01. Lovestream I like sand castle palaces, flaming chalices, birds, bees, butterflies, trees, music, families, tribes, lovers, listeners and vibes (vibes), action, relaxation, rejuvination, sensations, patience, love communication, sun rays, moon beams, the abundance of green, the beauty the light brings, the beauty the night brings, that's just a couple of my favorite things, And the sound of the scratch of the guitar strings Lovestream Lovestream Lovestream Lovestream Yeahyeah I like smiles on baby faces, fun new places, rejecting rat races, cats in most cases, embraces, filled with sincerity, clarity, certain connotations of charity, sudden opportunity, helpin a stranger, courage in the face of danger, an outlet for your anger, like grabbin a mic like doin it right, I like birdsong at first light and love at first sight your sexy summer walk, fall days with street chalk, warmin up winter with passion & pillow talk kissing your cold nose, or peelin off wet clothes, or anything I'm doin with you I suppose a rip roaring fire it grows from an ember see your smile's eternally etched in my memory... Lovestream Lovestream Lovestream Lovestream Lovestream Yeahyeah I like love, trust truth, lust lickin lips lined with nerve endings ending pretending starting time spending sending telepathic care learning to share, showing up, being there (being there) yeah clean air raging waters sons daughters failing trying harder havin a good attitude at any latitude my rap name is Alex peace, love, gratitude (gratitude) Lovestream Lovestream Lovestream Lovestream Yeahyeah

Rough This song is called Rough. It's a song about pullin yourself up up, up, up, up, up, up, up, up I been waitin here waitin for too damn long And I'm searchin for the answers cause somethin seems wrong And not even knowing that I had it all along and it's hard through my weakness to see this as strong Tearin down my poems cause one line doesn't fit I been neglecting myself, makes me feel like **** hey man, you know that I hate to say it but I'm sayin life now is just so hard to grip onto reality and into the dirt but I'm holding together through oh so much hurt I've been growin' a lot in one great big spurt and I'm barely scrapin by and holding on to my shirt I'm still tryin to smile to make it alright It's just hard that when I know that when I lay down at night No one to hold me to make it alright I miss so much love that's just out of my sight, so much love just out of my sight Feelin hot, feelin cold, feelin young and feelin old and I'm tryin my best to live life bold but there are so many plans laid up on hold no time for that, don't stop, let's go! Cause there are so many angles to what I do I turn it around and make old into new and I try hard to rise up from the depths oh so blue it's been rough all along through every phase that I grew it's been rough all along through every phase that I grew it's been rough all along through every phase that I grew it's been rough How did I become an emcee? Beats me? Not what folks usually decide to be at 33 And how shy was I? I was petrified. The thought of public speakin? Don't EVEN! coulda never been a Vegan I was white knuckle panicked with intestinal doom just from one foot on the stage, half a page to an empty room I recall voice quakin, paper shakin, anticipatin rejection, quick corrections, imperfections gotta get beyond, dust it off, soldier on can I be my own man now that mamma's boy's mamma is gone? grew strong and I learned how to carry on thanks to the nurture of my network mentioned earlier on in the song So supreme gratitude for every pebble on the path everyone that made me laugh, let's exchange autographs your love is lifting me higher than anything I ever knew but it's been rough all along through every phase that I grew it's been rough all along through every phase that I grew it's been rough all along through every phase that I grew it's been rough all along through every phase that I grew it's been rough I'm kickin sweet rhymes to brighten my day connecting the phrases to mean what I say I'm not sure of a God but didn't say I don't pray And it's not my religion that brought me here today It's some type of force, some sweet energy that's holding together some of you and some of me and it's givin us love you only get for free and we all could receive it but some can not see they can't hold in the sight that freedom for free see it this way so spiritually interconnected it's you unto me it's the same as all others it's like fish in the sea it's the same as all others it's like fish in the sea it's the same as all others it's like fish in the sea cause we're the same It's been rough all along through every phase that I grew It's been rough all along through every phase that I grew It's been rough all along through every phase that I grew It's been rough all along through every phase that I grew It's been rough all along through every phase that I grew It's been rough all along through every phase that I grew It's been rough all along through every phase that I grew It's been rough

Who told you people with pimples ain't appealin? (yeah?) or skinny blonde girls don't have feelins? (yeah?) who told you you were too big to be sexy? or that your quiet voice is not worth respecting? Who says a magazine cover's what you're spozed to be? (Nah!) just as you are you look beautiful to me. You're not too short, too fat, too black or too tall I see nothing wrong with you at all As soon as we get your wings unfurled Your gifts are going to change the whole world I wanted to know love I had to do this first see the truth of the beauty of the women of the Earth the children of the Earth, the men of the Earth the beauty of myself, you know, my self worth the truth and the beauty of the people in between in the whole web of life if you know what I mean Heather K, gotta say "gratitude to the end" For what you added to my life, helped me find all my friends and the interconnections upon which life depends maybe some day we find a way make amends And we're all winners here fighting to be free from fear we're all winners here to me that's just crystal clear Who says there's insufficient love for us to overcome our fears? (yeah?) we ain't tryin' to hear that. They been sayin' that for years And why they work so hard on tryin' to divide us? Could it be that they're afraid of what's inside us? Birds gotta sing, wolves gotta eat we gotta rock to the beat, try to get you out your seat You ain't weak or asleep or a creep or alone So when I say REVOLUTION, c'mon let's get it on As soon as we get our wings unfurled Our gifts are going to change the whole world What if we turned off the tv and I touched you, and you touched me and what if we just giggled for fun and run out into the sun where we all just fall into one communicate and relate demonstrate without anger flirtin' with danger, talkin' to a stranger we could play a game. Everyone could win it we could eat a meal with no animals in it go out and get our grove on and dance until the dawn an' remember it all in the mornin' (in the mornin) in the mornin (mornin) on and on and on and on and on and We're all winners here fighting to be free from fear we're all winners here to me that's just crystal clear Who's the one that said that it was wrong to hug the trees (yeah?) Or that we shouldn't just dangle in the breeze And who says that a woman that likes sex is bad That kind of thing just makes me mad Who says a man is not a man if he's not strong And who says there's such a thing as do not belong You ain't wrong, so come on, come along, sing a song Time to recognize you been strong all along As soon as we get our wings unfurled Our gifts are going to change the whole world There's no self-made men, we're all made by our moms gratitude to every mom and we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun and the one everything, freedom rings once we all can have fun We stand together... we overcome one human family no matter where you're from and now the world don't move to the beat of one drum but gratitude because there's enough drums for everyone there's enough of everything when we live within our means give your love and your touch and your rice and your beans and your smile is free, give it away, give it away it might bounce around the world and save your life some day We're all winners here fighting to be free from fear we're all winners here to me that's just crystal clear

04. Do You Even Know? [Laugh] Do You Even Know What You're Tryin' to do? Do You Even Know What You're Tryin' to do? Oh-Oh! No I don't believe I do!! Well I was trying to make myself a sandwich. and Do You Even Know What You're Tryin' to do? Do You Even Know What You're Tryin' to do? Oh-Oh! Hey, anybody got some hot sauce? Hey, hey, what is goin on, on, nothin, nothin oh! I don't know, know. I don't know, know. I don't know, know. No. No. I don't. Every time I ask you what is up, man, you don't never know. I don't know, know. I don't know, know. I don't know, know. No. No. No! No. I never do. Ho ho ho haw haw. but Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? Oh-oh. Leave me alone, gosh! and Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? Oh-oh. Hey, hey, who, who, who, who, lost the remote control? I don't know, know. I don't know, know. I don't know, know. Where did it go? Mmmm not me. I totally didn't do that! Who, who, who had it last. Baby I don't know. I don't know, know. I don't know, know. I don't know, know. No. No. No! Did you check the couch cushions? Did I do that?? Maybe your mom ate it. Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? Woa-Oh! No, definitively and without question I do not, and I'll beg you to stop asking me! Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? Woa-Oh! Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? No. I don't know. Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? Woa-Oh! Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? Do You Even Know What You're Tryin to do? I don't Woa-Oh! Why you spending more on your tv than you spendin on your children yo? I don't know, know. I don't know, know. I don't know but that's messed up!! Do you really need to watch that Judge Joe Brown high def and in stereo? No. no. no. No. no. no. No. no. no. no. no. no. His judgments are crystal clear, I think his face should be too! Do You Even Know What You're Tryin' to do? Do You Even Know What You're Tryin' to do? Oh-Oh! I had it written down, but I don't know where I put it. You need to get organized! and Do You Even Know What You're Tryin' to do? Do You Even Know What You're Tryin' to do? Oh-Oh! When you show up you better be ready to dance at the BloodThirsty Vegans show Yeah yeah yeah, Yeah yeah yeah, you betta' be shakin' that tail! Gotta take that love, take it out, pass it around, because love is what makes it go Go go go. Go go go. Go go go Inspector Gadget! Go go gadget rrrrrrrrumpshaker! No. I'm trying to use the phone Awwe, man!! Do You Even Know What You're Tryin' to do? Do You Even Know What You're Tryin' to do? Oh-Oh! There is no try. Do or do not. [Scream] Oi Oi Oi! Oi Oi Oi! Oi Oi Oi! Oi Oi Oi! Oi Oi Oi!

I am the master mistress of the ceremonies, aw jeezy please it seems easy like cheese, my rhymes at times are just meant to please, or maybe shed the light on a social disease. aw jeez, not a sneeze or a wheeze but a full-blown cough, I'd quit right now but you haven't got enough of this stuff that I say flyin' straight off the cuff about what it is like livin' in the ruff Buff, it's tough, no jobs that pay enough to get by, let alone a little extra to go and get high, 'cause seven bucks an hour ain't makin' the cut, so I bust out rappin', sayin' anything but what happens to be goin' on at the moment, words pour out so fast I don't think I can hold it but when I type it on paper, print it out and fold it, I can tell you again precisely how I first told it! 'Cause freestyle, jeez child, what's the big deal? As long as you are speakin' what you really feel and you ain't bowin' down on some shady deal, I'm MC Vendetta, I keep keepin' it real! So no, my flow don't come out freestyle, I think it all through and mull it over for awhile, 'cause an unplanned rhyme is like an unplanned child, like you just weren't thinking and your mind just went wild, you went and said some shit that you didn't really mean and now you've gotta deal with it until it turns 18! So scream if you feel me, if you know what I mean, 'cause I hate to say some stupid shit that I don't really mean, so what you hear on the stage was first on my page and I practiced it right and now I know what to say, and maybe I'll reach a new honky today, 'cause when old crackers like rap, they'll say that I paved the way! I open my mouth I pull up the gate, I open my mouth and people relate, but wait! That happens to be on the path that I'm goin', slam a new jam, off my tongue this shit's flowin', 'cause you know in your heart you don't gotta be black to rap out your life on a hot new track, jack, an attack on the calm little lives we all lead, 'cause if you cut up our skin the same blood we still bleed, we all work the same to get what we need, some of us just get lost in the labyrinth of greed. -Chorus- I'm V-E-N-D-E-T-T-A and I'm up here to teach you a lesson today and we are not all as different as you all say but we are all different in our own little way, okay? 'Cause we are more than one but we are less than two and as a humanity I tell you to take a long look, and take a deep breath and we've all got a heart, it's beatin' deep in our chests, and it's the best to know the best way to reach out, sing to emotion, not just to shout out about all the ways that this shit is wack but to show people the way to hop on your track, at my back is the crowd where I am allowed to make my voice heard and to make my beats loud, you can all follow me if you let me be me, the first lady of rap, that's me, MC V to the E to the N, D-E-T-T-A, and if you're feelin' this then lemme here you say hey, hey hey hey! Wooooo! -Chorus-

06. Class War Me? I started a class war? C'mon. You gotta be kiddin. It was goin on before I was born. It ain't even all that hidden It might be forbiddin. On your corporate controlled nightly network news But I'm about to bring a few reviews to make Ol Mr. Buffet sing the blues Cause I can't really start a class war no matter what I do But MAYBE... the one stirring up a class war was YOU! *Cause when you forced serfs to work your plantations (plantations)- That's what started your class war! *Disney's Sweatshops full of Hatians (Workin for the mouse!)- That's what started your class war! *Bernie Ebbers' billions in Worldcom Fraud - Yeah that's what started your class war *Unleashing Fire Hoses and Dogs (and Tazers!) - That's what started your class war There was class war in 1215, class war in 1492 And when they put the Irish in those work houses that was class war too Draggin Africans overseas, whipping them till they bleed Took too many to feed and Oh, a few of em got disease So hey let's throw em in the sea, What the hell, they're property And you still wanna say the one stirrin up a class war is ME? *Nah, when you put people in chains (in chains) - That's what started your class war *Deliberately destroying their brains (For science!) - That's what started your class war *Warrantless inspections? - That's what started your class war *How about syphilis injections! (remember Tuskegee?) - That's what started your class war Remember United Fruit using U.S. troops on the Guatemalan poor? Remember Ronald Reagan's boy Ollie North in Nicaragua & El Salvador? Remember CIA assassinations in Chile, Panama, Ecuador? Destroying those duly elected democracies you lying hypocrites are always claiming to be for Yeah I'll tell you right where you can STICK your starting class war Your PR firm can help you spin it. Don't knock it till you're finished. *Cause IMF funds & World Bank Loans (Loans) - That's what started your class war *Who, who jailed Mother Jones? (You know who!) - That's what started your class war *Who's tellin lies to your vision (television!) - That's what started your class war *Who's closing schools but building prisons? (That's where the money is!) - That's who started your class war That's who started your class war That's who started your class war That's who started your class war Not me. You know. It's just a simple case of what you reap still being what you sew. That's why you look around these days and you see so many revolutionary cats because when you have a whole society built on rat race, you got winners... but they're rats

07. Silence We do not speak up in this land anymore, seal our sun-burnt lips, fill our lungs with smog pretend that this silence is a side-effect of pain. Should know by now that the hushed dialogues in living rooms and the tiny blips on the broadminded radar are all the objections our fears will allow. too scared to raise our radio voices with folk songs to march in the streets without masks—without danger no time to protest, don’t you know? American Idol’s on at eight. Where rehearsed voices will copy other styles and rich hosts will kneel in the dirt in a disadvantaged land, pull real tears from fake eyes as they see the surface of real oppression. Then the sad-eyed children in the ads for Christian Children’s Fund give you the feeling that being American is not so bad and then we sit silently watching Swiffer and Chevy and L’Oreal make our statements for us, telling us what we want, what we need. We keep watching our tvs— reality embarrassment money-hungry power-driven ridiculous control of the populous that it has become leads us to sit quietly and rest our eyes on a life that is not our own, trying to live the American dream and missing the American reality. We medicate ourselves into numb comfort not speaking because we cannot think, about how the weight of being a citizen takes our breath away. In the silence created by cowards— too comfortable themselves or just not uncomfortable enough our real lack of freedom stings in my ears. The freedom to feel like you can make a difference by saying those things that we’ve been told to be afraid of voicing that beauty that we were founded with to make this democracy live up to its name. Inside the dialogues you will have with the world there are lessons masked as songs you must find them and sing them as loud as you can the only time you can do this is now.

10. Commit I'm gonna walk the streets and greet whoever I meet and say hi (and say hi) I'm gonna touch those that don't object too much till I die (till I die) I'm gonna join every last community, I can be even more good neighborly I'm gonna love like my life depends on me because it DOES I'm gonna love to free you from all of it I commit, I commit, I commit I'm gonna love like my life depends on it because it DOES My tv hasn't worked in four years and I don't care (No I don't care) I've done a lot more walkin and talking and living out there I done filled up my mind with some damn fine books I done filled up my mind with whatever it took It helped me fight like my life was on the hook because it WAS I'm gonna fight to free you from all of it I commit, I commit, I commit I'm gonna love like my life depends on it because it DOES I'm gonna fight through whatever they do to me, for you (for you) I'm gonna fight through whatever they do to me, for me too (for me too) I'm gonna fight it with everything I got left, I will love with my last breath I'm gonna love like the love it just transcends death because it DOES I'm gonna love to free you from all of it I commit, I commit, I commit I'm gonna love like my life depends on it because it DOES I'm gonna love like my life depends on it because it DOES I love like my life depends on it because it DOES

11. Rise Above When you feel life come and knock you down, tripped and flipped you to a puddle and you almost drowned and you're crawlin' like a baby all around on the ground, here's a tip on the script of how to block the sound of defeat, ringin' singin' stingin' in ya' ear, fillin' your lovin' oven with a batch full of fear, cloudin' your world and makin' it unclear, Ms. V's got the answer and I've got it right here! (Right Here) Think about the times you tried and you succeeded and about all the places where you found what you needed and about the flowers that have grown because you seeded a dried up garden bed that you thought was depleted. These are the tricks that bring your soul up again, the little things in life that remind you of a friend, tragedy is only sad when you stop at the end (true), keep on keepin' on, there's some sun around the bend! -Chorus- Keep on keepin on, keep on keepin on, keep on keepin on, there's some sun around the bend Rise above, rise above, rise above I can see the silver sky! Me and Sisyphus were rolling a rock up a hill It seemed futile for a while till I spied Jack & Jill Who were happy to help as they had time to kill But this made Mount Olympus mad and they rained rocks at will (Who's Will?) Woulda been defeated... coulda sat and pouted But we had each others backs so we decided to be about it We shouted, put our war paint on, expunged our doubts and I decided it was time to break the Bunny signal out (pshhhhhah!), I ducked out, and snucked out, en route to Janna's house, but something seemed so strange, cause see all the lights were out why are all of the lights out at Casa de Vendetta (the blackness, the darkness, forever) Hush now homegirl don't you cry We all know you keep it real on the dark side (Oh yeah!) And I am still gon smile because I am not left handed (Hey!) Though I know time to get there grows short for Smokey & the Bandit but I feel we surely shall overcome any haggle, hustle or hassle and STILL will rise above & STILL will have fun stormin the castle -Chorus- Still we'll rise above, still we'll rise above, still we'll rise above and have fun stormin the castle Rise above, rise above, rise above now I can see the silver sky! I got plenty of ammo if we had a sadness battle but I can't find a lasso to corral my hate like cattle and I don't see a reason not to get back in my saddle, gotta bounce back, a ping pong ball hit by a paddle! (toc) These 27 years haven't all been the best, and many many things have happened that have put me to the test, sometimes the world gets heavy, gotta get it off my chest, and I cry out just enough of these here tears to mop the mess (wah wah), stand up, wipe my eyes, take a breath and blow my nose, walk on the stage and pour my heart out at the shows, art is necessary like the wind and rain that blows, and you never know what might happen, that's just how it goes, life's a crazy roller coaster 'cause you can't get off the track, you can't turn around, that's not fiction, friend, it's fact, you always have your past chuggin' along at your back, keep on lookin' forward, you'll find that freedom that you lack! -Chorus- Keep lookin forward, keep lookin forward, keep lookin forward you'll find that freedom that you lack Rise above, rise above, rise above now I can see the silver sky!

If we could be Peace the quality of life could increase feed the belly of the beast and his wars might cease BE PEACE... like warm grass and bare feet BE PEACE... like no iron bars and concrete BE PEACE... like a nap beneath the shade tree BE PEACE... like me and the BTVs BE PEACE and every day could be hugs kittens and apple juice Israel and Palestine could call a truce And we could love the Muslims and the Jews and report it on the news that you no longer have to choose one or another of our brothers not a hater of the haters I'm a lover of the lovers there's plenty more to life to discover like every good boy does deserve a loving mother If we could be Peace women could be safe on the streets and no bombs would drop from 30,000 feet and all children could have plenty to eat BE PEACE... won't you be peace with me BE PEACE... and maybe we could all hug the trees And the birds and the bees could be top priorities and the superstars could be the ones who cure disease BE PEACE... won't you be peace please and the band rocked on This organization stops globalization, civilization needs interrelation, by my observation, across this fair nation, I see that we're run by some big corporation, we're supposed to be equal, supposed to be free but America's chained to this box called TV, we think it's so chic to be so unique but the media tells you that your beauty is Clinique, but beauty is free unlike that TV, we can't be called some land of the free when we're speeding along with our cell phones, who cares about death when you've got your clone? And this nation's relations with big corporations are downsizing life with mass exploitations and apathy is spreading like a wildfire flame and every voice in here's got another to blame, and man this country was built upon shame but we had good ideas behind that great big name, but the BTV, that's OUR name!!