LL Cool J crafted some new rhymes to encapsulate the outrage sparked by the police killing of George Floyd. For almost three minutes, the legendary MC raps about the plight of black life in America and why protests have led to riots in the country.
In his heartfelt verse, the Def Jam rapper evokes the names of many black lives lost at the hands of cops. While Floyd’s death has been the impetus for the latest demonstrations, LL’s raps serve as a reminder of the countless other victims — from Amadou Diallo and Tamir Rice to Sandra Bland and Breonna Taylor.
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LL’s evocative bars represent a welcomed return to his rap roots. The Hip Hop icon hasn’t released an album since 2013’s Authentic.
Listen to LL’s verse and read all of the lyrics below.
For 400 years you had your knees on our necks
A garden of evil with no seeds of respect
In America’s mirror all she sees is regret
Instead of letting blood live they begging for blood let
Revenge is a dish that’s served on platelets
Transfusion, a confusion, abusing our intellect
I can’t be bought with a $1,200 check even though $1,200 can make a meal stretch
My momma wasn’t rich but she earned my respect
She made a little bit a money for a lot of blood, tears and sweat
Jumping up and down on police cars, I’m vexed
After Chauvin killed George Floyd we got next
Molotov cocktails anarchy on the set
The rich took the loot so now we loot shit
Feeling like a caged tiger that’s whipped to do tricks
That’s why I started fires and yelled and threw bricks
They tried to run me over and arrest me and shit
Tazed, pepper spray and engaged with the kid
They ran up in the statehouse with them AK’s quick
But let a nigga try and do that white boy shit
Won’t be no rubber bullets ricocheting of ribs
But the white supremacists go in the cops’ faces and spit
Try to barbecue, Becky call the cops on a kid
Hoping and praying it’ll be some Emmett Till shit
Sandra wasn’t bland, they hated Mike ’cause he’s brown
Trayvon should’ve had an Aston Martin riding around
Amadou Diallo, it’s way to many to follow
Vato, how much of my pride do I gotta swallow?
God only knows how deep this plan goes
I was dealing with this shit when I was a teen in Kangols
Harassed by cops, word to my ancestors’ souls
And watching that man die slow left a hole
He cried for his momma as the murder unfold
If it wasn’t for those phones, Chauvin would be at home
Feeling justified because of George’s skin tone
I’m telling those with melanin, you’re not alone
The new Malcolm, Martin and Marcuses are now grown
America is a graveyard full of black men’s bones
And I ain’t gotta tell ya that Breonna Taylor got played in her own home
Had they lived, Sean could’ve rocked bells
Eric could have garnered attention, beyond the t-shirts and obituary mentions
Oscar could’ve been counting grants, Tamir could have went to Rice
They don’t owe them cops nothing but all of them paid the price
So yeah, you right, we should protect our Second Amendment rights
‘Cause in a second, a dirty cop can kick the door in at night
A tooth for a tooth and a life for a life
We refuse to live in hell while you’re living in paradise
Being black in America is like rolling a pair of dice
But the stakes are way higher, you’re gambling with my life
BARS
Yep now he can write about the larger number of white people killed by Black people … and the number is a LOT more than the reverse … but that’s victim privilege for you … black lives definitely matter … but not more than anyone else’s
You talking just to be talking. Ppl tend to kill other in their own neighborhoods. Stop lying for likes.
Verse of the year
That’s ok. Just sit in your mansion and rap about it. It’s not like youd be an asset on the streets marching for your people
stop throwin stones out through youre Google glass. youre attitude is worse than a slashed gash or an ass rash that cant be scratched.
Same lames tryna roast him for speaking out are the same ones that would talk shit about him for staying silent. Like he was born rich or something. What, you make it and suddenly you can’t speak on what’s happening to your people. Bet you put hearts up on Cardi’s instagram posts. Clown
That shit was high key trash….his vocal delivery is horrible
how bout you deliver some bars yourself and we will compare. all youre doin is pollutin my air, with the crop dust of bullshit you’d never have the GOD given talent or wit to even be able to come up with!
If you post on a Hip Hop site during this time in the history of yours, mine and our country, could you for a short time, at the very least, be part of the solution instead of the problem? Thank you.
I hope that means not buying into racism of any kind.
LL STILL A BEAST WHEN HE WANTS TO BE…
*Not being killed
RIP to all of the white slaves throughout history and the whites that are killed by cops and other blacks. I guess that isn’t racism though, only when the shoes are on the other foot.
The difference between the 2 is the black guy going to jail while the white one is getting let out the back door.
Difference is the whites are getting let out the back door or with a slap on the wrist.
You really need to educate yourself to know what you’re talking about and not sound ignorant or stupid. When has the shoe been on your foot??? Where’s all the countless videos of the innocent white people being killed or beaten by cops??? Imagine the outrage by the same people who are making light of this, if the victim had been a hard working innocent white man or woman??? Enlighten me or GTFOH with that sorry logic
It doesn’t fit what you are made to believe. It’s really as simple as that. It’s all good though. These rioters don’t care what skin color you are. You will get beaten, property destroyed, and your life shattered. It’s crazy. Guess that what happens when you’re so woke.
That was pretty ignorant. You probably thought that was clever…
At some point you have to look in the mirror. I bet you all don’t like what you see, so it’s easier to blame the cops or “systemic Racism”. How long can you ride the victim hood culture? George Floyd was involved in a fraudulent cash ring and was using young black men to run cash. What a nice guy. Oh he also strong armed a woman in her own home and held a gun to her. Nice guy.
F..k you so you saying the cop was in the right to kill him? You saying deserve execution. F..k you you stupid racist moron.
Where was the officers karma then? Floyd is not the first person he killed unjustly. It doesn’t matter if Floyd was a bad person or not, that cop didn’t do justice and he BROKE THE LAW, you do the crime you do the crime, Floyd could have done jail time like the cop but guess who didn’t die? The man hired to protect that had MULTIPLE complaints against him from people of ALL races. Educate yourself.
You d.mb son of a racist crack wh.re. Maybe you should look in the mirror then break it and use the glass shards to kill yourself.
You know what’s easier?? Not murdering someone!! It’s way easier, all you have to do is not F.CK.NG do it!!!! There is so much wrong with everything in your completely retarded post. But I already wasted to much of my time and words on you. .l..
I play a cop on tv. Oh snap I forgot ::licks lips:::
Damage destruction terrror and mahem. Alpha’s forever! Much respect.
TYPO: It’s “had they lived, SEAN could’ve rocked bells.”
“Fiery bars”
Lol who’s grandfather authored this title
You know it’s pretty low to think it’s alright too kill a person because of something they did in the past or is involved in. He was an unarmed man that got murdered by some lane ass cops that God will take care of when they pass. The man didn’t deserve to die everyone knows that. We shouldn’t fight amongst one another. We need to unite take a stand together. United we ride, divided we fall!!! #ALLLIVESMATTER
For all you muthafuckas that’s on here for trolls, just shut the fuck up cause y’all sound fucking retarded for one. Second there’s a reason why LL Cool J is called the ?. Unlike some rapper(s) today couldn’t drop bars like LL or wouldn’t even know where to begin. LL has been doing this since the golden ages. So with that being said again why you throwing dirt on this man. And everybody wanna talk about “Sticking together” but still managed put each other down whether dealing with racism or ourselves. I love my people but like 2pac said “Something will never change”
?????????????????????????
…God only knows how deep this plan goes
I was dealing with this shit when I was a teen in Kangols…
I guess the emojis don’t show