There's a lot they didn't tell you at school
In the favela, then you'll see!
What happens to Black and poor folks
Oppression, humiliation, prejudice
We know how it ends
When it starts like this
Since she was little, hustling
Watching kids, cleaning houses
Noon hits, she bathes and walks to school
There's no money for the bus
And since she's tired she wants a bus ride
But because she's Black and poor
And that's just the first door that slams
She reaches school, another gate shuts
You're not going into history class
Wait, sit down, it'll be one soon
Wait a bit more and go into the second class
And make sure you're not late again!
She gets to the room, now drowsiness kicks in
Slowly she learns that
If the fare is 3.80 and you've got 3 in hand
She interrupts the teacher and says
"Then there won't be bread"
And the friends who laugh at her every day
Laugh more and humiliate her more
She's tired of humiliation and doesn't want school anymore
And at Christmas she cried
Because she didn't get a ball
Time kept passing and she kept growing
Now on the street she's the Black girl with the stinky armpit
Who straightens her hair to feel accepted
But it doesn't help at all
She really wants to study
She finishes school, the prep booklet
There's still the entrance exam
And her mouth dries up, no spit at all
She's gonna pay for college
Because Black and poor don't go to USP
That's what the teacher said
Who taught back at school
That everyone is equal and quotas are charity
Tired of handouts and without the dough for college
And cleans three apartments downtown
Try being born Black and poor in the hood
You'll see how different the opportunities are
And don't even come tell me that's playing the victim
Don't pin the blame on me
To cover up your racism!
And don't even come tell me that's playing the victim
And don't even come tell me that's playing the victim
Don't pin the blame on me
To cover up your racism!
And don't even come tell me that's playing the victim
These are enslaved nations
It's the voice that echoes from the drum
You can fight too, hey!
Because Black people came to revolutionize
Don't let our voice be silenced!
Don't let our voice be silenced!
Don't let our voice be silenced!
Don't let our voice be silenced!
Don't let our voice be silenced!
Thousands of us are born
Each time one of us falls
Thousands of us are born
Each time one of us falls
Thousands of us are born
Each time one of us falls
Thousands of us are born
Each time one of us falls
With chest open, ghetto swordsman, nigga samurai!
With chest open, ghetto swordsman, nigga
With chest open, ghetto swordsman, nigga
Chest open, ghetto swordsman, nigga
Chest open, ghetto swordsman, nigga samurai!
Chest open, ghetto swordsman, nigga
Chest open, ghetto swordsman, nigga
With chest open, ghetto swordsman, nigga samurai!
Let's go to the spot where the clock stops
And in the silence the heart races
Let's reign like Zumbi, Dandara
Let's go to the spot where the clock stops
In the silence the heart races
Try being born Black and poor in the hood
You'll see how different the opportunities are
And don't even come tell me that's playing the victim
Don't pin the blame on me
To cover up your ra-cism!
There's a lot they didn't tell you at school!
I said: quota's not charity!
These are enslaved nations
It's the voice that echoes from the drum!
Because Black people came to revolutionize