If I gotta die to be free
Then I guess it gotta be
Cause I never been a sucker, see?
I can't stand for a man tryin to hold me down
Then again I've never been a clown
Countdown (Freedom or death)
'88, and everything ain't well (Freedom or death)
Prepare for a war and war is hell (Freedom or death)
And if you think about coppin a plea (Freedom or death)
Don't even waste your breath (Freedom or death)
Cause this time it's freedom or death (Freedom or death)

Conceptually to be free means
To do what I please, but please
Cause even overseas in my native country
I still get robbed and raped in the face
For gold and all (Freedom or death)
My people are poor (Freedom or death)
For the sake of a thrill (Freedom or death)
My people get killed (Freedom or death)
And we'll be killed till there's nobody left (Freedom or death)
Unless we understand it's freedom or death (Freedom or death)

It only takes one side to declare war
And if the other side ignores
They get mapped, or should I say off the map
Like a stain's washed out in a laundromat
Wartime, brother, wartime, sister (Freedom or death)
We can't wait because they won't wait (Freedom or death)
And we've been through so much shit to date (Freedom or death)
That we're losin this war and I hate (Freedom or death)

To say that, but it's true, so I say to you
You better learn to defend yourself
Right hand and left
In the east and west
Time for war, freedom or death
If I gotta die to be free
Then I guess it gotta be
Cause I never been a sucker, see?
I can't stand for a man tryin to hold me down
Then again, I've never been a clown
Countdown (Freedom or death)
'88, and everything ain't well (Freedom or death)
Prepare for a war and war is hell (Freedom or death)
And if you think about coppin a plea (Freedom or death)
Don't even waste your breath (Freedom or death)
Cause this time it's freedom or death (Freedom or death)