Born Brandon Paak Anderson, a singer, rapper and drummer, he released the following albums consecutively: in 2014-Venice, 2016-Malibu and 2019-Ventura. This talented drummer/singer/rapper/bandleader picked up two Grammy nominations for the politically charged song “Lockdown,” inspired by Black Lives Matter movement in Los Angeles, California, where demonstrators were shot with rubber bullets by the police. Released June 19, 2020, directed by Kendrick Lamar and partnering with Dave Meyers – this single expresses an emotional informality making it overtly political.
Intentionally published in honor of Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating the anniversary of the emancipation of Black slaves in the U.S., Paak’s lyrical rhetoric on the social climate in America at the moment.
Lyrics:
You shoulda been downtown, the people are rising
We thought it was a lock down, they opened up fire
Dem bullets was flying
They said it was a lockdown, got damn lie
Oh my! Time heals all, but you outta time now
Judge gotta watch us from the clock tower
Little tear gas cleared the whole place out
I’ll be back with the hazmat for the next round
We was tryna protest and the fires broke out
Lookout for the secret agents they be planted in the crowd
Said it’s civil unrest
But you sleep so sound
like you don’t hear the screams when we catchin beat downs
Stayin quiet when they killin niggas
But you speak loud when we riot
got opinions comin from a place of privilege
Sicker than the covid how they did him on the ground
Speaking of the covid is it still goin around?
Oh why don’t you tell me bout the lootin what’s that really all about?
Cause they throw away black lives like paper towels
Plus unemployment rate what? 40 million now
Killed a man in broad day, might never see a trial
We just wana break chains like slaves in the south
Started in the north end but we ended downtown
Riot cops tried to block, now we got a showdown... down
You shoulda been downtown, the people are rising
We thought it was a lock down, they opened up fire
Dem bullets was flying
Who said it was a lockdown, got damn lie
(Ooh wee)
Lockdown we ain’t gotta stop cause they tell us to
Downtown where I got popped with the rubber bullet
Tre pound, Got it in my name now
Imma shoot it
Jay Rock:
Turn on your tube dog, look how they do us
Knee on our necks, bullets in backs
Stimulus checks strictly for blacks
History repeating, people scared to eat a chicken
Everybody going vegan, what they put in it?
Look at the world we’re living in
They got us shook in it
You go on your jog, then your color might get you took in it
The man in the mirror can’t look away you gotta look at it
Black lives matter so what it means when they shoot at it?
Generation genocide, what happened to enterprise
Heard the man infiltrated, Black Panthers reenergize
Ain’t nothing to figure out
They trying to kill us out, if I take a kneel, see my fist I’ma kill it now
Just think, bullshit you gotta filter out
Are you really ready for the smoke like a swisher house?
Ready for the revolution who ready to riot?
It won’t be televised, so tell me who ready to die?
If downtown going up, where we at with the shits?
We at the liquor store nigga, bout to get us a fifth
Know they boutta start looting, get the gloves and masks
Watch out for them tanks when they rolling past
Never understand why they do it
someone cut the channel off the news ‘fore I lose it
I ain’t even trippin if you wit it, then we lootin
Help put this Louis in the back of Suzuki
He had to break down so smoothly
Ain’t gone say it’s not about race but we movin hoe, pow!
Got the tre pound, had to put it in my name now
Wish a nigga play now
Any given day I’ll be headed to the pulpit
Say a little prayer, matter fact I need two of em
Ooh won’t he do it, won’t he do it
Ooh this ain’t 92 so we into new rules
Niggas got hip, so we don’t loot the projects
Bout to hit rodeo with my little cousin Marcus
Some one threw a whole brick into Neumann Marcus
Help me put the whole mannequin in the charger
You shoulda been downtown(down), the people are rising(look around)
We thought it was a lock down(lockdown), they opened up fire (had to get low)
Dem bullets was flying(down, down)
Who said it was a lockdown, got damn lie
(Ooh wee)Lockdown we ain’t gotta stop cause they tell us to
Downtown where I got popped with the rubber bullet
Tre pound, Got it in my name now
Imma shoot it
Lockdown we ain’t gotta stop cause they tell us to
Downtown
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