Flashback Friday "We're All In The Same Gang"
"Yo, bullets flying, mothers crying, brothers dying
Lying in the streets, that's why we'r trying
To stop it from falling apart and going to waste
And keeping a smile off a white face"
The year was 1990 when the West Coast Rap All-Stars came together to address the violence that was getting out of control in L.A. neighborhoods. Produced by Dr. Dre and featuring Tone-Loc, J.J. Fad, Ice-T, Michel'le, Young MC and many more,this song was meant to keep youth of the streets and out of gangs. The message was simple, and today 25 years later, still relevant. Lyrics like "By the way, you gangsters should know one of your victims was a three year old girl" and "Dropped out of school and he joins the neighborhood gang, hanging on the street selling 'caine" can easily be inserted into any rap right now.
Body and Soul chime in to say some of the most important lyrics of the rap: "Sisters, since we are the mothers of the earth. It's time to start being good mothers from the birth of our children..."
With all of the things going on, its sad and more than al little disappointing to know that we still have to repeat the same message and know that 25 years later and more, that things continue to escalate out of control on the streets where our children live and play.
Michel'le said it best "Don't you know we've got to get our heads together?" We somehow have to reach our children before its too late, to let them know we are all in this together. We have to get smarter together, get wealthier together. Stop the violence together and prosper and rise up together. We are all in this together because we are all in the same gang.
