1. |
TND (TRUTH NEVER DIES)
04:16
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See I’ve been gone for a minute
But I’m back like rain to replenish
(The game)
Been on a dry spell
Ever since I've been inside
This dry cell
Police shook me down
(And found my cell)
Not on the block I’m in it
Still makin sells
What’s crazy these lames in here would still go tell
(At twelve)
Motherfuckas better have my mail
Still on a mission and I still got a vision
I’m doing better than you
And I’m in prison
80 chains on my wrist and my ankles but I’m off the chain
But my name ain’t Django
Stop cryin’ about your struggles say thank you
If some of you haters was here now I shank you
Years of gestating in the womb of the beast
So my rebirth is near and my release cuz
Truth never dies
It’s only rediscovered
Through your angel, through your demons, through your haters, through your lovers
Truth never dies
It reach beyond skies like footprints on the moon, it outlive lies
Truth never dies
It resurrect through scars, absolute burns, it reaches through the bars of
Lyric or metal to tap your shoulder, to wake you
Truth never dies
So how can I be forsaken?
Truth never dies (church!)
I spit the gospel
What I say here today
Will outlive fossils
Picasso couldn’t paint pictures so clear
I’m killin’ em
With this swag here
And I’m on the inside affecting y’all out there
The game cold, but a dollar not fair
You need truth to ride with Bently right here
History shows it’s truth man fears
Years of captivity they read it in my letters
My words liberated many, broke they fetters
Rose they conscious like wind does feathers
I’m the modern day George Jackson Che Guevara
I die for my dreams and my visions
It’s difference between eagles and pigeons
Between us that’s thorough and those who snitchin’
Spirituality is greater than religion cuz
Truth never dies
It’s only rediscovered
Through your angel, through your demons, through your haters, through your lovers
Truth never dies
It reach beyond skies like footprints on the moon, it outlive lies
Truth never dies
It resurrect through scars, absolute burns, it reaches through the bars of
Lyric or metal to tap your shoulder, to wake you
Truth never dies
So how can I be forsaken?
Yeah, the world thought it was over
In ‘99 when I was sentenced to murder
From the abyss who would have thought I’d surface?
Back revealin’ truth behind curtains
Fuckin’ wit me it’s like death you flirtin
I got a queen sister Virgo with a hitta’ with a Taurus
For years they’ve been waitin’ on the order
This injustice done made me a monster
I’m OG, but I can never grow old
You can’t kill ideas or kill my soul
I’m like 10,000 hundred bills I just won’t fold
Been round the world standin’ still
Y’all too slow
The ink of my blood write scriptures
Exposin’ you mothafuckas fictitious
Like you convicted me like y’all was sure
Now I’m back from the dead like I’m Yahshua cuz
Truth never dies
It’s only rediscovered
Through your angel, through your demons, through your haters, through your lovers
Truth never dies
It reach beyond skies like footprints on the moon, it outlive lies
Truth never dies
It resurrect through scars, absolute burns, it reaches through the bars of
Lyric or metal to tap your shoulder, to wake you
Truth never dies
So how can I be forsaken?
I’m back…
Ey the Leon Benson the world once knew was murdered in 1999
Now I’m resurrected Lee Bently 448
In 1-9-9-9 they thought they 6-6-6-ed the 1
Signs and symbols for the conscious mind
But we back
To reveal truth to everybody
To you, to me, everybody
Ey today you rediscover me
I heard your prayers, but you heard mine
Ey you call me back to the people and we got to do what we got to do
We got to eliminate this falsehood out there
Resurrect the truth
In all seven continents, everywhere
In your mind, your heart, in your spirit
Let’s get it
Son of man!
Truth never dies.
Only rediscovered.
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2. |
INNOCENT
04:17
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Leon Benson... EL BE... 448…
Truth never dies huh?
Ey well let me ask you something brother
Why everybody in prison say they innocent?
Let me guess, you innocent too huh?
For the shooting murder of Kasey Schoen
I told y’all I was innocent
Jury didn't judge the evidence they judged me on my blemishes
Past life, who I was, high school I didn't finish it
In the War on Drugs a building called Vietnam I was gettin’ it in
Drug dealing was my revolution so I was an indigent
Bombarded by the social myths of me through media images
The west side of Flint is where I'm from and where I scrimmaged in
So it should be no surprise for what I started dealing in
I'm making no excuses I'm just pointing out your ignorance
Especially with your presumptions of Guilty Until Proven Innocent
The only thing I murdered the night in question was the oxygen
From reefer smoke, me and Tim Dog gone off the intoxicants
While sittin’ in the hallway steps I was selling work to the building occupants
Heard distant shots my man while dreaming of making it big
And never seen the block again, how did I get this murder rap?
When I was wrapping 20 bands
I was wrapping 20 bands...
I told y’all I was innocent
Nobody believed in it
Got no help no love and affection when I really needed it
Screamed my declarations everyday no one was listening
Stabbed by the Spear of Destiny but nobody was feelin’ it
From day one without me flinching I maintained my innocence
I'm innocent, innocent, I swear to god I'm innocent
From day one without me flinching I maintained my innocence
I'm innocent, innocent, I swear to god I'm innocent
Nobody is innocent I'm guilty y’all of plenty thangs
Accumulate the work I sold it adds up to plenty thangs
I'm guilty of bringing the world a whole lot of drama and pain
Wiping down you wannabes
Breaking the hearts of many dames
Man I still see all their faces but I don't know half they names
Guilty of saying I never do it but one day I snorted cane
Back in the day on Devil's Night I was the one who lit the flame
Done a lot of dumb shit but for the murder I'm not to blame.
FYI my OGs Flint 74s and Detroit YBIs
Stole change from collection plates
Told my mama plenty lies
I'm guilty of havin’ swag
Stuffin’ bands in the bag
Having contempt for loud mouth misses, trollers and you rats
Facts are facts and racks are racks
So ain't no need in getting mad
If you ever say you never done nothing wrong in your life
To me it's sad
Yahweh is my witness
I swear I didn't commit it
So I don't deserve to spend a second in they prison.
I told y’all I was innocent
Nobody believed in it
Got no help no love and affection when I really needed it
Screamed my declarations everyday no one was listening
Stabbed by the Spear of Destiny but nobody was feelin’ it
From day one without me flinching I maintained my innocence
I'm innocent, innocent, I swear to god I'm innocent
From day one without me flinching I maintained my innocence
I'm innocent, innocent, I swear to god I'm innocent
It's crazy cuz, as I'm sitting here listening to you
I see that you really are innocent
You did all that time man.
It's crazy how it can happen just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But I can honestly say that I believe you.
Innocent...
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3. |
BENTLY'S SOLILOQUY
00:59
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Kee-kee
Ey what it do my baby?
Yeah I got it over here for the low, you hear me?
This is the American dream, self made millionaire
I’m the king on my block
Hear ye, hear ye, ha ha!
I’ve been gettin’ racks on these lame ass dudes out here for years now
Look at my royal jewels the black diamonds draped from my neck like Christmas lights in July
My royal chariot?
That’s that black Maybach sittin’ over there on the curb
Like a watchdog to its master
My seeds got everything any child could imagine
And my queen got a house she calls a castle
With all the flyest of everything
Without a care in the world
This is the game my baby when you winning!
I’m the king of this block
Or should I should say the king on this chessboard?
Because me and my circle are moving through several squares a week, shiddd…
And I don’t even got a high school diploma or an ivy-league education
But I’m a certified hustla’
You see these racks? You see these racks right here??
They’re my credentials…
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4. |
DA BLOC
03:57
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I’m back on the block mane I got what you need
From five dollar rocks fool to powder-quarter keys
I’m a boss can’t you tell the way I walk the way I floss
Everyday I’m hustlin’ but I’m not a Ricky Ross
The fiends love my product buy it all when I got it
In just a few hours made several thousand dollars
And I buy my woman Prada cuz she loves me a lotta
My queen lookin’ hotter than a hood version Assata
When I’m whippin down the block man everybody holla
Cuz they know that I’m a balla and I’m known for solvin’ problems
If you broke if you poke if I got it then I got you
You wanna bring that heat man the choppers man will match you
The 40 will hit you harder than a Reggie White tackle
I deal with the hassle cuz I dream of owning castles
To one day stack my money higher than liberty statues
To wear the ice so cold it’ll frost bite you
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Now from your drug dealin’ Bently look at what it got you
A king in the pen future twisted like a pretzel
Broke with your hands out for the ones that should’ve had you
Come to find out dude they never really liked you
Now they run behind your back and down your crown because they spite you
You really wasn’t a balla’ cuz the streets said you was king
You was just another fool sacrifice’ for the fiends
Now you really feel lame cuz you lost all of your cream
And to complicate your pain nobody watered your seeds
You never killed a soul cuz your gift of gab was gold
Drug dealin’ was your trade so no one really knows
If you innocent or trill
Only thing they seen was the money and the rims
And the ones who falsely judged you man cuz you didn’t share with them
Cuz you didn’t share with them
Now from my past thoughts of having fun out there gettin’ it
Quickly ended up in a reality of prison
Most of our nightmares come from innocent little dreams
Now I do most anything to escape this life of pain
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
Welcome to my world
Welcome to my block
The moral…
Look at the cell block I’m in now
No one can be in the drug game forever
The plan was to get in and get out
To make the dough to make some real cake on a legit tip
But temptation’s a motherfucker ain’t it?
Especially when you started from nothing
Ego aside, no hustler owns the streets or prison blocks we grindin’ on or locked away in
I guess it’d be politically correct to say welcome to THEY world, welcome to THEY block
Who are they?
They’re who you the plutocrats
Fuck the make believe martian and UFOs
Because plutocrats are real people who wield real political power through they wealth
They’re the corporations that own the government
The rich 1% that the 99% of the Occupy Wall Street movement is finally mad at
It’s a hell of a game, but one that these plutocrats have been the kings of
While we’ve been they pawns the whole time
They lobby for and fund the War on Drugs
While at the same time are behind the tons of illicit drugs smuggled into the US each day
It’s a win win for them
Ask Michelle Alexander about The New Jim Crow or mass incarceration
Through drug convictions of mainly people of color
Remember the game of power never changes, but the players do
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5. |
MURDADAWORLD
04:43
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Lavi! Simeon!
In my reoccurring dreams
I slay capitalist vampires, fascist dragons, racist goblins,
Totalitarian goliaths, I was sent here to wake you zombies!
Pain my right hand man I mastered darkness,
My spear of destiny drawn so my weapon’s the sharpest,
I’m Flint rock to the heart so I’m always sparking,
To brighten my path to see where I’m walking,
Through the valley of death amongst the demons and Seth,
Each moment’s a labyrinth to take a breath,
While persevering to slay em all
Til there’s none left,
This is a metaphor battle between spirit and flesh,
Because the truest monsters…
Is ourself.
I could murder the world
That’s how I’m feelin’ in this 8 x 8
Accelerated fascinations calculated my fate
I’m a victim of social media driven vindictive
Give me the AR I do it livestream the victim
Colossal explosions when immortal souls collide
See the future of your demise when I close my eyes
While in a state of abyss you don’t see no sun
When I die I be cloned through the blood of my son
I hold destiny in my hands when I’m giving it the slugs
Premeditatively when I do it, I be wearin’ some gloves
When I die asking life’s questions please show me some love
Pay homage to my existence when you smokin the herb
Antagonized by this world accumulated aggression
Pissin’ blood is a sign of internal infections
I fed my mind like slug in chamber mental ammunition
With a plan way beyond the whole world comprehension
The world, the world, the world…
I could murder the world…
The world, the world, the world…
I could murder the world…
(Ey man what you thought?
You thought I was gonna sit here and just lay down?
Man I murder one of you mothafuckas man)
I could murder the world
(Without peer pressure I could do it alone…)
I waited patiently in the darkness
Rubbing my chrome
I laid dormant like HIV
448 is full blown
Fuck the world cuz the world is slowly murdering me
I’ve been blind my whole life and I never could see
Who to trust
Is it the dealers? Or the neighborhood clucks?
Is it Donald Trump? Or Putin?
Or that thot you cut?
Is it the priest? Or the police waiting on me with the cuffs?
Was it the judge? Or the jurors who gave me this time?
Falsely convicted sent to prison for this bogus crime
I trust me and only me cuz I know that I’m thorough
But i woke up early in the morning ready to murder the world…
The world, the world, the world…
I could murder the world…
The world, the world, the world…
I could murder the world…
(I told you man, you keep pushin’ me
I’ma come out the corner blastin’ on you mothafuckas man)
I could murder the world…
That’s how I’m feeling
In these days and times
Analyzing our so called life of crime
As I mediate about it
It’s so sublime
Of a system tryna kill us ‘fore we reach our prime
Time running out for us
Living under the sun
It’s midnight I see the stars
‘Rades grab your guns
My philosophies
Would interact with Gs
From little Flint Michigan
All the way overseas
Please believe that world is slowly murdering us
It’s a slug in the brains or life-bids with cuffs
Outlined the demonstration in your mind with chalk
We can live forever when the world just embrace our thought
Walk our walk unconsciously it’s speaking our slang
Be a leader for the movement nigga fuck the fame
I’ma keep it hunnid til the world blow
Until then I’m sippin’ Remy blowin’ loud smoke
I could murder the world…
The world, the world, the world…
I could murder the world…
The world, the world, the world…
I could murder the world…
(Ey man you mothafuckas been killin’ me?
Been killin’ my kids?
Now what’d happen if I come back and kill you?
Murder your mothafuckin’ ass?)
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6. |
MUGABE
03:19
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I’m in existential purgatory trapped inside the middle
A black fallen angel from heaven’s of ghetto
Embracin’ freedom tears, cuz she my weepin’ widow
But peep the signs and symbols of corrupt judicial systems
Many years from my family man you know I miss ‘em
They try and come and visit but they turn ‘em from the prison
It seem like every second haters diggin’ my grave deeper
A black robe in the gavel to me looked like the reaper
That in 1999 murdered me Leon Benson AKA Detroit resurrected EL BENTLY
This cancer could have been cured with a second of prevention
And I wouldn’t have been a victim of another legal lynching
The scales of the injustice they weigh heavy on my jury
Snatch my freedom like a thief runnin’ with my jewelry
But speaking truth to power the system wanna kill me
Don’t care about you cowards you could never stop my fury
They want me dead like Gaddafi drag my body through a lobby
Take pictures on they cell phones to show everybody
My trial was a mockery the verdict was hypocrisy
Too many years in their prisons where they locked me
My voice is still alive so they still can’t stop me
I’ma take my freedom back from ‘em Robert Mugabe
I’ma take my freedom back from ‘em
Robert Mugabe
I’ma take my freedom back from ‘em
Robert Mugabe
I woke up today the feeling was odd
Looked in the mirror a tear in my eye
Symbolizing all the wars I done survived
I mean shot by a system with bullets with lies
To been on my deathbed refusing to die
Because I worshiped freedom like it was a god
The most high is within don’t look in the sky
My soul mended like steel from walking through fire
Forever ready for my foes God gave me the nod
To break out of mental prison it’s all a mirage
In between today and destiny what a menage
But i’m most faithful to freedom she weigh on my heart
My ambitions they turning vicious they barking like dogs
Ready to bite my legal issues was never resolved
Through the years if you fought for me I send my regards
But a middle finger to you haters before I depart
They want me dead like Gaddafi drag my body through a lobby
Take pictures on they cell phones to show everybody
My trial was a mockery the verdict was hypocrisy
Too many years in their prisons where they locked me
My voice is still alive so they still can’t stop me
I’ma take my freedom back from ‘em Robert Mugabe
I’ma take my freedom back from ‘em
Robert Mugabe
I’ma take my freedom back from ‘em
Robert Mugabe
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7. |
SHELUVME
03:51
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Ey whassup this your main mans Lee Bently 448
Ey I wanna dedicate this one right here
To all them real down ass queens out there
That’s holdin’ they kings down on lockdown
Ey this one for you baby
I know she love me cuz she with me when I’m doing time
She said to leave me down and out would be the real crime
The one that I can phone when the call is collect
When I hit the world it’s me and you girl love and respect
I got her letter the other day it made me feel better
Brought sunshine to my prison pain and stormy weather
Warmed my heart like a double-knitted blue Coogi sweater
Cuz I know this thing we got right here will last forever
Her loyalty tickle my soul like an angel feather
Smiling knowing no other man out there can get her wetter
She like my swag cuz it’s bold but then a little subtle
She make tsunami splashes from her tear puddles
While she fight for my freedom and for the day we can cuddle
She like my intellect but respects my hustle
If faith a mustard seed what we got bigger than kernels
Not even prison walls can stop us from being a couple
No matter how long when I get out man I’m all hers
She said my phone sex get her pregnant what a freaky broad
But she put on for me, every parole board
That’s my queen I’m the king of the chess board
I know she love me cuz she with me when I’m doin’ time
She said to leave me down and out would be the real crime
The one that I can phone when the call is collect
When I hit the world it’s me and you girl love and respect
I was dead to the world, John Lennon
But what kept me alive is a lot of strong women
Letters, jpays, pictures, hit me with surprise visits
Green Dot, money orders, handling all of my business
Keepin’ my stash right, never stealing a penny
When lames talked sideways she was quick to defend me
Her heart is never empty because she love Lee Bently
She wanna see me shining when I’m free up in a Bentley
She stand outside the prison make the world sign my petition
Sometime she get impatient wanna sneak me through the fences
To some we so offensive to us they really jealous
Of my ride or die chick my Miss Winnie Mandela
My Michelle Obama, my Asha Bandele
My number one motivation on the block my Rowland Kelly
I never second guess her, her actions show she love me
I know she love me cuz she with me when I’m doin’ time
She said to leave me down and out would be the real crime
The one that I can phone
When the call is collect
When I hit the world it’s me and you girl love and respect
I know she love me cuz she with me when I’m doin’ time
She said to leave me down and out would be the real crime
The one that I can phone
When the call is collect
When I hit the world it’s me and you girl love and respect
Yeah
All them real women out there
That’s holdin’ they kings down
Ey this one for you
Ey no matter what anybody say
Ey all them dudes we was runnin’ with when we was out there gettin’ it
Ey they ain’t here now
But all my number one women out there
It’s either your sister, your mother, your auntie
Or your queen.
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EL BENTLY 448 Detroit, Michigan
Leon Benson was locked up in 1998 for a crime he did not commit. After 25 years of wrongful incarceration, he was released in March 2023 and is ready to take on the world. As his rapper alter ego, EL BENTLY 448's uplifting yet gritty sound inspires all of us to seek justice and freedom in our own lives. ... more
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