Dialects
written and performed by Emcee Lynx
The UnAmerican LP, 2004

You see,
I spit dialects
six shaded stained
by all the places I've lived
and neighbors all colors all tired of
endless waiting in line
and I claim NOTHING
but what is MINE
by right of blood spilled and miles walked
in my own shoes,
nobody else's.

And I tell my story the only way I know how
in my own patchwork dialect forged from
discarded pieces of pop culture, street slang,
the books I used to hide myself from the streets in childhood
and the hip hop culture that finally gave me my voice back

so if I speak in street cadence
ya'll motherfuckers better not flip on me
like I was trespassing on your sacred ground by trying to act black
cuz I'm not
I use the same the same words as everyone else on my block
and if ya'll don't like it then
TOO
FUCKING
BAD.

and all a ya'll white liberals coming at me
like I'm being a racist or something
for using the only dialect I've ever felt comfortable in
realize
if your definition of "acting black"
is using what you consider to be "improper grammar" and "profanity"
then doesn't that make you the racist and not me?

and if I spit six syllable polyrythyms then don't think I'm tryna' front
like some posh-ass Ivy League motherfucker cuz I'm not
but even a broke-ass, white trash Celt from the barrio
can learn to read
and I came here to show ya'll that

and all a ya'll holier then thou upper-crust WASPS
tryna make out like my opinions and experiences are less valid then yours
because I'm still working my ass through junior college
realize: I am an anomaly only in that I've taken the time
to articulate my feelings in language you can understand
and your supposed superiority would crumble
if you ever once stepped outside the confines
of your little white bread world

realize

just because racist america says I look like ya'll cracker assess
doesn't make me one of you
so don't you EVER call me Anglo
or try to put me in your box
cuz I'm not
and i'm not havin' it
I'm a Celt,
and I'm working class,
and I'm proud of that

Understand
my words are weapons
and it won't be long now till ya'll start bleeding