
Shirlette Ammons: “Lyfted/Earth Segue”
Clip: 4/3/2025 | 4m 40sVideo has Closed Captions
For this performance, Shirlette Ammons seamlessly combines two songs, “Lyfted” and “Earth.”
In this performance, hip-hop artist Shirlette Ammons seamlessly combines two songs into a cohesive, energetic jam. In the first part, “Lyfted,” she metaphorically refers to being “taken for a ride” in a playful tribute to Lyft, the ride-sharing app.
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Shaped by Sound is a local public television program presented by PBS NC
Made possible through support from Come Hear NC, a program of the N.C. Music Office within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Shirlette Ammons: “Lyfted/Earth Segue”
Clip: 4/3/2025 | 4m 40sVideo has Closed Captions
In this performance, hip-hop artist Shirlette Ammons seamlessly combines two songs into a cohesive, energetic jam. In the first part, “Lyfted,” she metaphorically refers to being “taken for a ride” in a playful tribute to Lyft, the ride-sharing app.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[funky music] ♪ Studying and watching the times from my watch tower ♪ ♪ Don't nobody ask me the time because I ain't got it ♪ ♪ Know I said be over for supper ♪ ♪ But yo my chauffeur took a second shift to get over ♪ ♪ Now he is an Uber driver ♪ ♪ I ain't trying to scare the members of Biden's America ♪ ♪ I don't write the ironies, I just make you aware of 'em ♪ ♪ I was watching Kamala promise us no more drama ♪ ♪ Something like she was the Mary J Blige, mass hysteria ♪ [funky music continues] ♪ We be betraying all we be saying ♪ ♪ When we be faking for five star ratings ♪ ♪ Abetting aid, all we be chasing ♪ ♪ We will be faking for five stars ♪ ♪ Statistics, how many want to get lifted ♪ ♪ Two, three, four, five statistics ♪ ♪ How many trying to stay lifted ♪ ♪ Cancel your Uber ride, yo ♪ ♪ I've been trying to make my way down from my watchtower ♪ ♪ Honestly, I'm shocked and surprised that this view is ours ♪ ♪ Not that it's just beautiful decadent and obstructed too ♪ ♪ No wonder that my personal driver could maneuver through ♪ ♪ We be betraying all we be saying ♪ ♪ When we be faking for five star ratings ♪ ♪ Abetting, aiding, all we be saying ♪ ♪ When we be faking for five star ratings ♪ ♪ We be betraying all we be saying ♪ ♪ When we be faking for five star ratings ♪ ♪ Abetting, aiding, always be chasing ♪ ♪ When we be faking for five star ♪ ♪ Yo statistics, how many wanna get lifted ♪ ♪ Two, three, four, five ♪ ♪ Statistics, how many trying to stay lifted ♪ ♪ Cancel your Uber ride, yo ♪ ♪ Statistics, how many want to get lifted ♪ ♪ Two, three, four, five ♪ ♪ Statistics, somebody trying to stay lifted ♪ ♪ Anybody wanna ride, yo ♪ [music shifts to rock] ♪ Some say life is a, I think that it's a diva ♪ ♪ They say we asking for it as if they know our story ♪ ♪ I say we grasping at it, gasping at it, pass the magic ♪ ♪ They say we looking for it ♪ ♪ They call us average at it but they can't see the forest ♪ ♪ Or it's that they suck at mathematics ♪ ♪ They think we gaming, playing psycho rabble Scrabble ♪ ♪ I say we jonesin' for it, lunging for it, Atlas has it ♪ ♪ They say we savage for it ♪ ♪ Sort of borderless foreign nomads who lack decorum ♪ ♪ Refusing useless human stories ♪ ♪ Because the matter is ♪ ♪ What the fact that we asking for much, for much ♪ ♪ And the matter is what the fact ♪ ♪ That we're taking too much, too much ♪ ♪ And the matter is what the fact ♪ ♪ That we ain't asking for much, for much ♪ ♪ And the matter is, hey yo the matter is ♪ ♪ It's just the fact ♪ ♪ Yeah the matter is, hey yo the matter is ♪ ♪ It's just the fact ♪ ♪ Yeah the matter is with the facts, with the facts, yes ♪ ♪ Relax, look a minute, look around while you're spinning ♪ ♪ It's like in any instance ♪ ♪ Standing for your friends and feeling ♪ ♪ Get in the middle of it, loving like you living with it ♪ ♪ And leave that shucking and ducking ♪ ♪ To the privileged and cynics ♪ ♪ And photos developed with pennies ♪ ♪ And those who settle finish ♪ ♪ And now sell our vision selves for something unappealing ♪ ♪ I see you asking for it ♪ ♪ Grasping at it, bound to have it, loud and passionate ♪ ♪ Facts are asinine, not accurate ♪ ♪ Because the matter is with the fact ♪ ♪ That we ain't asking for much, for much ♪ ♪ And the matter with the fact ♪ ♪ That they be taking too much, so much ♪ ♪ And the matter is with the fact ♪ ♪ That we ain't asking for much, for much ♪ ♪ And the matter is, hey yo the matter is ♪ ♪ It's with the facts ♪ ♪ Yeah the matter is, hey yo the matter is ♪ ♪ It's with the facts ♪ ♪ Yeah the matter is, hey yo the matter is ♪ ♪ It's with the facts ♪ ♪ Yeah the matter is, hey yo the matter is ♪ ♪ It's with the facts ♪ ♪ Yeah the matter is, it's with the facts ♪ ♪ With the facts, yo ♪ [vocals echoing]
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Hip-hop artist Shirlette Ammons blends her eastern NC roots with her love for her local community. (30s)
Shirlette Ammons: “Battalions”
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Shirlette Ammons’ song “Battalions” calls for the protection of civil rights. (6m 17s)
Shirlette Ammons: “Corner Pocket”
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Shirlette Ammons performs “Corner Pocket,” a touching story of family, friends and camaraderie. (3m 40s)
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Shirlette Ammons performs her song “Short,” which examines her relationship with her father. (2m 53s)
Shirlette Ammons: “Spectacles”
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In the song “Spectacles,” Shirlette Ammons explores how we see, what we see and how we’re seen. (3m 27s)
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipSupport for PBS provided by:
Shaped by Sound is a local public television program presented by PBS NC
Made possible through support from Come Hear NC, a program of the N.C. Music Office within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.