I am Izell Robinson, Minnesota inmate number 320006, an innocent man confined within the quadrilaterals of systemic injustice, fighting to be heard and affect positive change. Yet, to accomplish success, I need you, the listeners, to hear me and act—so I’m only asking if I can be heard and count on you to act While you ponder that question, here’s some creative expression to address the plight of social injustices.
We lost four black lives to police and the weak, it’s hard to find inner peace
When death speak, my head low shake from side to side, could be me and my sons next to die
And our complexion aside shouldn’t be why, yet police refuse to hear when black doves cry
In the state where Prince’s “Purple Rain” turned to bruises and pains
Minnesota Nice comes with a price, leaving black life driving so insane when they choke or shoot and your skin make them scared of you
Who would ever knew complexion get you killed, have your body left killed, image of you lying still, body camera, cell phone paint the picture, injustice the mixture
When black lives matter don’t in America, truth will stare at ya’ on my soap box hoping to clean conscious, death got us nauseous, simple traffic stop leading us to become more cautious.
So I’m caught up in the rages of society because these police are shiesty, from botched investigations to murder just to criminalize the poor
Systemic racism at the poor, where survival becomes a chore
Don’t unlock that door because truth is you don’t live on my streets when there’s no justice and no peace
And no words can make our lives matter, where images of police brutality only calls us to shatter, broken to pieces and tears apart from the tragedy
We weighed down by the gravity, and your prison reforms is all talk, that’s why I prefer to [inaudible] the police outlined in chalk
I hope you enjoyed that lyrical expression and that you can find meaning and feeling in my words that will ignite a spark of action and voice of reason within you.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
