In celebration of Easter and the poem, Still I Rise by Maya Angelou, the theme is RISE.

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

Playlist:

• EveryBody Rise – Busta Rhymes – E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front – [Elektra]
• Keep Rising – Loko – Keep Rising / Keep Rising (KOAN Sound Remix) – [Screwloose Records]
• Rise Up – Sonic and Silver – Reinforced Presents The 2nd Wave vol.3 – [Reinforced Records]
• Rising – Visionary – Metro Breaks 99 – [Nice + Smooth Ultramedia]
• Rising – Jenna G – Quick Love Single – [Bingo Beats]
• Arise – Xtrah – Arise – [Subtitles Music (UK)]
• Cold Lazarus (Nightwave Remix) – Drums Of Death – Cold Lazarus Remix EP – [Civil Music]
• Rise Up – Fanu – Serendipity – [Lightless Recordings]
• Keep Rising (KOAN Sound Remix) – Loko – Keep Rising / Keep Rising (KOAN Sound Remix) – [Screwloose Records]
• I Will Rise Again – Dubstep 2011 – Dubstep: New Dubstep Remixes – [Dubstep 2011]
• I’ll Rise – Ben Harper – Welcome To The Cruel World – [Virgin Records]
• Rising – Hans Wolters Remix – 303F – Rising – [Basic Beat]
• When I Rise (Original Mix) – Rossi B – Uncertain Tomorrow – [Subdepth Records]
• Arise – (Trus’me Remix) – Anthony Shake Shakir – Arise – [Syncrophone]
• Spirits Above (Simbad remix) – Jose James – In The House: Gilles Peterson – [Defected Records]
• Lazarus – Pinch – Underwater Dancehall – [Tectonic]
• My Soul, My Spirit (Mr. G’s Freedom Reprise) – Mike Grant – How Long Must I Continue EP – [Moods & Grooves]
• My Soul, My Sp[irit (Mr. G’s Freedom Train mix) – Mike Grant – How Long Must I Continue EP – [Moods & Grooves]
• The Struggle of My People (de: I rise dream hope) – Mike Grant – And Then It Was My Turn… EP – [Moods & Grooves Records]
• The Struggle of My People (Mr. G’s There’s Hope Mix) – Mike Grant – And Then It Was My Turn… EP – [Moods & Grooves Records]
• I Keep Rising featuring Wunmi – Ruben Mancias – I Keep Rising – [Devotion]
• Happiness (Critical Point Mix) – King Britt Presents Sylk 130 – Happiness – [Six Degrees]
• Arise (feat. Natalie Gardiner) – Ramjac – Transfusions – [Ramjac]
• Rising Up feat. Ann Sexton – Ferry Ultra – I Know U Got Soul Vol. 5 – 30 Deep 6 Vocal House Tunes – [Musica Diaz / Senorita]
• Rising Up feat. Ann Sexton (Soul Minority Remix) – Ferry Ultra – A House Affair Vol. 8 – [Musica Diaz / Senorita]
• Rise Feat. Abby Joyce And Simon Grey – Lanu – This Is My Home – [Tru Thoughts]
• Keep on Rising (Copyright Rising Dub) – Jay J – Keep on Rising – [Defected Records]
• Rising Up – Original Mix – Moliner – Rising Up – [7 Senses]
• Rising – The Silt – Nikki Beach In The House – Mixed by the Shapeshifters – [ITH]
• Rising – Syncopix – Icarus – [Syncopix]
• Rising feat. James Franco (Cardopusher Remix Instrumental) – Kalup Linzy – Turn It Up feat. James Franco – [Dutty Artz]
• Rise Above – Night Source – The Rise Above EP – [Naked Music]
• Rise And Fall – FantastikClick & SPORT G. – Rocket Sci Fi – [4Lux]
• Rise (Sentinel Dome Mix) – Richard Worth – Giant Step Records Presents: Sessions Vol. 1 – [Giant Step Records]
• In The Morning When I Rise – The Davis Sisters – Platinum Gospel-The Greatest Hits of Black Gospel – [Sonorous Entertainment]
• Arise – Ezel – Secreto – [Ocha Records]
• Never Put Me Under (Rise-Up) – Rhythm Republik – Funkshunal Entertainment Roster Sampler – [Funkshunal Entertainment]
• I’ll Rise Again – Slim and the Supreme Angels – The Best Of Grammercy Gospel Volume 3 – [Grammercy Records]
• Now I Rise – Gum Drop – Hi-Falutin – [Altered Vibes Ltd.]
• Lazarus (The Rising) Part 2 – Rusty Redenbacher – Lazarus – [Audio Reconnaissance]
• Lazarus (The Rising) Part 1 – Rusty Redenbacher – Lazarus – [Audio Reconnaissance]
• Rise Up (feat. I.P.) – Moka Only – The Quick Hits – [Legendary Entertainment]
• Rise (feat. Ursula Rucker & Roy Ayers) – Richard Earnshaw – Jockey Club Session 8 – [Royal Plastic Digital]