Released: May 18, 2010
Featuring: K’naan
Songwriter: K’naan Nas Damian Marley
Producer: Damian Marley
[Refrain: Damian Marley]
Tribal war, we nah want no more a dat
Every man deserve to earn
And every child deserve to learn, now
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn like a flame deserve to burn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Each and every man deserve to earn
And every child deserve to learn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn, like Babylon deserve to burn
[Verse 1: Nas]
Man what happened to us?
Geographically they moved us from Africa
We was once happiness-pursuers
Now we back stabbing, combative and abusive
The African and Arab go at it they most Muslim
Used to be moving in unison, disputes would end
Bounty hunters and grape street get cool again
Sub-standard housing, got the young running rampant
Wilding, for a Phantom he can style in
Mask on his face, grabbing his Ruger
Saying nobody move or I'll shoot you
Man you're expiring, catch 25 and he does it like a man
He sides with black, white pride and Mexican
Survive the best he can, strap a shank to his thigh
Why do we all collide? Why do the young die?
Extortion, murder and burglary, tattoos his chest
Says his enemies don't deserve to breathe
[Refrain: Damian Marley]
Tribal war, we nah want no more a dat
Every man deserve to earn
And every child deserve to learn, now
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn like a flame deserve to burn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn
And every child deserve to learn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn, like Babylon deserve to burn
[Verse 2: K'Naan]
I drink poison then I vomit diamonds
I gave you Mandela, black Dalai Lamas
I gave you music, you enthused in my kindness
So how dare you reduce me to Donny Imus
Timeless in case we never been acquainted
Flyness who made it, it gets duplicated
Mindless violence, well let me try to paint it
Here's the 5 steps in hopes to explain it
ONE: It's me and my nation against the world
TWO: Then me and my clan against the nation
THREE: Then me and my fam' against the clan
FOUR: Then me and my brother we no hesitation, uh
Go against the fam' until they cave in
FIVE: Now who's left in this deadly equation?
That's right, it's me against my brother
Then we point a Kalashnikov and kill one another
[Refrain: Damian Marley]
Tribal war, we nah want no more a dat
Every man deserve to earn
And every child deserve to learn, now
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn like a flame deserve to burn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn
And every child deserve to learn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn, like Babylon deserve to burn
[Verse 3: Damian Marley]
Man a war tribal over colors
Over money, over land, and over oil, and over god
And over idols, and even lovers
Over breakfast, over dinner, over suppers
Over jungle, over rema, over buckers
Over Brooklyn, over Queens, and over Rutgers
Over red, and over blue, and over chuckers
Over red and over blue and under covers
Tribal trouble, the drive-bys double
Cause the youth dem nah go war and go fight with knuckle
The two sides scuffle
Vietnam nah go a war with no more kung fu nun chuckle
Missile and shuttle
And the Queen of England and Uncle Sam
Dem a flex dem muscle
The tribal hustle, blood diamond puddle, survival struggle
Tribal war, we nah want no more a dat
Every man deserve to earn
And every child deserve to learn, now
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn like a flame deserve to burn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Each and every man deserve to earn
And every child deserve to learn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn, like Babylon deserve to burn
[Verse 1: Nas]
Man what happened to us?
Geographically they moved us from Africa
We was once happiness-pursuers
Now we back stabbing, combative and abusive
The African and Arab go at it they most Muslim
Used to be moving in unison, disputes would end
Bounty hunters and grape street get cool again
Sub-standard housing, got the young running rampant
Wilding, for a Phantom he can style in
Mask on his face, grabbing his Ruger
Saying nobody move or I'll shoot you
Man you're expiring, catch 25 and he does it like a man
He sides with black, white pride and Mexican
Survive the best he can, strap a shank to his thigh
Why do we all collide? Why do the young die?
Extortion, murder and burglary, tattoos his chest
Says his enemies don't deserve to breathe
[Refrain: Damian Marley]
Tribal war, we nah want no more a dat
Every man deserve to earn
And every child deserve to learn, now
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn like a flame deserve to burn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn
And every child deserve to learn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn, like Babylon deserve to burn
[Verse 2: K'Naan]
I drink poison then I vomit diamonds
I gave you Mandela, black Dalai Lamas
I gave you music, you enthused in my kindness
So how dare you reduce me to Donny Imus
Timeless in case we never been acquainted
Flyness who made it, it gets duplicated
Mindless violence, well let me try to paint it
Here's the 5 steps in hopes to explain it
ONE: It's me and my nation against the world
TWO: Then me and my clan against the nation
THREE: Then me and my fam' against the clan
FOUR: Then me and my brother we no hesitation, uh
Go against the fam' until they cave in
FIVE: Now who's left in this deadly equation?
That's right, it's me against my brother
Then we point a Kalashnikov and kill one another
[Refrain: Damian Marley]
Tribal war, we nah want no more a dat
Every man deserve to earn
And every child deserve to learn, now
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn like a flame deserve to burn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn
And every child deserve to learn
Tribal war, a nuh dat we a defend
Every man deserve a turn, like Babylon deserve to burn
[Verse 3: Damian Marley]
Man a war tribal over colors
Over money, over land, and over oil, and over god
And over idols, and even lovers
Over breakfast, over dinner, over suppers
Over jungle, over rema, over buckers
Over Brooklyn, over Queens, and over Rutgers
Over red, and over blue, and over chuckers
Over red and over blue and under covers
Tribal trouble, the drive-bys double
Cause the youth dem nah go war and go fight with knuckle
The two sides scuffle
Vietnam nah go a war with no more kung fu nun chuckle
Missile and shuttle
And the Queen of England and Uncle Sam
Dem a flex dem muscle
The tribal hustle, blood diamond puddle, survival struggle