[Lauryn Hill Talking]



...I've written it about the whole Amadou Diallo situation...



...It was such a hot time in the city at that point, I was afraid that if I

put the record out, people would Misunderstand what I meant by "Rebel" and

they just take it to the streets...



[One and only verse]



Ok, yeah, alright...

I find it hard to say, that everything is alright

Don't look at me that way, like everything is alright

Cuz my own eyes can see, through all your false pretenses

But what you fail to see, is all the consequences

You think our lives are cheap, and easy to be wasted

As history repeats, so foul you can taste it

And while the people sleep, too comfortable to face it

His life so incomplete, and nothing can replace it

And while the people sleep, too comfortable to face it

Your lives so incomplete, and nothing can replace it

Fret not thyself I say, against these laws of man

Cuz like the Bible says, His blood is on their hands

And what I gotta say, and what I gotta say, is rebel

While today is still today, choose well

And what I gotta say, is rebel, it can't go down this way

Choose well, choose well, choose well...

...choose well, choose well, choose well

And while the people sleep, too comfortable to face it

Your lives are so incomplete, and nothing, and no one, can replace it

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no

And what I gotta say, and what I gotta say

And what I gotta say, and what I gotta say

And what I gotta say, and what I gotta say

And what I gotta say, and what I gotta say

Is rebel... rebel, rebel, rebel, rebel, rebel, rebel

Rebel, rebel, rebel, rebel, rebel

Repent, the day is far too spent, rebel... rebel!

Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up...

Wake up and rebel

We must destroy in order to rebuild

Wake up, you might as well

Oh are you... oh are you satisfied

Oh are you satisfied

Rebel... ohhh rebel

Why don't you rebel, why don't you rebel?

Why don't you rebel?

I'm fading myself down now...