Public Enemy | Lyrics | Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos [Live]

I got a letter from the government
The other day, I opened and read it
It said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me given' a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn
About a brother like me and myself
Because they never did
I wasn't wit' it, but just that very minute
It occurred to me, the suckers had authority

Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell
How long has it been?
They got me sittin' in the state pen
I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before
I contemplated a plan on the cell floor

I'm not a fugitive on the run
But a brother like me begun, to be another one
Public enemy servin' time, they drew the line y'all
To criticize me some crime, never the less

They could not understand that I'm a Black man
And I could never be a veteran
On the strength, the situation's unreal
I got a raw deal, so I'm goin' for the steel

Don't you know, they got me rottin' in the time that I'm servin'
Tellin' you what happened the same time they're throwin'
4 of us packed in a cell like slaves, oh well
The same m*********** got us livin' is his hell

You have to realize, what its a form of slavery
Organized under a swarm of devils
Straight up, word'em up on the level
The reasons are several, most of them federal

Here is my plan anyway and I say
I got gusto, but only some I can trust, yo
Some do a bid from 1 to 10
And I never did, and plus I never been

I'm on a tier where no tears should ever fall
Cell block and locked, I never clock it y'all
'Cause time and time again time
They got me servin' to those and to them
I'm not a citizen

But ever when I catch a C O
Sleepin' on the job, my plan is on go-ahead
On the strength, I'ma tell you the deal
I got nothin' to lose, 'cause I'm goin' for the steel
I'm goin' for the steel

Don't you know I caught a C O
Fallin' asleep on death row
I grabbed his gun, then he did what I said so
And everyman's got served

Along with the time they served
Decency was deserved
To understand my demands
I gave a warnin', I wanted the governor, y'all

And plus the warden to know
That I was innocent
Because I'm militant
Posing a threat, you bet it's f*****' up the government

My plan said I had to get out and break north
Just like with Oliver's neck
I had to get off, my boys had the feds in check
They couldn't do nuthin'
We had a force to instigate a prison riot

This is what it takes for peace
So I just took the piece
Black for black inside time to cut the leash
Freedom to get out, to the ghetto, no sell out
6 C-Os we got we ought to put their head out

But I'll give 'em a chance, 'cause I'm civilized
As for the rest of the world, they can't realize
A cell is hell, I'm a rebel so I rebel
Between bars, got me thinkin' like an animal

Got a woman C-O to call me a copter
She tried to get away, and I popped her
Twice, right, now who wanna get nice?
I had 6 C-Os, now it's 5 to go

And I'm serious, call me delirious
But I'm still a captive, I gotta rap this
Time to break as time grows intense
I got the steel in my right hand
Now I'm lookin' for the fence

I ventured into the courtyard
Followed by 52 brothers
Bruised, battered, and scarred but hard
Goin' out with a bang, ready to bang out
But power from the sky
And from the tower shots rang out

A high number of dose, yes
And some came close
Figure I trigger my steel
Stand and hold my post

This is what I mean, an anti-n***** machine
If I come out alive and then they won't, come clean
And then I threw up my steel bullet
Flew up and to my surprise the water tower

Blew up, who shot
What, who, the bazooka was who
And to my rescue, it was the S1Ws
Secured my getaway, so I just gotaway

The joint broke, from the black smoke
Then they saw it was rougher than the average bluffer
'Cause the steel was black, the attitude exact
Now the chase is on tellin' you to c'mon
53 brothers on the run, and we are gone