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:
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
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.
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!
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
By: Kimberly Bowsky
Chicago Teacher Rap
Pumpin' power, Rebel Diaz!
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.