Friday Flow: "THINK" by Klasik

posted in: FeaturesUrban

OSBlog02_FridayFlow_MASTEREvery Friday on the OurStage blog, I’ll be featuring a great example of flow and lyricism in hip hop songs pulled from the OurStage ranks. I’ll get the artist’s thoughts on the song, as well as post the lyrics or best verse so fans can follow the flow themselves.

This week’s installment of “Friday Flow” is featuring Dallas, TX native Klasik. There’s a lot to be said for people who not only speak for change and progress, but work for it as well. Klasik is one of those people.  He is very vocal about his feelings, and he practices what he preaches.

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To describe the track “THINK” would be describing the current state of the African American culture, which in its current state is practicing ignorance. I would consider myself somewhat of a revolutionist in the fact that I am an advocate of change and uplifting the spirit of my culture and ethnicity. Growing up as a youth in the public school system I was never taught about real Black history, or what my true background was; it was not stressed. The essentials were not given but I not pointing the finger at anybody, for it is our responsibility as parents, and elders to educate and present our youth with awareness to our past as a race in whole. Not being the smartest person in the world or the most educated, “THINK” was a conscious decision to discontinue being oblivious about what is going on around me, and to what has been kept from me but has always been in my midst. We are encouraged to read as students at a very young age but somehow we refrain from doing so, when all the knowledge you will ever need in life cost a $1.25 membership or in some instances, free at your local library. Parents, however, themselves in this new information age refuse to show their children, how important reading is; The statement “Reading is fundamental” runs deeper than just the expression. I found this through my own discovery, well after dropping out of college. Real life made me seek a higher meaning, urged me to become a little more aware of reality. “THINK” is based on a few subjects; politics, religion, education, and personal achievement. The song is catered more to my African American youths, however is a conscious track for everyone to entertain. Hip hop has traveled extremely far from its essence since becoming commercial and very rarely do we find artist attempting to educate more than entertain these days. I come from an era when music was good for the soul, it was motivation to continue doing the right thing, with artist like Afrika Bambataa, Soul Sonic Force, MC Shan, etc.; Pioneers of hip hop who spoke about education, politics, and becoming aware of your surroundings; I am simply continuing where they left off. “Wake Up” is the message I am trying to get across to my common folk. “THINK” is just a tease, a nudge in the right direction. With the election of president Obama, I believe we as black people found hope again, but still need to be wary that slavery has not been eradicated. Yes, in the physical sense but mentally we are still trapped in what I like to call the “Willie Lynch” effect. Freedom, true freedom is my aim through this track; for I am a free thinker, and through this song I attempt to reach those that secretly desire a better understanding themselves. You are not alone in how you feel, so through “THINK” I offer encouragement, to turn off the TV, stop listening to gossip, pay attention to your government, educate your children and keep GOD first. Pick up a book, and break off the chains that have been strapped on our community for over 400 years. “COGITO, ERGO SUM”” I think, therefore I am… (Rene Descartes)

Follow along with the lyrics to “THINK” below:

INTRO –
Something new, educational…

VERSE 1

Take me away, send me out to space//
Wherever I may land that’s okay//
And maybe I shall start another race//
Generation of young who only know greatness//
and erase all thoughts of the slave ships//
and place black paint on my spaceship//
so whoever wanna ride let’s go//
I have a lot of room on this boat//
see but you can only join if you really seek the truth//
that this life wasn’t made for you to follow the rules//
who made up the rules though, and said we couldn’t choose to?//
have our own religion and call God who we choose to?//
First black president, I know that your amused//
and it finally feels like we may have a little juice//
fact still remains though, the noose is still intact//
at any given time the man can pull us back//

CHORUS

Wanna hide something? Then put it in a book//
Cause we never read, they know that you’ll never look//
Knowledge is the key to a life that’s free//
so break them chains off people and be free//

Wanna hide something? Then put it in a book//
Cause we never read, they know that you’ll never look//
Knowledge is the key to a life that’s free//
so break them chains off people and be free with me//

VERSE 2

Lavar Burton said it best//
that if we don’t read, then we shall never progress//
Yes, find a better place than stress//
never dream big, then you must expect less//
Be blessed, please stop feeding your soul trash//
the media is keeping you locked on a false path//
then we ask questions, Why do they hate blacks?//
we need to ask questions like, Why do we hate math?//
The vatican is lying to the masses//
like the only religion is Catholic//
then they wonder why there’s madness//
cause look at what they’re teaching our young black kids//
last name of our slave trade masters//
it’s no wonder that they’ll always look past us//
cause our past sucks, still we act stuck//
now the white house is black so let’s rise up//

REPEAT CHORUS