rap

prologue to an untitled album about the tragedy of slavery

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slavery's always been around

since people started writing their history down

from Egypt to the Bible to the U.S. of A

slavery still exists today

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all kinds of people been slaves

take the Ancient Chinese or the Jews in the Roman days

Slavic people gave slavery its name

in the year 1000 they were forced to grow sugarcane

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but nowhere worse than in Africa

no story sadder than what happened in Africa

over 400 years selling flesh and bone

over 20 million people torn from home

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8 million died on the march to the coast

the 12 million left crammed in horrible boats

10 million survived Atlantic seas

2 million dead of mistreatment and disease

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the numbers are hard to fathom

the suffering impossible to imagine

not to mention what happened when they landed

pushed naked on the auction block, like cattle even branded

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children sold from wailing mothers

scared child alone needs new sisters and brothers

can there be anything good come from slavery?

if so, then one thing is the strength of community

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how those enslaved took care of each other

looked out for each other

suffered but survived and resisted together

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there are millions of stories to be shared

how many were lost when it seemed like no one cared?

now we know we can't deny our past

we gotta face issues of race and admit that they last

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the story that follows is fictional

but it's based on a history that's all too real

may the nightmares told here forever cease

and may all things finally end in peace