Will there come a day when I feel accepted Do I have to wait until I make the news I work twice as hard to get half the credit Want my life to matter the same as theirs do When it seems to get a little better Suddenly I'm feeling all this pressure To pretend it was in my mind They want me to be Quiet while I see my people dying And then they get violent, and tell me that its us to blame And if I'm not Quiet, and they see me rising Then I may be silenced, but I'm not afraid Turn on any channel, story after story Nothing seems to happen. It all turns out the same Even when its children they don't even worry We pay the cost they should have to pay When we can't take it any longer And we're standing shoulder to shoulder They say that we're out of line They want to see us Quiet, while we see our people dying And then they get violent and tell us that its us to blame And if we're not Quiet and they see us rising Then we may be silenced, but we're not afraid Doesn't matter if I'm running, sleeping or trying to get home from work I can hear them coming, the reapers. Which one will get me first At The end of the day I can expect to be in the dirt And that just ain't right They want to see us Quiet, while we see our people dying And then they get violent and tell us that its us to blame And if we're not Quiet and they see us rising Then we may be silenced, but we're not afraid

Here it is. it happened again same as before How I wish I could pretend that I didn't know I would see this. they can't let us be, we don't really need To look at another one of us Be smothered by their thugs, I've had enough They could get a trial, but it seems to me that they'll never lose I get it now, I'm the enemy. but what am I to do No justice found for the family They find a way to say that it's OK Because they were afraid Why should I behave Now I know (My life is in danger) I gotta go (It just won't stop) Take my hand (With all this anger) You'll understand Why should I behave I wanna be (I'll make them listen) Completely free (Tear down the wall) Let's make today (They have to tell me) When we say Why should I behave They let us down, I thought by now we would no longer Have blood to pay. Our lives were gave so this could be over That's my mistake. I learned my lesson Better believe You won't see me trust them again I comprehend they're friends I'll never need I'll never see the world the same way. I've been reborn I'm on my feet, in the streets. I Promise from now on You'll hear my voice, See my face, Feel my hands, Get out the way And when it's over, You gon know my name I'm tired of standing by I just saw another of my people lose their life No one is found guilty and nobody tells me why I won't just accept it, now I'm fed up People get up with me Why should we behave

I feel like a fool, when I'm putting on my vest Covered in blue, shining silver star on my chest Some say I'm being used, other people tell me I'm the best Wish they knew what I do, maybe they could see I'm not like the rest I'm no better than you, when I'm walking in the bank Three-piece suit, door with my name on the plate Mama said play by the rules, if you wanna win the game Go to school, get a job, pay yours bills Stay out of trouble, and put a smile on your face But it doesn't seem to matter, cause it ain't enough to save my life Every other hour of the day, you'll see me trying to stay out of sight I'm feeling like a fugitive, in the country that I'm living in When I cover up again, then I'm Suddenly American I could jump from from a plane, or submerge in a submarine Or go to a place and invade someone who doesn't look like me And if a made a mistake, they'd just say it was a casualty And everyday we'd celebrate the home of the brave Like I'm part of the family I can see em with my number on their chest And from the stands they scream my name Becky waiting by my hummer Ready and willing to give me a taste Martha's Vineyards in the summer, fly to Aspen on the holiday As long as I'm running, scoring, And can still make the shot to win the game But if I get pulled over, and they don't know who I am It may be the end of my story, and they'll wipe the blood from their hands I'm feeling like a fugitive, in the skin that i'm living in Then I cover up again, and I'm Suddenly American No matter the circumstances I'm always gonna be in this skin It doesn't mean I'm a threat to you Last time I checked, I was American too So tell me is it true, am I worthless to you So what am I to do, cause I ain't gonna move for the red white & blue

I been expecting her, knew she was coming back my way Now we're together and alone in the same space The situation's so familiar, done it so many times But I can see the apprehension when I look in her eyes Her body language is unmistakably clear She gets intimidated every time a get near She doesn't know what to do cause she's so unprepared The possibilities of what comes next has both of us scared Some think that I should feel its natural They say I should know its unavoidable I know though it may not be intentional But this situation's got me feeling Vulnerable I'm Vulnerable (4xs) Now it just got complicated cause its all in my hands Hesitated for a second but I gotta be a man Everything I know is telling me that I'm doing right But as soon as I get close she wanna put up a fight I try to let her know that I can do her no harm But she can't hear what I'm saying over the beat of her heart Overreaction's getting traction, she decided to flee Now the only one to fear that they're in danger is me Some think that I should feel its natural They say I should know its unavoidable I know though it may not be intentional But this situation's got me feeling Vulnerable I'm Vulnerable (4xs) There's a lesson if you listen, please don't take it for granted You'll regret the breath you're missing just for playing Samaritan Though you're full of good intentions, You made the wrong decision She don't recognize your mission, now you're Vulnerable Please don't be scared I'm your friend Why do we feel So vulnerable

Welcome back from your fantasy. Bet you wish you could stay Hidden from the reality Everyone has to face The voice of the cowardly Is telling us to run away But I just stand to see dreams of the child in me Disappear without a trace The fight's unavoidable, It was written in time And feels reminiscent of When the blind led the blind It seems insurmountable But I've made up my mind I've made my choice to go. Can't hold it back no more Because its all on the line Take your place what will you do Get in line don't be a fool Get your head can't just stand by In the fight stakes are too high Shed your fears gotta be strong Shake em off the fight is on Its time to win can't you see Lets take back what's ours victory Take your place it may be hard Get in line we've come too far Get your head its not too late In the fight break every chain Shed your fears I want em to Shake em off break it off Lets take it back (4xs) Walking into the lions den carry nothing but faith Cause I know that I cannot win unless I have His strength The blood that I'm standing in reminds me of what it takes Just like a tree in a garden, planted by rivers of water, I'll stay I don't mind cuts and bruises for, just cause I speak my mind Those before me went through it all and they pay with their lives Just so that they could give me more. Just so could find The hero inside of me. Now I can set him, and I'm ready to rise Take your place I'm on my way Get in line starting today Get your head give it a try In the fight stakes they're taking our lives Shed your fears I'm ready to go Shake em off because I know Its time to win can't you see Lets take back what's ours victory Take your place it may be hard Get in line we've come too far Get your head its not too late In the fight break every chain Shed your fears I want em to Shake em off break it off Lets take it back (4xs) Breaking me's not an option, I am numb to your abuse Used to sell me for profit, how's it feel to where my shoes Now you mad you can't stop it, I'm going up like a rocket Man you better watch it. We're coming right for you Take your place Now that I'm here Get in line I have no fear Get your head I can see my destiny In the fight My destiny Shed your fears No looking back Shake em off Mistakes in the past Its time to win Give it a try Lets take back what's ours They're taking our lives Take your place I'm gone improve Get in line We can rise to Get your head That glorious place In the fight At the end of the race Shed your fears We'll make their Kingdom fall Shake em off Lets take it back (4xs

I never really understood why they always got it out for me Since the ancient times to the modern day we been searching for the land of the free I stroll around my neighborhood And you wanna know what I see Not what you watch on the news or the American dream Just a brother or sister raising a family But they can't get a loan for a house Tried to interview for a job, Kicked them out May be locked up if their music is too loud In and out of prison like a merry-go-round Everybody looking at my people like they're clowns Claim they try to help but only want to put us down Pleading my case to the people but they don't wanna hear a sound Wrecking my brain trying to figure it out What makes you better (tell me I just gotta know) Do I have to look and talk just like you What makes you better (Do you care about me at all) What else could I possibly have to prove What makes you better (I'm putting everything on the line) I don't know what it takes anymore What makes you better (I think it's all in your mind) You're not better, no no no no no I wonder what goes through their mind, When they realize I'm coming their way Feels like they're always talking down to me,And never listen to what I have to say Can't they see I just want to live my life, Without being assassinated every day Presumption of guilt for society's ills Violating my bill of rights, And my life may be the price I pay Now I can't even believe what's at my door Things are changing back to how they were before Can't cruise in the phantom, Can't live in a mansion Can't kneel for the anthem, Can't whistle when I pass em Can't vote in Indiana, Can't be a Black Panther Can't shout without my hands up, Can't talk like David Banner Can't speak in any manner, can't Fight my oppression like it was cancer Now the only thing left is to ask you I hope it's inmaterial Please tell me something tha'ts deeply spiritual I need you to hurry it's getting critical Can we settle it once and for all My complexions irrelevant, I'm smart as you can get Heart bleeds like every man, Body moves like the wind Won't be the victim again, won't Be settling for less Maybe you need to ask yourself

I'm done with the lies, done with the hate, done with excuses I done took my share of the pain Look at our lives, look at my face, look at the abuses Don't you even care I'm suffering We been here before, been had enough, been took my bruises Feels like you love it when we fight Well I can't take no more, Can't just standby Can't let you do this If I really wanna be free I'll break these chains And tell my Master Peace The brother has died, mothers in tears, their life is ruined Its so much more than a tragedy All of those times all of these years, all of the children And I can't stop it from happening I know that you hear it, know you can see, know what you're doing This ain't the way it should be Your time is up, my time is here, it's time to prove it If you really want to be free stand up and say To your Master Peace

Can I start from the bottom, come back to the top when I got it Just some things that I wanna know, I'll say my piece and I'll let it go Ima be brutally honest, I'm so curious how you flaunt it Is it the thrill of the spectacle or is it that you feel invisible I can hear you when I sleep voicing all your insecurities Do you never feel in control? Its ok just say it, I wanna know What's the deal with the attitude? ain't nobody even studying you Why's the fire burning all the time? You gotta break the chain that's on your mind You can take it up with the man above Cause he may be The only one with the answer I can't handle all these questions To satisfy my curiosity Do know who your people are? Do you care when they fall apart What would you say if the thing you did was the cause and the root of it I just saw another man expire. Turn to run away and then they fired Is that the image that you wanna see? Well if not, why do you bother me Are you tired of the slip and falls? Is it bad enough to end it all Do you long for the correctional? Is that the only place you feel at home You did the time you and I but you didn't make it. For the life of me I can't explain it Just maybe it's a miracle. How it all comes together we might never know You can take it up with the man above Cause he may be The only one with the answer I can't handle all these questions To satisfy my curiosity Are the waters is deep and always rising? Does it seem like the boats capsizing If I could give you hope in abundance would it feel like a foreign substance Can I walk down the boulevard Without the reminder the times are hard Am I missing the bigger blessing? Is this the "be grateful" lesson Should I blame your miseducation for running from the altar to join the nation Or did you notice the hypocrisy When you can't hear the word over the gossipy I'm sure you love the kids don't you? Why don't you think the one who had them for you Would you profit at their expense and erase all their innocence

Oh, Master high upon your throne, Can I just talk to You alone There are some things that I have done, and I just need someone To hear me out who already knows about What is going on inside, somebody who’ll hear me when I cry The greatest man I havn’t been, I’m back and forth across the fence Just so unsure which way to go, and that You have instore Whats best for me, as if I could see My begin and my end, Lord, I just wanna know your plan I thought I knew what I should do, but never stopped to talk to You Had dreams of grandure in m head, and all it lead me to Was misery, it wasn’t the path for me And when all is said and done, I’m starting all over back at one So here I kneel before your feet, spirit so broken by defeat Have not a clue bout what comes next just know I want the best You have for me, still can it be I just hope I’m not too late, don’t know what else I can say I’ve been here since before your birth, sat on the circle of the Earth I know your stumbles, watched you fall, that’s I hear you cal My name, I heard you pray You tried to do it on your own, but can’t even tell what’s right from wrong You feel abandoned in your soul, the world has left you in the cold They twist your mind and break you down, the truth is with you now Come back, Come back There is healing in my arms, forgiveness for your heart My ways always the very best, I’ve done much more with so much less Just trust in Me, I’ll fix your life, And in the twinkling of An eye, you’ll be alright Just walk the path I made, You’ll be ok I feel free your love gives me peace And I’ll do your will and be true Don’t wanna fail again You gave me Chance after chance after chance Now I can do your plan cause I have the strength to stand

Foolish, heartless, brutish, full of darkness Judas, that's just who they are Turned out, rejected, broke down, unaccepted Knocked around, call it what you want You were never meant to live The battles been uphill And you get so far Then you get knocked right back down to Earth Always heard the sky's the limit But it seems that wasn't meant for you But I say so what, just go on Everything was meant for me And you to fail but won't succeed So Go On As long as we can breathe We gotta Go On, Go On, Go On Crosses, taxes, Jim Crow, drug habit Lock me up, look at what they did Miseducation, ID mistaken Shot down, what's the point of it Holding on, hoping that the storm will go away Maybe when the morning comes, we can see the light of day When I thought we may be done, there's another round to go Its a new day, that's means they gotta find a new way To keep us down I guess they can't get get over, the fact that they ain't gonna. Just kick us out And we aint afraid, despite threats they've made We been here once before, and w'ell keep going on. We"ll keep on fighting on, we'll keep keeping on We'll be growing on.

Can you explain what I am seeing Cause I can believe my eyes no more Tell me its fake, tell me I'm dreaming Explain why my heart just hit the floor They seem to have no rhyme or reason Do they understand what they're fighting for When will people learn They're no winners in war No trophies at the end of the day They're no winners in war Just body after body left to lay They're no winners in war The price is too high we'll have to pay They're no winners in war But I can't let you carry on this way Look at my face, look at my pillow Everything's covered with my tears Seeing this place consumed in the billows Watching the world react in fear Now what do I say to the child or the widow Knowing there's no good news to hear All that I can think about They're no winners in war No trophies at the end of the day They're no winners in war Just body after body left to lay They're no winners in war The price is too high we'll have to pay They're no winners in war But I can't let you carry on this way Maybe they're the ones who're sleeping Eyes so closed they cannot see Shouldn't have to fight each other There's room for both you and me Now its all blown out of proportion War continues endlessly But they're no winners in war (4x's)

How does it feel to be broken Can you see past the hurt And the pain they put you in Can you deal with the emotion Do you let the anger and hate Turn into sin Is it to late to reach you Would you hear me out Give me a chance to show you more I just need you to open your eyes Take a look at your life And know its worth fighting for (Someday) You'll lift your head and the struggle will be over (Someday) The sun is gonna be shining like I told you (Someday) You'll be up off your back and on your feet (Someday) I know cause it used to be me (One day) I know its easy to say this Sitting from where I am Words only go so far It may seem like an illusion Or a fantasy Cause you wouldn't know where to start You think the odds are against you All you ever heard is no That's all they say But your story ain't over You just remember Its darkest before the light of day I won't have to look over my shoulder I believe we can live as one Only truth and love will be stronger If we keep fighting we'll have it all Today

he rose doesn't smell as sweet as it used to be And I can tell it wasn't touched by the honey bee And I can't see as far as I did when I was I child It may be my fading vision, or could it be because the air is brown It know it seems like we don't have many more reasons to stay But every time I see a shooting star, I'll just wish you wouldn't go away Ohh I wrote our names beneath the pier on the southern shore But since the seas have risen its not there anymore I don't remember the sun being this warm on my skin And the winds and waves from the storm are as big and fast as they've ever been I want a reprieve, I hope and believe we'll make it another day Even though I know ima see you again, I still wish you wouldn't go away Ohh I want a reprieve, I hope and believe we'll make it another day Every time I see a shooting star, I just wish you wouldn't go away Even though I know ima see you again, I still wish you wouldn't go away We may live in a dying world, but I still wish you didn't go away