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R.I.P. Gil Scott-Heron Lupe Fiasco – R.I.P. Gil Scott-Heron
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Gil Scott-Heron was a spoken word poet, soul and jazz musician and author. Highly influential on many genres of black music from Hip Hop to neo-soul he is sometimes considered one of the originators and inspirators of rap music. His works include “Home Is Where the Hatred Is”, “Rivers of My Fathers” and quite possibly his most recognized work “The Revolution Will Not be Televised” which is the key reference in this piece crafted by Lupe Fiasco. This piece was written and posted on Lupe’s website as a homage to Gil Scott-Heron due to his passing on May 27th 2011

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Aristophanes Martin Luther King Jr. – I've Been to the Mountaintop
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Aristophanes was an Ancient Greek playwright who produced comedic literary texts. Some of his works include ‘Lysistrata’, ‘The Clouds’ and ‘The Birds’. His work featured depictions of both Socrates and Euripides

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Euripides Martin Luther King Jr. – I've Been to the Mountaintop
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Euripedes was a playwright and intellectual of Ancient Greece. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles he is considered one of the three great writers of ‘Tragedy’ and is also commonly associated with Socrates. His works include Medea, ‘Heracles’, ‘Electra’ and ‘The Trojan Women’. With many of his works left in tact they are still performed to this day

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Socrates, Martin Luther King Jr. – I've Been to the Mountaintop
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Socrates is an ancient Greek philosopher credited as one of the founders of Western Philosophy and a powerful critical thinker, particularly concerning topics regarding epistemology and ethics. Having left behind little to no surviving literary texts much of Socrates' supposed philosophical ideologies and viewpoints are reflected in the works of other later Greek philosophers in particular Plato who was a student of Socrates. Socrates was openly critical of the policies implemented in the state he lived, this open criticism along with his opinions on morals and justice, is thought by many to have contributed to his eventual trial and sentenced death

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Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds. Martin Luther King Jr. – Letter From Birmingham Jail
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Anybody who is considered a citizen of the United States should be treated as such. All citizens should be looked upon as equals for each citizen is an American.

In these words, King underscores the uniqueness of the United States of America, a country made up almost wholly of immigrants (due to the tragic genocide of the native people) where the provincialism of almost every other place in the world need not apply.

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786e0509cf73634ae4444eed62ba3a19

99

7 years

A correction I believe is necessary – North American aboriginal people are still here – another case of inequity long left unacknowledged. That said, yes, it is still a nation of mostly immigrants given the small numbers of aboriginal people who are still with us.

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raeshod polzin
9 years

can you tell me anything else based on his belief on the statement “Anybody who lives in the united states can never be considered an outsider” if you can it would be very help just email me @raeshodpolzin15@gmail.com and thank you

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Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Martin Luther King Jr. – Letter From Birmingham Jail
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Considering other human beings as outsiders only serves to promote separation and discrimination, refusal to engage and respect one another halts progress.

Once again, King refers back to the statement “A Call For Unity” written by eight prominent white Alabama clergymen, ridiculing their antiquated notion of the ‘outside agitator’. In this, King shows his progressive, global perspective, realizing the interconnectedness and necessary interdependence of individuals all across the world.

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We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Martin Luther King Jr. – Letter From Birmingham Jail
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I am because we are.

Everybody is connected, regardless of whether we’re directly connected or not, as human beings we all share similar qualities, emotions and experiences, as the single race of all human beings we are equals, wrapped in the same garments of destiny.

King is shattering the hegemonic illusion of separation the poisons capitalistic winner-takes-all America. This statement is the antithesis to the blind hubris of individualism captured in the phrase, “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.”

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Minola Clark Manson
8 years

This is an expression of the African collectivist cultural norm. I only exist in connection with others. Here he is reminding African Americans that the we is not just your family or your town but the community includes all of us regardless of where we acknowledge it or not. American has put us all in the same pot as well.

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Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Martin Luther King Jr. – Letter From Birmingham Jail
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King accurately points out that the segregation and racism occurring in America was a failure of the ideals we as a country supposedly upheld; he later quotes Lincoln:

This nation cannot survive half slave and half free.

And Jefferson:

We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal..

To effectively show that in order for America to truly be the land of the free, all of its inhabitants must enjoy freedom.

This quote refers human rights, the idea that there exist a basic set of rights inherent to all human beings. If one person is denied these interrelated rights (regardless of their nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, language, etc), then this fundamental idea has been attacked, and all are in danger of having their rights taken away.

As the Apostle Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 12.26

If one man suffers, all suffer together with it.

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Default_avatar_100

42

9 years

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” is an example of antithesis. King contrasts justice with injustice, and anywhere with everywhere. By juxtaposing opposite ideas and words in this way, King emphasizes the notion that what is happening is indeed unjust.

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Default_avatar_100

36

9 years

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”- We cannot conceive ourselves as separate from all other people in the world.

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I rose from the bush like Valentine's petals Capital STEEZ – 47 Elements
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Some word play here.

  • STEEZ emerged on the scene like a rose emerges from a rose bush. Get it homophones?

  • Roses are a common flower given to people during Valentine’s Day.

  • Roses images before blossoming are not exactly the same as they are after it. The rose bush is covered in thorns and is often seen as ugly up until it is blossomed, see the connection?

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69
1 year

“Bush” as in “Flatbush” Brooklyn, where STEEZ is from

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Default_avatar_100

367

3 years

also dude got high…. rose from the bush

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7 years

He rose from his mother’s pubic bushes into an unstable family (reference to next line). Could also mean his penis rising from his own pubes which links to getting it on during Valentine’s. Also rose from Flatbush.

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Default_avatar_100

1

8 years

I also think he meant his soul RISED up from the Cannabis Bush also.

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Marked this as missing something?
8 years

“Rose from the bush from Valentine’s petals” could also be ionic imagery. Since he’s born, he literally rose from his mother’s pubic bushes. The reference to “valentine’s petals” additionally could mean that he emerged in the same way that the romantic feelings that led to him rose.

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60a8a5576b901487964f7d357ea42a4f

115

9 years

Yes, he also “rose” out of Flatbush…

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0c1c45b02b826930832cdb5b8f5c24b9

123

9 years

HE ROSE FROM THE BUSH, as in FLATBUSH, wordplay get dat shit right,

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8696ffea33660e46277875d451bdd13f

238

10 years

Rose is also a gold variant, tying back to the last line

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Cause that dead-end rap can't even crack its glass ceiling No Malice (Ft. Ab-Liva) – Smoke & Mirrors
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The glass ceiling represents a barrier that cannot be seen but still remains. Certain things may look achievable but in truth they’re not, a career in dead-end rap isn’t strong enough to break through that barrier

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