Absolute power corrupts absolutely
But absolute powerlessness does the same
Its not the poverty
Its the inequality that we live with everyday that will turn us insane
Absolute power corrupts absolutely
But absolute powerlessness does the same
Its not the poverty
Its the inequality that we live with everyday that will turn us insane
In a scheme of livin' my life wasn't hard
But as far as britain goes shit I practically starved
Sleeping in a track suit, gas meter runnin' out
Electric cut off as well, candles lightin' up the house
Lookin' in my momma's eyes I see how she feels
The strain and the pain of just paying bills
It ain't real, and thats how I grew like so many more
And it is part of who I am
I am very sure
You wanna know the rage I feel in my stomach
Knowing my mum and dad split up when I was still in her stomach
And not everything that happened I will put in sixteens
But I will tell you enough so you will know what I mean
My boy's mother got cancer the same time as mine
His mother died, and mine survived
The shit was fucked back then
When I was like ten already had the mental strength
More than many grown men
Absolute power corrupts absolutely
But absolute powerlessness does the same
Its not the poverty
Its the inequality that we live with everyday that will turn us insane
This was a couple years after my step-dad left
Did he really know the crazy mess that he left?
Cos mum done' recovered from the lumps in her neck
Being poor and alone just couldn't cope with the stress
And I earn my big sis for
So much soul that night hattan left school
When she left home
I was thirteen by now
Still a little kid, innocent
Next couple years though would turn him 'to a militant
That is the result of no food in the fridge
And every other day being searched by the pigs
Fuck these patronizing teachers
Don't want my grades 'slip, trynna' emasculate me
-Yeah turn me 'to a bitch
And I dont mean a woman please lemme be clear
I mean a spineless man 'cos what do they fear
Than a working class black male with a brain
When our energy is harnessed, every changed
Look at 'Pac look at Marley look at Hendrix look at Garvey
This is the potential that is wasted on a daily basis
In this racist, classist world that we live in
Still we comin' from nothing but we educate millions
Absolute power corrupts absolutely
But absolute powerlessness does the same
Its not the poverty
Its the inequality that we live with everyday that will turn us insane
I understand why it scares you
Its like how dare you
Overcome obstacles that we have been careful to
Place in your way every step of the way
In this so called democracy where kids get sprayed
Blacks and the Asians, Turks and the chavs
Crowded in council flats, living like ants
And who's more confused than the poor white trash
Spouting the bullshit about they want their country back
It never was yours, you should read more
What they did to brown people they did to their own poor
Peoples memories short, so much that im seeing
Black and asian kids cussing eastern Europeans
No pot to piss in, makes competition
I fail to see how this is an effective system
Cats and dogs in America and Britain
Eat better food then most of humanity
We spend our technology only on killin'
How is this more than sophisticated savagery
Its like its said, the world is a stage
Each person's just an actor with a part to play
Like the middle class kids, - kids of the rich
Have everything, but yet still they pissed
On coke and ketamine, strung out on heroin
I ain't generalizing, look at the evidence
Absolute power corrupts absolutely
But absolute powerlessness does the same
Its not the poverty
Its the inequality that we live with everyday that will turn us insane
Go to Glastonbury any year
You will see, unlike carnival
It won't be crawling with police
This is London, the kids on the very next street
Had a very different life experience than me
In my experience they can't help but be smug
After a lifetime of what they think's just good luck
They're still more anxious
And more frank cos'
Unearned privilege weigh's like an anchor
That's why they copy what we do, tryna' be what they not
They will grow up though and get better jobs
They will maintain the system they claim that they hated
But they can't burn it down they got a stake in this matrix
Hip-hop is just a fad to them, you didn't know?
But to us, this our living breathing soul
And yeah they might backpack in South America
Or even volunteer in an African village
But all said and done, push comes to shove
And shit hits the fan they're middle class and British
That's just how it is, most rich brown people are just as full of shit
So more concerned with they cars and jewels
Most of the worlds poor looks just like you
So more concerned with imprivileged few
Most of the worlds poor looks just like you
Absolute power corrupts absolutely
But absolute powerlessness does the same
Its not the poverty
Its the inequality that we live with everyday that will turn us insane