Evening News

{Hook}

Gas prices keep rising,

Life getting harder to live,

How the fuck we supposed to make it?

When we ain't got nothing left to give?

Kids going hungry,

Bills piling up again,

They keep saying we're recovering,

Then why the fuck we still can't win?

Another day, another crisis,

Another headline full of lies,

They say the economy's thriving,

While we're barely getting by.

 

{Verse}

Welcome to the evening news,

Thank you all for tuning in.

I'm your host and journalist,

Mr.Matrix, reporting live again.

Here's what we got on deck for ya,

Another fucking crisis they keep ignoring.

Not enough Section 8, now the kids are starving,

SNAP funds running dry, single mothers out here struggling.

Some turning to sex work just to keep the lights on,

People dying 'cause they can't afford the doctors.

Kids in classrooms praying they don't hear another shot,

Hiding underneath their desks, hoping they ain't forgot.

Some things in this world just don't have an answer,

Like how the rich keep getting richer while the poor get hammered.

But they tell us the economy's up, everything's going swell,

I can tell from all the fentanyl sales.

Shit's about to collapse like a junkie's blown-out veins,

While the suits keep celebrating record-breaking gains.

They say the country's doing fine, but somebody oughta explain,

Why the fuck we're working overtime and still can't afford a thing?

 

[News Broadcast Transition — Spoken]

And that's tonight's top story...

The economy's doing great.

Just don't ask the people living in it.

 

{Hook}

Gas prices keep rising,

Life getting harder to live,

How the fuck we supposed to make it?

When we ain't got nothing left to give?

Kids going hungry,

Bills piling up again,

They keep saying we're recovering,

Then why the fuck we still can't win?

Another day, another crisis,

Another headline full of lies,

They say the economy's thriving,

While we're barely getting by.

 

{Verse}

Welcome back, looks like we solved Pac's murder,

Still ain't solved Biggie's, guess we got bigger concerns here.

Like how we're bombing Iran, didn't learn shit from Iraq,

Another war on the television, another target on the map.

Got the whole world running toward extinction-level events,

Spending billions on destruction while we're struggling to pay rent.

It's a tragedy seeing children with AKs on TV,

But we barely blink at all the kids getting killed in our streets.

Liquor stores on every corner, guess we'll crack another cold one,

Drink away the pain until tomorrow brings another problem.

Everybody got an answer, nobody wants to hear the question,

We keep calling this shit progress while we're moving toward regression.

Another headline, another funeral, another politician talking,

Another mother losing sleep while another coffin's dropping.

If you don't like what I'm saying, you can change the station,

Turn the fucking radio off, but you can't escape the situation.

 

[Commercial Break — Bright, Cheesy Jingle]

 

[Cheerful Female Announcer]

 

Are you feeling overwhelmed?

 

Stressed about inflation?

 

Losing sleep over bills, war, and the state of the nation?

 

Do you find yourself wondering how much worse things could possibly get?

 

Well, you're not alone!

 

Introducing...

 

[Overly Enthusiastic Announcer]

 

SERENITY-365!

 

Because the world may be falling apart...

 

But your commercial break doesn't have to!

 

[Upbeat Jingle — Sung]

 

Can't pay your rent?

Can't pay your bills?

Everybody's got problems,

Everybody wants pills!

 

Your boss don't care,

Your landlord won't wait,

But here's another advertisement

Telling you everything's great!

 

[Announcer — Warm, Reassuring]

 

Ask your healthcare provider whether treatment with an SSRI

or another medication may be right for you.

 

Serenity-365 is a fictional product. Because apparently even

your mental health needs a corporate sponsor.

 

[Fast-Talking Disclaimer — Rapidly Accelerating]

 

Real antidepressants can cause nausea, headaches, sleep changes,

and sexual side effects. Some carry warnings about increased

suicidal thoughts in children and young adults. Benefits and risks vary.

Never stop prescribed medication without medical guidance.

 

Serenity-365 is not a real medication, is not FDA-approved,

and does absolutely nothing about inflation, poverty, corruption,

or your landlord raising the rent.

 

[Commercial Music Suddenly Stops]

 

[Announcer — Soft, Dead Serious]

 

And remember...

 

Your depression may be treatable.

 

Your rent is still fucking due.

 

[Three Seconds of Silence]

 

[News Anchor — Dry, Sarcastic]

 

Welcome back to the evening news.

 

In other developments...

 

The stock market's doing fantastic.

 

Your bank account?

 

Not so much.

 

[Beat Slams Back In — Final Hook]

 

Gas prices keep rising,

Life getting harder to live,

How the fuck we supposed to make it?

When we ain't got nothing left to give?