Don`t lock me up
[ VERSE 1 ]
Well, I was kickin it on the corner somewhere out west
Lookin fly like I do because I am well dressed
When a cop stepped to me like a man possessed
And said, Get ready to hear your rights because you`re under arrest
I told him, Pardon me, Mr. Officer, but what`s the charge?
Is it against the law to max out and live large?
He told me, Keep quiet, did you hear what I said?
You keep runnin your mouth, and I`ma bust your head
So he slapped the cuffs on me behind my back
A couple of friends walked up and aksed me, What`s up, black?
Well, I couldn`t say a word, this is really a shock
Cause I was known as the good guy on the block
We rolled to the station in the black and white
Goin through stop signs and traffic lights
And I thought, this must be the good Lord`s test
An innocent man found guilty, placed under arrest
Don`t lock me up (3x)
[ VERSE 2 ]
When we got to the station we screeched to a halt
I said, Whatever you think I did, my man, it ain`t my fault
I walked inside, feelin nervous and tense
When I was led downstairs for some pictures and prints
I posed from every angle, the pictures were taken
I tried to tell the cop about the mistake he was makin
But fingerprints were next, so I followed the plan
I took off my three-finger and I gave em my hand
I was real puzzled about the situation
No charge given, and no explanation
Subject to the law and its intimidation
Not to mention my own humiliation
The pieces didn`t fit, it just didn`t connect
Then I was told, You`re bein held as a rape suspect
I was speechless, my head just fell to the chest
An innocent man found guilty, placed under arrest
Don`t lock me up (3x)
[ VERSE 3 ]
Sittin in a jail cell, what a crazy tale, hell
Seconds seem like hours and the minutes seem like days, well
I`m tryin to keep my wits about me, but
A man that doesn`t have his dignity, will soon be a nut
Now I thought you`re innocent until your guilt is proven
Locked behind bars, young man ain`t movin
Like a newborn chick thrown out of the nest
An innocent man found guilty, placed under arrest
[ BREAK ]
[ VERSE 3 ]
So I sat in the cell, sayin, `Why?` and `How?`
And what would my mother say if she could see me now?
As a rape suspect, and how could it be?
Cause all the women that I slept with, wanted to sleep with me
Just then the door opened, someone else got done
To my surprise it was the brother KRS-One
He said they snatched him up from out of his crib
Pulled out the night stick and nearly busted a rib
We spoke for a minute, then our names were called
Suspects for a line-up against the wall
Where they singled out a brother who was wearin a hat
And it wasn`t me or Kris, so I was happy with that
Then I thought for a second: these cops got nerve!
They got the suspect, but justice was not served
Cause they was lookin for a brother who was 5 ft. 3
Well, I`m 6 ft. 1, and Kris is taller than me
So I went to my lawyer, asked if I could sue
He said, I`m sorry, Young, there ain`t a damn thing you can do
And it`s a shame what happened, it`s really a sin
The guy`s short and fat and you`re tall and thin
Now I couldn`t help feelin like I just got jerked
And the problem is that`s how the system works
Black people need justice, we continue the quest
An innocent man found guilty placed under arrrest
