candy?
Bet I grab you some skittles kid
I’ll be right back in a little bit

Paid for lil cuz’s skittles and a iced tea
walked out the store and felt the chill of the night breeze
it seemed a little colder than before
he didn’t know it was a boy like a soldier in a war
that was watching him clocking him thinking about stopping him
nine milly cocking them who’s this nigga walking in my neighborhood
he fits all the specifics of criminal statistics he looks suspicious
911, what’s your emergency
A black man’s walking through my hood purposely
stay clam, it’s just little Trayvon but he wanna be the hero so he put’s his cape on
George Zimmerman neighborhood block captain
loaded glock strapped in fake cop has been
got out the car ignoring what the cops asked him
They always get away this time that will not happin

George Zimmerman didn’t take his Ritalin
drunk off adrenaline says he making a citizens arrest
Trayvon looks at him vexxed
I just walked to the store nothing more nothing less
Just steps from his home he ignored his request
George grabs him, Trayvon swings and connects
Starts screaming out for help but Zimmerman see a threat
so he pulls out his gun and he points it at his chest
He fires but he misses Trayvon pleads for forgiveness
I didn’t do nothing this is senseless
but George Zimmerman was so vicious
he made sure the second shot hit em no survivor no witness
Trayvon never gave his cousin his skittles
missed the all star game didn’t see another dribble
And George Zimmerman wasn’t even arrested
the message is only white lives are protected
In America

Hip-Hop Artists Stand for Human Rights Discussion with Chino XL, Rhymefest, Immortal Technique, Jasiri X

Hip-Hop Artists Stand for Human Rights

Chino XL, Rhymefest, Immortal Technique, Jasiri X (Photo by Paradise Gray)

Most of the discussion around rap music is almost always about it’s negative effects. Blog after blog of so called intellectuals rant about mainstream rap music’s bad influence on youth. I often wonder why they never mention the countless MCs all over the country and overseas using Hip-Hop music to educate, organize, and raise awareness about injustices in their communities. One organization that should be at the top of that list is The Sound Strike, founded by Rage Against the Machine’s front man Zack de la Rocha.

Sound Strike is a coalition of Artists that have committed to supporting the International Boycott of Arizona in the wake of the passage of SB 1070, a racist law that targets Latinos and subjects them to racial profiling, harassment and mass incarceration. Last Friday Sound Strike and Executive Director Javier Rodriguez organized one of the best Hip-Hop shows I’ve ever been a part of. Immortal Technique, Rhymefest, Chino Xl, and myself headlined a benefit show in Phoenix with 100% of the proceeds going to Puenteaz a youth based grassroots organization in Arizona that has a long history of fighting immigrant attacks. Hundreds of people filled the parking lot of Puenteaz’s new office creating an electric atmosphere of unity and positivity. Mariachis, fire dancers, local acts Vprolific, Grime and Olmeca and authentic food added to an incredible evening.

From AZ me, Javier, Rhymest, and Paradise the Arkitech, of the legendary rap group X-Clan, traveled to Birmingham to raise awareness of a bill even harsher than Arizona’s SB1070, Alabama’s HB56. There we met with organizers from America’s Voice and community activist William Anderson, who made national headlines by challenging Kanye West to speak out against Alabama’s racist bill. We heard personal stories of families who were ripped apart and children who’s parents were taken away, brutalized and dehumanized for not having a piece of paper. Incredibly it takes an average of 26 years to get American citizenship. In the mean time human beings seeking a better life can be detained, some indefinitely.

One Palestinian family was forced to watch as police stormed their home and arrested their mother, father and older brother. They fought back tears describing how their parents and brother were shipped to 3 different detainment facilities and how since that day their family has never been the same. Members of Occupy Birmingham attended and spoke about a rally their organizing with William Anderson on December 3rd where they are planning to march on a detention facility to protest these harmful policies. Tonight, 10 congressman lead by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) are holding a ad hoc hearing on immigration and Alabama’s HB56 immigration law. I’m honored to be on the frontlines of the Hip-Hop community, proving we’re not only the music of the revolution but also active participants.