Dead Prez - "They" Schools

Dead Prez's song entitled "They" School from there album Lets get free, Which talks about America's racist public school systems

(Lyrics)

Why haven't you learned anything?
Man that school shit is a joke
The same people who control the school system control
The prison system, and the whole social system
Ever since slavery, nawsayin?
[Verse 1]
I went to school with some redneck crackers
Right around the time 3rd Bass dropped the cactus album
But I was readin Malcolm
I changed my name in '89 cleaning parts of my brain
Like a baby nine
I took a history class serious
Front row, every day of the week, 3rd period
Fuckin with the teachers had, callin em racist
I tried to show them crackers some light, they couldn't face it
I got my diploma from a school called Rickers
Full of, teenage mothers, and drug dealin niggas
In the hallways, the popo was always present
Searchin through niggas possessions
Lookin for, dope and weapons, get your lessons
That's why my moms kept stressin
I tried to pay attention but they classes wasn't interestin
They seemed to only glorify the Europeans
Claimin Africans were only three-fifths a human being
HOOK:
They schools can't teach us shit
My people need freedom, we tryin to get all we can get
All my high school teachers can suck my dick
Tellin me white man lies straight bullshit (echoes)
They schools aint teachin us, what we need to know to survive
(Say what, say what)
They schools don't educate, all they teach the people is lies
You see dog, you see how quick these motherfuckers be to like
Be tellin niggas get a diploma so you can get a job
Knowwhatimsayin but they don't never tell you how the job
Gonna exploit you every time knowwhatimsayin that's why I be like
Fuck they schools!
[Verse 2]
School is like a 12 step brainwash camp
They make you think if you drop out you aint got a chance
To advance in life, they try to make you pull your pants up
Students fight the teachers and get took away in handcuffs
And if that wasn't enough, then they expel y'all
Your peoples understand it but to them, you a failure
Observation and participation, my favorite teachers
When they beat us in the head with them books, it don't reach us
Whether you breakdance or rock suede addidas
Or be in the bathroom with your clique, smokin reefer
Then you know they math class aint important 'less you addin up cash
In multiples, unemployment aint rewardin
They may as well teach us extortion
You either get paid or locked up, the pricipal is like a warden
In a four year sentence, mad niggas never finish
But that doesn't mean I couldn't be a doctor or a dentist
HOOK(first part of hook twice)
Cuz for real, a mind is a terrible thing to waste
And all y'all high class niggas with y'all nose up
Cuz we droppin this shit on this joint, fuck y'all
We gon speak for ourselves
Knowhatimsayin? Cuz see the schools aint teachin us nothin
They aint teachin us nothin but how to be slaves and hardworkers
For white people to build up they shit
Make they businesses successful while it's exploitin us
Knowhatimsayin? And they aint teachin us nothin related to
Solvin our own problems, knowhatimsayin?
Aint teachin us how to get crack out the ghetto
They aint teachin us how to stop the police from murdering us
And brutalizing us, they aint teachin us how to get our rent paid
Knowhatimsayin? They aint teachin our families how to interact
Better with each other, knowhatimsayin? They just teachin us
How to build they shit up, knowhatimsayin? That's why my niggas
Got a problem with this shit, that's why niggas be droppin out that
Shit cuz it don't relate, you go to school the fuckin police
Searchin you you walkin in your shit like this a military compound
Knowhatimsayin? So school don't even relate to us
Until we have some shit where we control the fuckin school system
Where we reflect how we gon solve our own problems
Them niggas aint gon relate to school, shit that just how it is
Knowhatimsayin? And I love education, knowhatimsayin?
But if education aint elevatin me, then you knowhatimsayin it aint
Takin me where I need to go on some bullshit, then fuck education
Knowhatimsayin? At least they shit, matter of fact my nigga
this whole school system can suck my dick, BEEYOTCH!!

• Category

  Education

[lildawgproductions]

I'm Canadian and I support black people's fight for racial equality over in the USA. Racism needs to end now!

[Simbelmyne13]

Obviously, you weren't listening. When you realize the core of the socioeconomic system was built from its inception to its current incarnation on exploitation, and that disproportionately it is the non-white and indigenous people's of the world that suffer most, it's a sobering awakening. Dead Prez is not racist. DP is about strength, empowerment, knowledge, and the downtrodden rising to forge their own destinies for once. Listen more closely. Read more deeply.

[welwitschia]

I wonder if DP see the irony that is to criticize the educational system with profound observations like "Knowhatimsayin? At least they shit, matter of fact my nigga

this whole school system can suck my dick, BEEYOTCH!!"

[Allison Stephen]

i duno what you guys in the states are being taught but up in canada all they do is teach us about all the fucked up stuff white people have done to other races lol

[1Flyingfist]

I'm most of the way through "The falcification of history", suddenly felt the need to listen to this tune. If you can look beyond the black/white lyrics for a moment, there are some very valid points!

We get taught a lot of one sided BS in school, shown it on tv and in newspapers. I can't believe that it's taken me so long to realize.

[USMCsburns]

I'm white and I fucking hate the school system, political system, money system, prison system, and almost everything about the government. I am in no way racist and I have been a victim of police brutality and the legal system. I struggle to pay the bills and my family is dysfunctional. I would appreciate if these rappers would stop rapping like its only black people who suffer from this system!

[Richard Beyer]

Whats bullshit is people giving education to everyone, and monorities revolting against it. Such an awesome song, but such a shitty point. You dont NEED to finish school to get a good job, but it helps for sure. Im white, didnt finish school, and barely get by. Basically, this song is way outdated. If you think you have less opportunity because you are black.....then honestly, you're a moron....

[scarpeta Uchiha]

i wish hhp hop was at they level again.

[Dominic Johnson]

The qoute is trying to say that mainstream School will never teach the right things about math and histor

[JustCallMeRock]

this guys is just pissed because white people always shit on him in life and he uses his race to get out of things

[swaggzillas]

That quote is hard to understand can you elaborate on this quote?