March Against Monsanto: Take back America’s dream

Rap performed at the San Francisco March Against Monsanto May 25, one of over 250 marches held on that day around the world protesting the corporate takeover and poisoning of our food

by Khafre Jay

Time is ticking, you hear that gilded age

I’m working hard to conceal my rage so I throw it on the page, on the stage to you.

March-Against-Monsanto-Khafre-Jay-rapping-3-SF-052513-by-Wedrell-James-web, March Against Monsanto: Take back America’s dream, Culture Currents To tell the political system what rage can do.

You give the people economic disintegration, international isolation, plus the price that

We are paying for gas is waxing, gaining.

It’s all off speculation and I guess I’m patient, but they are getting corporate welfare,

Oil subsidies taking bucks from me, golden parachutes holding autocrats,

Enough war going on here for four Iraqs, loopholes in tax, and tax shelters too,

So now corporations are essentially taxing you,

Partisan policies and power grabs has got most of America

Watching the hourglass until it’s time to march

Chorus: It’s time to march, it’s time to march and take back America’s dream (repeat four times)

The American dream is less of what it seems now that corporations are human beings (times two)

When I think of Citizens United, I think vision, not a horribly bad Supreme Court decision,

Right!?

But it is another dark night when the U.S. is needing light, so tell me if this is fair –

We have workers’ rights in the air and the Congress has not put one workers’ job bill there.

What’s up Boehner?

Now I catch feeling that you don’t even care about a debt ceiling.

The only thing that our Congress is doing is working to bring women’s rights to ruin,

When we only need some jobs, not cuts, ‘cause we’re not broke,

America’s got bucks, and we should spend that on infrastructure and classes

Instead of these rich peoples’ taxes and give back to the people hurting,

‘Cause right now one thing is certain –

Work-man, it’s time to march (repeat chorus)

We need green jobs, education, single payer and no waiting,

Every American should be able to make a living, and have faith in the same thing for their children.

We see Congress now has guessed wrong, we see Congress now has guessed wrong,

We need to end war and invest at home, we want a seat at the table, a decent stage,

So we can give our teachers an increase in wage,

And the wealthy can spare a little cash so we can begin to bring back the middle class

That made this country great, no accident, and we can bring it back with the spirit of Madison.

The people are America’s backbone, and that’s the truth.

Even if it’s in a rap song, it’s not long until the time’s at hand

And it’s a long way to go to the promised land, and so it’s time to march.

Khafre Jay, a Bayview Hunters Point artist, performed this original political rap at the March Against Monsanto in San Francisco on May 25. His work can be viewed at Khafremusic.com and hiphopforchange.org.