There was a little black boy, a black boy was he
The boy went to school and he came out dunce
He never learn how to read, he never learn about math
He never learn how to write, he never study ‘bout that
All the study was his sneekers, his sneekers and the clothes
So he learn how to dress and he learn how to pose
Now he can't get no work, he can't get no job
So he decide to steal and he decide to rob
But little black boy couldn't last long at all
The police put a bullet through his dunce head-skull
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, show some concern
Little black boy, education is the key
To get you off the street and off poverty
There was a little black boy, a rude boy was he
All the boy ambition was to conduct a maxi
With ear-ring in he nose, a gold teeth in he mouth
He feel very proud when they call him a tout
So proud was the boy that the boy never learn
He could ah work hard and buy a maxi of his own
So he hustle for a dollar he hustle for a smoke
He hustle so that he could buy a little coke
Now he's hook on the coke and off the maxi
And is one more little black vagrant in the country
When you're black you just black. You can't help being black
But because you are black you don't stay back
Be black, be black
But be conscious!
Be black be black
But be conscious!
Look in the front, see who's the doctor?
Look in the back, see who's the lawyer?
Look in the bank, see who's the banker?
Look at the business, see who's the owner?
Look at the staff, see who's the worker?
Look at the drugs, see who's the clan man?
Look who eating out ah them garbage can?
Look in the jail see who you see too
Ah bet ah little black boy just like you!
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, show some concern
Little black boy, education is the key
To get you off the street and off poverty
Little black boy, think ‘bout your race
Little black boy, when would you find your place?
Little black boy, go to school and learn!
Little black boy, take a look at yourself
Little black boy, take a look at yourself
Little black boy, that's what you'd do
Little black boy, take a good look at you
Little black boy, look at other people, too
Little black boy, is that the way you should be?
Little black boy, don't put drugs in your vein
Little black boy, it will drive you insane
Little black boy, it will huddle your brain
Little black boy, don't you be no fool
Little black boy, keep yourself in school
When you're black you just black. You can't help being black
But because you are black you don't stay back
Be black, be black
But be conscious!
Be black be black
But be conscious!
About the singer:
Gypsy won the Calypso Crown in 1997 with songs "Little Black Boy" and "Rhythm of the Nation." After many years of success as a singer, he was elected to the Parliament of Trinidad & Tobago in 2000 thus becoming the second calypsonian in history to be elected to public office; he was reelected in 2001. Source
About the text:
Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters says in 1997 when he sang “Little Black Boy” he was criticised by “black” people. He said nothing had changed since he sang the song. Peters said young Afro-Trinidadians were still killing each other and the jails were occupied by them. He said it was unfortunate the hotspot areas were populated by Afro-Trinidadians. He was speaking in the Parliament on Sunday during the debate on the extension of the state of emergency. The extension has been approved for three months with a reduction in the curfew hours.
Peters said: “It was me, who many years ago when I looked at what young black people were doing to themselves in this country, I wrote a song called ‘Little Black Boy’ and the very black people today who are castigating this Government and who are in some way implying that they are calling a state of emergency only to suppress black people, they themselves, Mr Speaker, when I said to them:
‘Little black boy, go to school and learn;
‘Little black boy show some concern;
‘Little black boy education is the key to get you off the streets and off poverty.’
“Mr Speaker, black people are the ones who came down on my back very, very heavily and said I didn’t like black people for telling them that.” he added.
Peters said the price the country was paying today for crime didn’t start with the current administration.
He said what was happening today was the effects of what was not corrected over the years. Peters said: “And so today, Mr Speaker, we have to call a state of emergency.” He said the statistics he has seen showed the people who were dying “most” were young Afro-Trinidadians. Peters said: “When I look at the people who are murdering these people, are themselves young, black people. “Mr Speaker, when I look at the jails and in my song, I did in fact say:
‘Look in the jail and see who you see too;
‘I see a lot of little black boys just like you.’
“Mr Speaker, nothing has changed.”
Write a short story about the events that led up to this fatal event: "The police put a bullet through his dunce head-skull"
You can choose your point of view and use your imagination freely.
oppdatert 25.02.2018
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