Brother D - How We Gonna Make the Black Nation Rise?

Arguably, this is one of the very first socially conscious tracks ever done in Hip Hop. It was originally released in 1980, but reissued in 1985 by 4th & Broadway Records. Using Cheryl Lynn's "Got to Be Real" as a sampled backdrop, Brother D with The Collective Effort brings the art of socially addressing issues that speak to the inner cities and impoverished areas (reform my ass :P)and asks this simple question in the title song. I'm taking you waaaaaaay back peoples. Can you dig it?

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Brother
• Collective
• Effort
• Black
• Nation
• Rise
• hip-hop
• rap
• 1980

[pianoman74]

Visionary track. For me the Black Nation had clearly risen when the first African American presenter came on MTV Awards.

Nor do I think that any black woman before got an Oscar before Halle Berry.

[victornewman06]

Hattie McDaniel for "Gone with the Wind" (Best Supporting Actress)

[oceanicaspray]

Brother D is my dad and my mother is on this song too (the one with the super high voice)

[victornewman06]

Whoa, what is going on, how have they been? That's on point. Tell them they still have a fan. :)

[victornewman06]

Think about this for a second...THIS SONG CAME OUT IN 1980!!!!!!!! It's 2008, and we are dealing with the same problems. Talk about foreshadowing??? :0

[deepru]

YEAH VIC!!!!!! This is Classic & thank you for puttin me onto this bro. "The people call me brother D, and I'm here to shed some light.... wrote this verse in the INTEREST OF THE GROUP". WOW. Truth is here we have to WANT IT enough to "agitate, educate & organize"

Yo jes102, Marley & Garvey have to live through US!

THANKS VIC

PEACE

[victornewman06]

Appreciate the love.  Spread the word. Respect!!!!

[Blacksentinel]

This is real hip hop.

[DrugStabbingTime]

"We're fired up, won't take no more"

[mtsingrenny]

CUZ IT AIN'T NO PARTY IN A POLICE STATE

oh my god this is the best fucking song.

[TheSpiesAtHome]

"how we gonna make the black nation rise?"

"let's stop blaming white people for all our problems, stop smoking drugs and get jobs."

"aww yeah now that's a plan, i swear on mother africa's honor that i will do that."

this conversation never happened.

[jmsatty]

Been looking for this for a loooong time! One of my favorites of all time!

[wertonpelizzari21]

Bem clássico, curti!!

[EMRAHsays]

look around u people arent socially, politically, mentally aware of the smoke screen around us which people accept as life

[meechamaka411]

@oceanicaspray That's what's up!!! They was doin' they thang on this jam back then...

[kickoverthestatues]

@oceanicaspray

give them my shout from scotland. always loved the tune.

[drarigemualliug]

Did someone have the lyrics of this song? I don't speak english very well...

thanks

[TontonDecibel]

this is a killer hip hop ,