[Interlude]
This is definitely uh… words of wisdom AMERICA! AMERICA! AMERIK-K-KA I charge you with the crime of rape, murder, and assault For suppressing and punishing my people I charge you with robbery for robbing me of my history I charge you with false imprisonment for keeping me Trapped in the projects And the jury finds you guilty on all accounts And you are to serve the consequences of your evil schemes Prosecutor, do you have any more evidence?
Here, Tupac changes the spelling of America and spells it Amerikkka. He is emphasizing that Amerikkka is basically the KKK. Amerikkka is a country centered on white supremacy, which is the same thing the KKK promotes. Even more, Tupac acts as if he is in a court room with Amerikkka where he finds this country guilty for suppressing and punishing Black people through slavery, colonialism, Jim Crow Laws, and a white-washed educational system, which ultimately keeps Black people trapped in the projects unable to rise up the social economic class. Thus, Tupac wants Amerikkka to pay for all the things it has done to Black people for centuries.
[Verse 2]
Words of Wisdom Based upon the strength of a nation Conquer the enemy armed with education Protect yourself, reach for what you want to do Know thyself, teach by what we’ve been through Armed with the knowledge of the place we’ve been No one will ever oppress this race again
Tupac is stating that the only way we can conquer the enemy, Amerikkka, is by educating ourselves and not depending on the white-washed Amerikkkan education system. He is saying no one can oppress us if we educate ourselves and educate each other.
[Verse 2 continued]
No Malcolm X in my history text, why’s that? ’Cause he tried to educate and liberate all blacks Why is Martin Luther King in my book each week? He told blacks, if they get smacked, turn the other cheek
Many times, schools leave out Malcolm X from textbooks because of his radical beliefs and because he told the truth about our corrupt government. Our educational system does not want us to know about Malcolm X because the things we learn from him can be used against our government. Thus, this will make Black people too powerful, which is something we are not supposed to have in Amerikkka; only white people are supposed to have the power. Therefore, we learn about Martin Luther King Jr. because he promoted non-violence who was not as radical as Malcolm X.
[Verse 2 continued]
I don’t get it, so many questions went through my mindI get sweated, they act like asking questions is a crime But forget it, cause one day I’m gonna prove them wrong Not every brother had his mother on the welfare line The American Dream, though it seems like it’s attainable They’re pulling your sleeve, don’t believe’Cause it will strangle ya Pulling the life of your brain, I can’t explain
Tupac is determined to prove that Black people are destined to live a life where we are seen as equal to everyone else. He states that not all Black people grew up on welfare; however, Amerikkka teases all of us with The American Dream as if it is attainable by Black people. Amerikkka will only give us so much, and then pull us back. Amerikkka does not want us to have too much, so that we are not equal to White-Americans.
[Verse 2 continued]
Beg as you can obtain from which you came Swear that your mother is living in equality Forgetting your brother that’s living in poverty Thought they had us beaten when they took out King But the battle ain’t over till the black man sings Words of Wisdom The battle ain’t over ‘till the black man sings Words of Wisdom
First, Tupac brings attention to how Black people take care of their mothers, but not their brothers who are still struggling. He is emphasizing that we all have to take care of each other. We can’t take care of one and then leave the others still in poverty. In addition, Tupac refers to Martin Luther King Jr. and his assassination. Tupac emphasizes that even though the leader of the Civil Rights Movement was killed, that does not mean the revolution is going to stop. As Fred Hampton of the Black Panthers once said, “You can kill the revolutionary, but you can’t kill the revolution. He uses the phrase, “It ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings” and changes it to, “it ain’t over ‘till the black man sings.” He is saying that people should not assume the fight for equality is coming to conclusion now that King is dead. In reality, it is just getting started.
[Outro]
NIGHTMARE! That’s what I am America’s Nightmare I am what you made me The hate and the evil that you gave meI shine as a reminder of what you’ve done to my people For four hundred plus years You should be scared You should be running You should be trying to silence me Ha, but you cannot escape fate For it is my turn to come Just as you rose you will fall By my hands America, you reap what you sow
Tupac states that he is Amerikkka’s worst nightmare because of all the knowledge he has attained. As long as he lives, he is going to continue to make people aware of the crimes Amerikkka has committed against his own people. Therefore, the government is going to try to silence him. In the end, Tupac states that he will seek revenge upon Amerikkka, and the tables will turn. By his hands, Amerikkka will fall.
[Outro continued]
2Pacalypse, America’s Nightmare Ice Cube and Da Lynch Mob, America’s Nightmare Above The Law, America’s Nightmare Paris, America’s Nightmare Public Enemy, America’s Nightmare KRS-One, America’s Nightmare New Afrikan Panthers, America’s nightmare Mutulu Shakur, America’s Nightmare Geronimo Pratt, America’s Nightmare Assata Shakur, America’s Nightmare
Here, Tupac names all the people and groups that Amerikkka should be afraid of because they were activists though their music or other activities. They were all aware of how Amerikkka has set a trap for Black people to stay in forever. Therefore, they are Amerikkka’s worst nightmare because they figured out the government’s schemes, and with this knowledge, they can do some serious damage.
This is a part of The Music w/ a Message Series and was originally published on December 16th, 2017 on Tumblr.