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Tribe Of Levi featuring DJ Crush Delight - Styles & Statements (produced by DJ Carl Larado) - BONUS TRACK

from TPR Mixtape volume 1 by The People's Revolution

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about

The first "official" Tribe of Levi song hit the radio around the same time as the mixtape hit the streets, in early '06. While not actually part of the mixtape itself, it's our pleasure to include it for you as a special hidden bonus track!

This slapper is courtesy of DJ Carl Larado, with DJ Crush Delight of Sol Collective throwing down on the 'tables!

This track is available on the album "Outside:In" by MICjordan:EnsiteNonStop and DJ Carl Larado.

lyrics

Styles & Statements

(HOOK)
It's more than just styles and statements
deep like the technique of Miles Davis
you can't deny the fakeness on the dial is flagrant
but the love overcomes all the violent hatred
and we're not saying we came to save it
but we came to represent all of the things that make it
vivid, God gives it to us and then we take it
from the page to stages, break the bar and raise it!

(VERSE 1 - MICJORDAN)
Usually when I think my raps are lackin' that "oomph"
I spend two or three weeks gettin' back to my roots
'cause when I'm puttin' down tracks in the booth,
I understand that our culture was not intended to be casually consumed
it's the echo of a nigga's last gasp in a noose
it's a cop's finger on the trigger, blasting at YOU
it's a draft where Uncle Sam pits blacks versus gooks
in a clash with a cruel faction who fractures the truth
should we feed our seeds absinthe, or glasses of juice?
yo, it's obvious to me but mad cats seem confused
by punks and haters, corporate controlled commodities
causing we to forget that we're part of something greater
so we don't love the labor
right now, we need to decide: will we ride for the truth, or the fucking paper?
'cause this dance ain't new,
in the past we moved from minstrels to men, but now it's back to coons

(VERSE 2 - POOR)
I don't believe that hip hop is just entertainment
'cause I ain't been the same since '86
and to me, this is more than just styles and statements
emceeing on a daily basis by the light of my ancients
my words are concrete like the pavement
that withstands the time that made me touch many places
the birth name is Adrian,
but listen to Poor if you really wanna know the sound of my cadence
my rap verse is like a song from the slave ships,
so niggas feel the whip appeal like Babyface did
this artform is sacred, but some of the dopest they don't make it
just 'cause they won't fake it
the naked truth in this matter is the money market
made for mass media now, and dummy targets
I've heard toddlers talk about designer garments
and we ain't got enough sense to stop this nonsense?

(BRIDGE)
Listen up: we ain't the best, but yo
we still turn these wack cats to vegetables
we're progressive 'cause our minds are flexible
so if you test these flows (what?) you must be testicles (nuts!)

(HOOK)

(VERSE 3 - DJ CRUSH DELIGHT)
[skratching]

(VERSE 4 - N.O.N.)
The legendary myth of an animal, three-fifths of a man
started with the history class that we missed
first, egotists killed then indigenous
then stole Africans who were forced to assist
restrained by chains at the ankles and the wrists
branded with a new name as Uncle Sam's gift
the Civil War changed the reign, but still the shift
wasn't enough to uplift, so we exist
with no equality, learning how the colonies
sailed overseas and committed armed robbery
we were included but our voices were muted
understanding that the politics are just polluted
means of improvement, the civil rights movement
integrated colleges open to all students
but the racists still place us lower than their shoeprints
a nuisance, so now we use music to make us move, since...

(HOOK)

credits

from TPR Mixtape volume 1, released March 11, 2006
beat: DJ Carl Larado
skratches: DJ Crush Delight
lyrics: MICjordan, Poor, NowOrNever

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Tribe Of Levi Sacramento, California

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