[Guru]
Yeah.. Guru, huh, The Roots
Yeah... c'mon, y'all, uh, lift your fist
Uhh, yeah, lift your fist, c'mon
(Uhh)

[Chorus: Black Thought]
To all my people, just lift your fist
Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice
How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?
Either way, you got to lift your fist – we get it down like this
To all my people, ball up your first
Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice
How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?
Either way, you got to lift your fist

[Verse 1: Black Thought]
Yo, c'mon
We livin' life close to the edge, don't push
But this ain't '83 and it's not the Cold Crush
It's kids on the street strapped, huffin' that kush
They eyein' the next cat, livin' all plush
I guess frustration make a brother do what he must
What's the combination that can make a human erupt?
Team leaders gettin mutinied up, who couldn't read
The signs, thinkin' the day and times is Tawheed
[Verse 2: Guru]
Indeed, we blast, refuse to kiss ass
Quick fast, ready to mash, 'cause of a bugged out past
Swallow the pain, follow the mental terrain
It takes a hell of a man, nowadays to maintain
Garments bloodstained, face bruised and battered
Our eyes reflect the agony of dreams that were shattered
And they love it, when we wild out and kill our own
But the greater responsibility, yes, is still our own

[Chorus: Black Thought]
To all my people, just lift your fist
Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice
How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?
Either way, you got to lift your fist – we get it down like this
To all my people, ball up your first
Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice
How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?
Either way, you got to lift your fist

[Verse 3: Guru]
Uhh, worldwide famine, ghetto people demandin'
That somebody do somethin' soon, and let's examine
The facts, behind the violent attacks
Behind the daily gunplay, the cocaine, and the crack
Thug season – what's the reason for the treason?
Everybody's gotta eat, some gotta resort to thievin'
Take money, money, make money, money, money!
[Chorus: Black Thought]
To all my people, just lift your fist
Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice
How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?
Either way, you got to lift your fist – we get it down like this
To all my people, ball up your first
Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice
How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?
Either way, you got to lift your fist

[Verse 4: Black Thought]
Yo – from the time they eyes open til the clock strikes death
Brothers is stressed, walkin' 'round holdin' they chest
They got the government surveyin' they steps and can't breathe
They dynamitin' them projects to smithereens
Money coming, but them days too few and far between
You tryin' to taste just what the world's offering, ya'mean?
I seen enough to make a grown man scream
Brothers thirsty and hungry to get that thing

[Verse 5: Guru]
Too many tears of pain, too many years of struggle
Too many drops of blood, too many problems to juggle
Too few jobs available, too few schools equipped
Too few role models – just gangsters and pimps
Will you succumb, will your heart grow numb?
Or will you save the world, and use your mind like a gun?
I'm the one – I turn a stick-up kid to a soldier
Me and The Roots, word up, we takin' over
[Chorus: Black Thought]
To all my people, just lift your fist
Seem like it ain't no peace, no justice
How you want it, from the bullet or the microchip?
Either way, you got to lift your fist – we get it down like this
To all my people, ball up your first
Word up, it ain't no peace, no justice
How you want it, the bullet or the microchip?
Uh-uh-uh-uhh...

To all my peoples, just lift your fist
How you want it? It's no peace, no justice
From the bullet, or even from the microchip
Either way, you got to lift your fist – we get it down like this
For real, for real, lift your first, c'mon
All my peoples, yo – it ain't no justice