A TERRA DO PRESTE XOÁN

Entre os nosos alumnos fai furor Porta, un rapeiro barcelonés de 18 anos. Levan semanas tentando convencernos das súas bondades. Non dubidamos de Porta en absoluto, porén preferimos mirar atrás: a finais dos oitenta e principios dos noventa, sen dúbida a época dourada do hip-hop.

En 1987 Public Enemy publicou o seu primeiro disco. Foi toda unha revolución, porque as bases da música eran moi coidados e, sobre todo, porque as letras de Chuck D non se parecían en nada ás que se escoitaban noutros grupos de hip-hop.

Entendámonos, os rapeiros sempre falaron do que máis ou menos segue falando agora Porta. Que se eu rapeo mellor que ninguén no barrio, que se todas as rapazas se derreten por min cando subo o escenario… Ufff! Canta prepotencia! As letras de Public Enemy, pola contra, eran letras políticas: denunciaban case sempre o racismo contra os negros en EEUU.

No caso de “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos” (Aceiro negro na hora do caos), a cousa ía contra o exército norteamericano, e a súa manía de enrolar soldados negros, máis ou menos á forza. Estes soldados negros remataban sempre nos conflitos máis violentos, e como agora en Iraq, eran a maior parte dos mortos do exército.

Xuro que teño a letra desta canción traducida por algures. Non a poño en galego porque non me acabo de atrever, que hai bastantes palabras que non entendo. Póñovos a letra en inglés e conformádevos con saber que, como vedes no vídeo, a historia é a dun rapaz negro que recibe unha carta do goberno para que faga o servizo militar. Aínda que se nega, é atrapado pola policía e encarcerado. Organiza un motín no cárcere e consegue escapar: A cell is hell, so I rebel (Unha cela é o inferno, así que me rebelei):

I got a letter from the goverment
the other day.
I opened and read it.
It said they were suckers,
they wanted me for the army or whatever.
Picture me given’ 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’, but just that very minute…
It occured 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.
I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before
I contemplated a plan on the cell floor.
I’m not a fugitive on the run
but a brother like me begun -to be another one
public enemy servin’ time- they drew the line y’all
to criticize me some more crime -never the less.
They could not understand that I’m a Black man
and I could never be a veteran.
On the strenght, the situation’s unreal,
I got a raw deal, so I’m going for the steel.

They got me rottin in the time that I’m servin’
tellin’ you what happened the same time they’re throwin’
four of us packed in a cell like slaves - Oh , well
the same motherfucker got us livin’ in his hell
You have to realize - What is a form of slavery
organized under a swarm of devils.
Straight up - word’em up on the level
the reasons are several, most of them federal.
Here is my plan and I say
I got gusto, but only some I can trust - Yo
Some do a bid from 1 to 10
and I never did, and plus I never been.
I’m on a tier where no tears should ever fall
cell block and locked - I never clock it y’all
‘cause time and time again time
they got me servin’ to those and to them
I’m not a citizen
but ever when I catch a C-O
sleepin’ on the job - my plan is on go-ahead
on the strength, I’m a tell you the deal
I got nothin’ to lose
‘Cause I’m going for the steel.

You know I caught a C-O
fallin’ asleep on death row.
I grabbed his gun - then he did what I said so
and everyman’s got seved
along with the time they served
decency was deserved.
To understand my demands
I gave a warnin’ - I wanted the governor, y’all
and plus the warden to know
that I was innocent
because I’militant
posing a threat, you bet it’s fucking up the goverment.
My plan said I had to get out and break north
just like with Oliver’s neck.
I had to get off - my boys had the feds in check,
they couldn’t try nuthing
we had a force to instigate a prison riot.

This is what it takes for peace
so I just took the piece
Black for Black inside time to cut the leash
freedom to get out -to the ghetto- no sell out
six C-O’s we got we ought put their head out
but I’ll give them a chance , ‘cause I’m civilized,
as for the rest of the world they can’t realize
a cell is hell - I’m a rebel so I rebel.
Got a woman C-O to call me a copter
she tried to get away and I popped her
twice, right
now who wanna get nice?
I had six C-O’s now it’s five to go
and I’m serious - call me delirious
but I’m still a captive
I gotta rap this.
Time to break as time grows intense
I got the steel in my right hand,
now I’m lookin’ for the fence.

I ventured in the courtyard
followed by fifty two brothers.
Bruised, battered and scarred but hard
goin’ out with a bang
ready to bang out.
But power from the sky
and from the tower shots rang out.
A high number in dose -yes
and some came close.

Figure I trigger my steeel
stand and hold my post
This is what I mean -an anti-nigger machine
If I come out alive and then they won’t -come clean
and then I threw up my steel bullets- flew up,
blow up, who shot…
What, who, the bazooka was who
and to my rescue, it was the S1Ws
secured my getaway, so I just gotaway.
The joint broke, from the black smoke
then they saw it was rougher than the average bluffer
‘cause the steel was black, the attitude exact
now the chase is on tellin’ you to c’mo
fifty three brothers on the run, and we are gone.

Remato deixándovos por aquí un enlace sobre cultura negra: We ain’t no niggas!