Degraded Name 11/28/14

I heard him call my brother a n-gger
I said I heard him call my brother a n-gger
Like that shit is okay
Like that is his  birth name
And god knows how much I wanted to react until I realized I am to blame

I have gotten too comfortable with this word amongst my brothers
I don't refer to you all as your birth names anymore
But when he said it... When he said it, it hit me to the core

And for some reason ...

I could've sworn I saw your body hanging from a telephone pole

I could've sworn I saw your body lying in the street surrounded by a white chalk out line after being murdered by the police

I could've sworn I saw you getting choked to death because you were too big of a king to be taken down by the police

I could've sworn I saw your car getting shot up the night before you lawfully committed to your bride by the police

I could've sworn I saw you running for help after your car crash but in return getting gunned down by the police

I could've sworn I saw you sitting on the metro platform proclaiming your innocence before getting shot by the police

I could've sworn I saw you opening your apartment door unarmed before getting bullet holes forced into your body by the police

I could've sworn I saw you walking down the staircase of the building you call home with your fiancée before getting gunned down by the police

KING
They didnt see your worth because I didn't force it upon them
I didn't call you by your name
I didn't proclaim your royalty
I didn't show them your worth
I set the example for them of how to treat you the day I started calling you my n-gga
The day I stopped bowing down at your feet
The day I stopped praying to god to protect my kings

I referred to you as worthless
I allowed them to deem you a slave
I allowed them to label you a thug
I allowed them mother fuckers to think it's okay to call you a n-gga

But it's not
And King please let me be the first to say I Am Sorry
I didn't mean to place you back on the battle fields
I didn't meant to strip you of your worth
I didn't mean for them to label you as a name associated with
blood shed
Bullet holes
White chalk outlines
Death sentences
Funerals
Burials
Seeing God before you were suppose to make it home

King. I promise to never call you out of your name
I promise to kiss the grounds graced by your feet
I promise to love you, encourage you, correct you, empower you
But most of all I promise to call you by your name.... King

I heard him call my brother a n-gger
I said I heard him call my brother a n-gger
Like that is okay
Like that is his  birth name
And god knows how much I wanted to react until I realized I am to blame