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Powerful rap praises Chicago teachers

"Chicago Teacher" by Rebel Diaz, produced by DJ ILLANOIZ, written and performed by G1 and RodStarz, and released today on the Rebel Diaz website, covers the highlights of the Chicago Teachers Union strike and gives a complete commentary of corporate school reform and the politicians who delight in privatization. The song "Chicago Teacher" is available on the Rebel Diaz website.

[CHORUS]

Homey I was taught by a Chicago teacher!

Chicago teacher, Chicago teacher!

I learned to read and write from a Chicago teacher,

So I’m inspired by the fight from our Chicago teachers!

[RODSTARZ VERSE]

The teachers are tired, the students dumbfounded,

the budgets get cut so classes are overcrowded.

Streets full of violence, the blue code of silence

so imma keep rhyming til salaries start rising!

The unions uprising! takin to the streets!

The workers are United so the Mayor's got beef!

Rahm's a fake pretender with a corporate agenda

Neo Liberal Offender, of course you offend us!

This aint about money! That’s far from the truth,

they want better work conditions to teach the youth.

Politicians, I don’t trust em, its all in the name

the president, the mayor all want political gain.

Theyd rather put the kids in jail, shackle em wit chains,

then provide an education that challenges the brain.

Top down education..Chicago- the birthplace

And now its spreading nationwide all over the place

They don’t teach us how to think they teach us how to test!

they teach us how to work to put money in they check!s

The CEOS need to get up out the classroom

before these streets get hotter than the sand in cancun!

so join the picket line like mr pickett in his prime,

put on ya red shirt like the bulls in 95.

hit the streets with a sign that says im fightin for mine

IT’S A FORK IN THE ROAD AND U GOTTA CHOOSE A SIDE

And yes im proud to say I was a public school student

IT WAS PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER THAT FIRST TAUGHT ME MUSIC (2x)

[CHORUS]

[G1 VERSE]

Went to lil Lincoln School in a lil school bus

DEsegragation. Paid 20 cents for lunch

Reduced price ticket

For the lower income children

Art and music classes

In between Math and English

Now its different

They just teachin to the test

Forced by the feds

Or they losin that check

Too many children left behind

by this corporate assembly line

how they privatize?

education is a humam right!

and they kids gon be fine

they send em to private schools

while ours get sent to prison

or given a job servin fast food c

ash rules so it gets treated like a business

bought and sold by businessmen turned politicians

so if Rahm was the chief of staff

and Arne Duncan got his start in Chicago

sellin off the education system

hen Obama gotta respond the teachers or the corporations?

Which side is he on?

The streets is getting hot They blame the heat on Chief Keef

But it’s a million others like him

being created every week

If we don’t teach we don’t learn

And the streets is gon burn

Before it gets worse I put on my red shirt

[CHORUS]



Comments:

September 12, 2012 at 7:11 PM

By: Margaret Wilson

Rap

That was a wonderful rap. It's wonderful to have someone show how much they learned from us and to remind behind us. This strike is going to force every politician to choose a side.

September 12, 2012 at 7:55 PM

By: Anthony Smith

Move over LL Cool J, Rebel Diaz is in the House!

Sorry but the first 2 CD's I ever bought were LL Cool J's I'm Bad and a Weird Al Yancovic one, so sue me.

That was a great Rap. Thanks Rebel Diaz.

I hope this inspires more artists to contribute to the cause of justice, equality, fairness, and respect, not to mention the Democratic process! Civics anyone?

I doubt we will be hearing many raps promoting the Corporate 1% that millionaire Rahm and his millionaire selected Chicago Board of Education!

And I could not have said it better than Rebel Diaz! Perhaps we could convince him to run for Mayor???

In solidarity.

Standing proud and standing strong.

Anthony

September 12, 2012 at 9:12 PM

By: John Whitfield

From the Middle East to Chicago

Robin Wright, another distinguished reporter, was at Knox College not long ago showing great pictures from around the Middle East . Among those were those in the hip hop movement rapping to the tune of freedom, from Tunisia to Egypt. Glad to see this post about rappin to the tune of freedom from test scores, freedom from inner city violence, and freedom from being jailed for no good reason.

September 12, 2012 at 9:17 PM

By: Susan Ohanian

rap Chicago Teacher

I loved this. Rebel Diaz understands the issues better than most media. And when I thanked DJ ILLANOIZ on Twitter, he thanked me for being a teacher. Nice touch. \r\rWhat comes across in newscasts is how well liked Chicago teachers are, and it impresses me that parents who must be very stressed by the disruption, seem to see--and appreciate-- the important issues teachers are fighting for. Good work!

September 13, 2012 at 3:47 PM

By: Rosemary Powers

Rebel Diaz rap

We were stoked hearing your rap this morning before going out on the picked lines today. Thanks for supporting Chicago teachers.

Rosemary

September 14, 2012 at 6:38 PM

By: Kimberly Bowsky

Chicago Teacher Rap

Pumpin' power, Rebel Diaz!

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