White Privilege II

[Verse 1]
Pulled into the parking lot, parked it
Zipped up my parka, joined the procession of marchers
In my head like, "Is this awkward?
Should I even be here marching?"
Thinking if they can't, how can I breathe?
Thinking that they chant, what do I sing?
I want to take a stance 'cause we are not free
And then I thought about it, we are not "we"
Am I in the outside looking in, or am I in the inside looking out?
Is it my place to give my two cents?
Or should I stand on the side and shut my mouth?
"No justice, no peace," okay, I'm saying that
They're chanting out, "Black Lives Matter," but I don't say it back
Is it okay for me to say? I don't know, so I watch and stand
In front of a line of police that look the same as me
Only separated by a badge, a baton, a can of Mace, a mask
A shield, a gun with gloves and hands that gives an alibi
In case somebody dies behind a bullet that flies out of the 9
Takes another child's life on sight, bam!
*Gunshot*

[Hook]
Blood in the streets, no justice, no peace
No racist beliefs, no rest 'til we're free
There's blood in the streets, no justice, no peace
No racist beliefs, no rest 'til we're free
Blood in the streets, no justice, no peace
No racist beliefs, no rest 'til we're free
There's blood in the streets, no justice, no peace
No racist beliefs, no rest 'til we're free
Blood in the streets, no justice, no peace
No racist beliefs, no rest 'til we're free
There's blood in the streets, no justice, no peace
No racist beliefs, no rest 'til we're free

[Interlude 1]
[Macklemore, speaking over voices]
"Oh, what are you doing Ben? What are you doing here?"

[Various indistinct male voices]
"Probably shouldn't be here, you have white supremacy, don't fuckin' come here. — Culture Vulture! — ('Black Lives Matter,' say it.) — Wow. — ('Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter.') — You should not have done that. Why the fuck would you do that? — (What are you doing here?) — You always react. Just let it go, man. — White racist. — It's the Grammys!"

[Macklemore]
"Ben, think about it."

[Verse 2]
You've exploited and stolen the music, the moment
The magic, the passion, the fashion, you toy with
The culture was never yours to make better
You're Miley, you're Elvis, you're Iggy Azalea
Fake and so plastic, you've heisted the magic
You've taken the drums and the accent you rapped in
Your brand of hip-hop, it's so fascist and backwards
That Grandmaster Flash'd go slap it, you bastard
All the money that you made
Of the watered-down, pop-bullshit version of the culture, pal
Go buy a big-ass lawn, go with your big-ass house
Get a big-ass fence, keep people out
It's all stolen, anyway, can't you see that now?
There's no way for you to even that out
You can join the march, protest, scream and shout
Get on Twitter, hashtag, and seem like you're down
But they see through it all, people believe you now?
You said publicly, "Rest in peace, Mike Brown"
You speak about equality, but do you really mean it?
Are you marching for freedom, or when it's convenient?
Want people to like you, want to be accepted
That's probably why you are out here protesting
Don't think for a second you don't have incentive
Is this about you, well, then what's your intention?
What's the intention? What's the intention?

[Interlude 2: Protesters]
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"
"Hands up? Don't shoot!"

[Verse 3]
"Pssst, I totally get it, you're by yourself
And the last thing you wanna do is take a picture
But seriously, my little girl loves you
She's always singing, 'I'm gonna pop some tags'
I'm not kidding, my oldest, you even got him to go thrifting
And 'One Love,' oh my God, that song, brilliant
Their aunt is gay, when that song came out
My son told his whole class he was actually proud
That's so cool, look what you're accomplishing
Even an old mom like me likes it, 'cause it's positive
You're the only hip-hop that I let my kids listen to
'Cause you get it, all that negative stuff it isn't cool"
Yeah?
"Yeah, like, all the guns and the drugs
The bitches and the hoes and the gangs and the thugs
Even the protest outside, so sad, and so dumb
If a cop pulls you over, it's your fault if you run"
Huh?

[Interlude 3: Various male and female voices]
"So, they feel that the police are discriminating against the... the black people? — I have an advantage? Why? 'Cause I'm white? (laughs) What? (laughs) No. — See, more people nowadays are just pussies. Like, this is the generation to be offended by everything. — 'Black Lives Matter' thing is a reason to take arms up over perceived slights. — I'm not prejudiced, I just... — 99% of the time, across this country, the police are doing their job properly."

[Verse 4]
Damn, a lot of opinions, a lot of confusion, a lot of resentment
Some of us scared, some of us defensive
And most of us aren't even paying attention
It seems like we're more concerned with being called racist
Than we actually are with racism
I've heard that silences are action and God knows that I've been passive
What if I actually read a article, actually had a dialogue
Actually looked at myself, actually got involved?
If I'm aware of my privilege and do nothing at all, I don't know
Hip-hop has always been political, yes
It's the reason why this music connects
So what the fuck has happened to my voice if I stay silent when black people are dying
And I'm trying to be politically correct?
I can book a whole tour, sell out the tickets
Rap entrepreneur, built his own business
If I'm only in this for my own self-interest
Not the culture that gave me a voice to begin with
And this isn't authentic, it is just a gimmick
The DIY underdog, so independent
But the one thing the American dream fails to mention
Is I was many steps ahead to begin with
My skin matches the hero, likeness, the image
America feels safe with my music in their systems
And it suited me perfect, the role, I fulfilled it
And if I'm the hero, you know who gets cast as the villain
White supremacy isn't just a white dude in Idaho
White supremacy protects the privilege I hold
White supremacy is the soil, the foundation, the cement and the flag that flies outside of my home
White supremacy is our country's lineage, designed for us to be indifferent
My success is the product of the same system that let off Darren Wilson – guilty
We wanna dress like, walk like, talk like, dance like, yet we just stand by
We take all we want from black culture, but will we show up for black lives?
We wanna dress like, walk like, talk like, dance like, yet we just stand by
We take all we want from black culture, but will we show up for black lives?

[Interlude 4: Various male and female voices]
"Black Lives Matter, to use an analogy, is like if... if there was a subdivision and a house was on fire. The fire department wouldn't show up and start putting water on all the houses because all houses matter. They would show up and they would turn their water on the house that was burning because that's the house that needs the help the most. — My generation's taken on the torch of a very age-old fight for black liberation, but also liberation for everyone. Injustice anywhere is still injustice everywhere. — The best thing white people can do is talk to each other, having those very difficult, very painful conversations with your parents, with your family members. — I think one of the critical questions for white people in this society is, 'What are you willing to risk? What are you willing to sacrifice to create a more just society?'"

[Outro: Jamila Woods]
Your silence is a luxury, hip-hop is not a luxury
Your silence is a luxury, hip-hop is not a luxury
Your silence is a luxury, hip-hop is not a luxury
Your silence is a luxury, hip-hop is not a luxury
What I got for me, it is for me
What we made, we made to set us free
What I got for me, it is for me
What we made, we made to set us free
What I got for me, it is for me
What we made, we made to set us free

[Click here to learn more about the making of "White Privilege II"]

[Letra de "Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - White Privilege II (Traducción al Español)"]

[Verso 1]
Entré en el parking, aparqué
Me subí la cremallera y entré en la procesión de manifestantes
Pienso, "Esto es raro, ¿realmente debería estar manifestándome?
Si ellos no pueden, ¿cómo puedo respirar?
Si ellos cantan, ¿yo qué canto?
Quiero actuar porque no somos libres
Y cuando lo pienso, tampoco somos un colectivo
Estoy fuera mirando hacia dentro, ¿o dentro mirando hacia fuera?
Es mi deber dar algo de mi
¿O debería quedarme apartado con mi boca callada por justicia? No hay paz
Okey, están diciendo "Las vidas negras importan", pero yo no lo repito
¿Puedo decirlo también? No lo sé, así que miro y me quedo delante de una línea de policía que parecen igual que yo
Solo separados por una placa, una porra, un spray, una máscara
Un escudo, una pistola con guantes y unas manos y una coartada
En caso de que alguien muera detrás de una nueve
Se nos va otro niño de repente

[Coro]
Sangre en las calles, sin justicia, sin paz
No al racismo, no paremos hasta la libertad
Hay sangre en las calles, sin justicia, sin paz
No al racismo, no paremos hasta la libertad

Sangre en las calles, sin justicia, sin paz
No al racismo, no paremos hasta la libertad
Hay sangre en las calles, sin justicia, sin paz
No al racismo, no paremos hasta la libertad
(Ben, piénsalo)

[Verso 2]
Hemos explotado y robado la música, el momento
La magia, la pasión, la belleza, jugamos con ello
La cultura nunca fue nuestra
Somos Miley, Elvis, Iggy Azalea
Falsos y plásticos, hemos robado lo mágico
Hemos robado los tambores y los acentos en los que rapeamos
Hemos registrado el "hip hop", esto es fascismo
Grandmaster Flash cárgatelos bastardo!
Todo el dinero que hacemos
Toda la mierda pop aguada de esta cultura, 'bro'
Ve a comprar un puto césped, ve a comprar una puta casa
Coge una buena valla y déjales fuera
Somos tan tercos, ¿no lo ves?
No hay forma de negarlo
Puedes entrar en la manifestación, protestar, gritar
Entrar en twitter, poner un hashtag y aparentar
Ellos lo ven y ahora la gente cree en ti
Dijiste publicamente "Descansa en Paz, Mike Brown"
Hablas sobre igualdad, ¿pero la quieres?
Luchas por la libertad, ¿o por cuando te conviene?
Quieres gustar, quieres ser aceptado
Probablemente por eso estás protestando
No pienses que no tienes incentivos
Si esto es sobre ti, ¿cuál es tu intención?
¿Cuál es la intención?
¿Cuál es la intención?

[Verso 3]
Psst, lo pillo, estás aquí solo
Y lo último que quieres es una foto
Pero en serio, a mi hija le encantas
Siempre está cantando, "I'm gonna pop some tags!"
No es broma, el mayor incluso ha ido de 'thrifting'
Y "One Love", dios, esa canción es brillante
Su tío es gay, cuando la canción salió
Mi hijo le dijo a su clase que estaba orgulloso
Eso es tan guay, lo que estás consiguiendo
Incluso una madre como yo lo siente porque es positivo
Eres el único rapero que dejo que mis hijos escuchen
Sabes, porque lo negativo no es guay
Si, como las pistolas, las drogas
Las putas, las guarras, las bandas, los matones
Incluso las protestas, tan tristes y estúpidas
Si te para un poli, es tu culpa si curres
¿Eh?

[Interludio: Varias voces]
¿Así que creen que la policía está discriminando a los negros? ¿Tengo una ventaja por ser blanca? Haha, no. La gente hoy en día son unos maricones, esta generación se enfada por todo. Esto del "Black Lives Matter" es una razón para acabar con esas percepciones. No tengo prejuicios solo-. El 99% de las veces la policía hace bien su trabajo

[Verso 4]
Mierda, muchas opiniones, mucha confusión, mucho resentimiento
Algunos asustados, otros defensivos y la mayoría distraídos
Parece que nos fastidia más que nos llamen racistas a serlo
He oído que el silencio es acción y sabe dios que hemos sido pasivos
¿Qué pasaría si leyéramos un artículo, tuviéramos un diálogo
Nos miráramos y nos involucráramos?
Si soy consciente de mi privilegio y no hago nada, no lo sé
El rap siempre ha sido político, por eso conecta tanto
Pero qué coño le ha pasado a mi voz si me callo cuando los negros mueren
¿Intento ser políticamente correcto?
Puedo organizar un tour, venderlo todo
Rap emprendedor, me hice mi negocio
Solo estoy por mi interés, no por la cultura que me dio esta voz
Esto no es auténtico, es una farsa
Soy el chaval del underground, independiente
Pero lo que los americanos nunca dicen es que siempre estuve por delante
Mi piel es la del héroe, lo que gusta, la imagen
América se siente segura con mi música en su gente
Y me encaja perfecto, ese rol lo he tomado
Y si soy el héroe, sabes quién es el villano
Supremacía Blanca no es un blanco de Idaho
Supremacía Blanca protege mi privilegio
Supremacía Blanca es el suelo, la fundación, el cemento y la bandera que hay en mi jardín
Supremacía Blanca es nuestro país, diseñado para que seamos indiferentes
Mi éxito es producto del sistema que dejó culpable a Darren Wilson
Queremos vestir como, andar como, hablar como, bailar como, y solo miramos
Lo queremos todo de los negros, ¿pero lucharemos por sus vidas?
Queremos vestir como, andar como, hablar como, bailar como, y solo miramos
Lo queremos todo de los negros, ¿pero lucharemos por sus vidas?

[Interludio: Varias voces]
Black Lives Matter, si usamos una analogía, es como si hubiera una subdivisión y una casa estuviera incendiada. Los bomberos no aparecerían y salvarían todas las casas porque todas las casas importan. Aparecerían y salvarían la casa incendiada porque es la que lo necesita. Mi generación ha tomado la antorcha de lucha por la liberación negra pero también la de todo el mundo. Injusticia siempre es injusticia. Lo mejor que pueden hacer los blancos es hablar entre ellos. Y tener esas difíciles conversaciones con vuestras familias. Una de las preguntas para los blancos es, ¿qué estáis dispuestos a arriesgar? ¿Qué sacrificaréis por una sociedad justa?

[Outro: Jamila Woods]
Tu silencio es un lujo, el hip hop no va de lujos
Tu silencio es un lujo, el hip hop no va de lujos
Tu silencio es un lujo, el hip hop no va de lujos
Tu silencio es un lujo, el hip hop no va de lujos
Lo que me depara, es para mi
Quizá podríamos, ser libres
Lo que me depara, es para mi
Quizá podríamos, ser libres
Lo que me depara, es para mi
Quizá podríamos, ser libres