“I got a letter from the government the other day
I opened and read it, it said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me givin’ a damn, I said, “Never”
Here is a land that never gave a damn
About a brother like me and myself because they never did
I wasn’t wit’ it, but just that very minute
It occurred to me, the suckers had authority
Cold sweatin’ as I dwell in my cell
How long has it been they got me sittin’ in the state pen?”
This iconic socially conscious hip-hop tune is from Public Enemy‘s landmark sophomore album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. Concerning the song’s motivation, Chuck D stated: “Back when I was seven years old I saw my uncle come to my grandmother’s house to get his draft papers for Vietnam. Of course as a kid you’re trying to see what’s going on. I saw their faces drop. I thought about the whole draft policy – it just stuck with me. I was like, “If I have to go to jail for not fighting a war, then breaking out is righteous.””
The song is the perfect combo of The Bomb Squad’s minimalistic but potent musical attack and Chuck D’s compelling narrative.
A trippy cover was also recorded by Tricky for his 1995 album debut album Maxinquaye. This version features jazzy vocals by Martina Topley-Bird.