I’m Izell Robinson, Minnesota inmate number 210006, and today I’m going to just perform a little rap piece for you all, kind of about, you know, my tribulations with the state. Here we go.
What’s that the [inaudible] be saying?
Another one?
Well, this is another one.
I don’t know why they mad, but ask me if I care
It’s game over
Dear Minnesota, middle finger to you
Government and state wanna hook me like bait
Sink me in one of your 10,000 lakes
An allegation is all it takes
Investigation incomplete, yet police get paid
Cause this a victim that the state made
It was more she say, forget what he say
Because if it’s me too, they see it one way
Couldn’t beat consent, had to be crime
A statistic for violence has climbed
Recidivism rates still ain’t declined
[Inaudible] since last I did time
Mandated treatment and therapists lying
Honestly what they telling I ain’t buying
Rather spend [inaudible] on bettering me
Helping my see something to believe
When something at the core is love and tragedy
System put a stop to who I’m to be
Until my hope faded like a jail tattoo
The state versus me, that ain’t nothing new
I been through all the tricks, they all [inaudible] to distance you
Like nosebleed seats, anything to take you from the streets
These [inaudible] where they play a game for keeps
Have you acted too sweet in the city of men
Where behind closed doors they sit and grin
Make prison life a laughing matter
Forget the ripple of lives shattered
Loaded untruths point the trigger me
Group therapy and trash they recycle to me
They are talking but they empty of empathy
Practicing injustice with no remedies
Don’t care about right just wanna agree
Turn innocence to guilt, just look at me
Appeal after appeal, and still I ain’t free
Expected to wake up in a box with glee
System label it a therapeutic community
But it’s damaged like coffee on the white T
And they wanna force accountability
Yet I can’t the type to false comply
Why you try to get me to admit to a lie?
And how speculation get me all this time?
This ain’t subliminal, the message is a rhyme
When I’m just trying to bridge the divide
They’re just trying to collapse like I-35
If only the public knew just how justice is abused
And taxpayer dollars severely misused
If I’m really the criminal, I’m really confused
Who’s stacking money for the fake crimes pursued
After this, you [inaudible] just a lot of fight and stiff attitude
Can’t believe I spit thoughts so new
Stripped to the anger you found rude
Take it back to my genius in high school
Smart as a nerd but fit to do
How I bring the light shining as a jewel
Because I’m a rare gem, never been your fool
Just an enemy of the state you made
I never play it how you expect to play
So keep pushing buttons ’til it’s game over
So keep pushing buttons ’til it’s game over
So keep pushing buttons ’til it’s game over
‘Til it’s game over
‘Til it’s game over
Stay tuned, that’s all that I can say, stay tuned
Yeah, Gnik
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio
![Prison Radio is sharing an abbreviated version of a press release covering recent racist incidents at SCI Rockview in PA and the organizing to demand accountability. We are reaching out to people incarcerated at Rockview as well as recently transferred folks, inviting them to call, in hopes of hearing commentaries from them.
Benner Township, PA.-
On November 24th, 2023, imprisoned people at SCI Rockview found two nooses hanging in the CO’s office, displayed visibly for many prisoners to see. When the prisoners asked the staff why the nooses were hung, they were told it was a joke.
By December 4th, prisoners filed a grievance to document what they saw, noting that the hanging of the nooses was “unethical, racially motivated, hateful, [a] deliberate debasement of black inmates" and “unsafe for inmates, staff, [and] the whole prison in general.” In the grievance, they demanded that Sgt. Mosser and CO Richard be fired and investigated for a hate crime, and for CO Kirchner to get therapy. Captain Andrews, the head of security, denied the grievance.
The sergeant and COs are still working in the prison to this day, with no repercussions...
As of March 10th, prisoners have reached out to Pennsylvania officials at the Dept. of Corrections in a letter campaign, sending 100 copies of the grievance. Copies of the letter also were mailed to Governor Shapiro, Senator Fetterman, Senator Street, and various advocacy groups. The demands for relief in the original grievance have now become the platform of demands for this campaign. About 20 of the 100 letters were withheld by the prison.
Activists on the outside are joining forces with prisoners to elevate their demands, flooding the phone lines of DOC offices, assisting with outreach to media, and circulating the stories of prisoners who have found unity in opposition to the facility's virulent institutional racism.
In any other workplace, hanging a noose would be grounds for immediate termination. However, Nicki Paul, the superintendent's assistant and "grievance coordinator" informed the public that they self-investigated their staff and found they did nothing wrong.
Read the full article at i
https://conta.cc/4ayDxlB](https://www.prisonradio.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)