[Hook]
On and on I know life goes
I'm mourning the death of a Michael
Not Jackson, but one missin' in action
One who was shot over some fashion
Who lost hope when his dad split
Who caught AIDS from a self-proclaimed bad— (watch yo mouth homie)
My culture's goin' down, gather around, my culture's goin' down
Watch it burn baby burn, my culture's goin' down
Watch it burn baby burn, my culture's goin' down

[Verse 1]
Let's start the revolution while we're still young
Industry hype well this is the real in for some
Off the wall moonwalk no need for a drug
I've been bad I'm just tryin' to find my other glove (yo talk to 'em)
And play catch with the widow's son
He tryin' to ball, I'm tryin' to tell him to own a club
Young boy got himself a little lady bug
They call em B's in the street, he's tryin' at catch a buzz
My hood needs more fathers and less bachelors
Introduce 'em to the Father - no more bastards
Introduce 'em to manhood, let's see what that does
If he's tryina reach the stars I'll call NASA (you better preach homie)
But I'm no pastor - runaway slave who has now turned rapper
College educated but no need for a master's
Fall in love with this sound baby and we'll catch ya
Hah, man Sho who are you dog? You come around here like this a zoo dog?
You look the part, but what's really hood?
We don't see you 'round here but ya talk is good
[Hook]
On and on I know life goes
I'm mourning the death of a Michael
Not Jackson, but one missin' in action
One who was shot over some fashion
Who lost hope when his dad split
Who caught AIDS from a self-proclaimed bad— (watch yo mouth homie)
My culture's goin' down, gather around, my culture's goin' down
Watch it burn baby burn my, culture's goin' down
Watch it burn baby burn my, culture's goin' down

[Verse 2]
They may have heard about God but they think why bother
They heard Hail Mary's but never knew our Fathers
Have they heard of the love of Christ?
Is heaven so far that it's out of sight? (what's up dog?)
A son starts to cry, his father's found dead and I don't know why
I can't really look him in his eyes
It's hard to explain why his father really died (yo cuz we gotta go)
Maybe pride, maybe lies, maybe over a girl who belonged to another guy
She's a proud video vixen
She ain't got jelly, she the whole dang kitchen
Young boy's addicted, yeah them boys itchin'
Old men hooked with a look got em fishin' (man, shorty bad)
She promised me a hell of a night
All I can think to myself is how Lucifer write
Brothers in the club throwin' you some bucks
How about these same brothers throwin' you some trust?
Baby girl you mistake your own value
You're only worth the value of the idol you bow down to
[Hook]
On and on I know life goes
I'm mourning the death of a Michael
Not Jackson, but one missin in action
One who was shot over some fashion
Who lost hope when his dad split
Who caught AIDS from a self-proclaimed bad, bad
My culture's goin' down, gather around, my culture's goin' down
Gather around, my culture's goin' down
Gather around, my culture's goin' down

[Outro]
Minute after minute
Hour after hour
Day after day we be lustin' for that power
Politicians and thugs, intellectuals and cowards
Will do anything to get their hands on some power
I gotta get that power
Gimme some of that power
Need some of that power
Can't live without that power
I gotta get that power
Gimme some of that power
Need some of that power
Can't live without that power