Coded Language

Adapted from Saul Williams

(All) In the name of:

  1. ROBESON, TILL, HURSTON, AKHENATON

HATSHEPSUT, BLACKFOOT,

2. JACKSON, NELSON, BASQUIAT, LORDE, HARTMAN, 

BALDWIN, HUGHES, ANGELOU, BROOKES,

(All) In the name of:

3. GIOVANNI, SANCHEZ, LUMUMBA, NKRUMAH, GIBRAN, 

SHABAZZ, SHABAZZ, SIDDHARTHA, HERU, AUSAR,

4. GUEVARA, YANGA, TURNER, WRIGHT, BANNEKER, 

TUBMAN, HAMER, HOLIDAY, DAVIS, COLTRANE,

(All) In the name of:

5. MORRISON, DUBOIS, CLARKE, BUTLER, DUMAS,

AESOP, ELLINGTON, DUNBAR, GAYE,

6. HATHAWAY, HENDRIX, KUTI, WILKERSON, RIPERTON, 

MARY, ISIS, HANSBERRY, SIMONE, WALKER, RUMI,

(All) In the name of:

7. MICHAUX, LEE, NOSTRADAMUS, NEFERTITI, LA ROCK, LAMAR,

SHIVA, GANESHA, YEMAJA, OSHUN, OBATALA, OGUN,

8. KING, KING, FOUR LITTLE GIRLS, GREENWOOD, 

HIROSHIMA, NAGASAKI, GRANT, FLOYD, TAYLOR, BIKO, PERON, MARLEY, SHAKUR,

(All)

THOSE WHO BURNED, 

THOSE STILL AFLAME, 

AND THE COUNTLESS UNNAMED.

1.

We claim the present as the pre-sent, as the hereafter. 

We are unraveling our navels so that we may ingest the sun.

2.

We are not afraid of the darkness, 

We trust that the moon shall guide us.

We are determining the future at this very moment.

We know that the heart is the philosopher’s stone.

(All)

Our music is our alchemy. 

3.

We stand as the manifested equivalent of 3 buckets of water 

and a handful of minerals, 

thus realizing that those very buckets turned upside down

supply the percussive factor of forever.

4.

If you must count to keep the beat then count. 

Find your mantra and awaken your subconscious.

Walk your circles counterclockwise.

Use your cipher to decipher coded language, man-made laws.

5.

Climb waterfalls and trees; 

commune with nature, snakes and bees.

Let your children name themselves 

and claim themselves 

as the new day for today.

6.

We are determined 

to be the channelers of these changing frequencies 

into songs, paintings, writings, dance, 

drama, photography, carpentry, crafts, 

love, and love.

7.

We enlist every instrument: acoustic, electronic.

Every so-called gender, race, sexual preference.

Every per-son as beings of sound 

to acknowledge their responsibility 

to uplift the consciousness of the entire world

Any utterance unaimed, will be disclaimed, will be maimed – too many slain.

Any utterance unaimed, will be disclaimed, will be maimed – too many slain.