[Verse 1]
Isn't it amazing
How you raised me up to love my dad yet I still hate him
10 years later I realize that I must take
And when I look to find him, you ask what your mistakes were
Like "I don't get it son, wasn't I enough for you?
Strong Black woman, loyal
Brought you up to think for yourself
I gave my all. Why you worried bout tryna find him now
Boy you grown
You was raised to be a strong Black man up in my home
Yo first name the closest thing to African you know
Technicalities of heritage born don't equal love
They don't look at you as blood
To them, you just a ticket
We're your kin. Don't turn your back on us thinking it's them."
[Chorus]
I got nothin to prove
Check my heart for the proof
Even if you think my blood leaves me out of the loop
What I gained from segragatin, my family roots
I'm in pursuit to break through
I dedicate this to you
Can we call for a truce, truth
I'm at the flock of my fold
I'm in conflict with my culture
I'm loner
Can we call for a truce, truth
Why we caught up with these notions
Is it wrong for us to embrace a moment?
Wait...
[Verse 2]
Isn't it amazing
How I learned so much from this initial conversation
The habit of just listening without any restraints
Is such a luxury
I listen to your subtleties to try and pick em up
Man receiving all this love from long distance calls
Cause For celebration
All the Teasing with tongue clicks and Zulu Nation
Was dissipating as the conversation progressed
To get this off of my chest is mandatory
I demand my respect, y'all can keep the glory
I dodge these snakes who's tryin to manipulate my story
Yup and in fact when they claim I'm too Black To go back to this African's actually right
Chorus
[Verse 3]
Self neglect's the biggest threat
Yeah we let it flourish
Play it safe by saying f** it
Ssshhhh just stay discouraged
The wise love to give but the dumb wanna to live
And chalk up every moment to
It is what it is
I done took some time off just tryna get this right
Deconstruct these middle barriers
My biggest fight
Was taught a “Real n***a”
The archetype and goal
Until them boys learn my name and shut me out the fold
Back in 6th grade reciting 2Pac
Like Dear Mama is you
I never knew Pops, I'm Black like the others right?
A black boy, black balled, idiot ignoring facts boy
Just know it's more to my story than
Getting out the hood from a college education
Rapping conscious bout gettin out the hood from education
Conscious that this education
Engineers of these hood states
The addiction in the d**
And callin everybody fake
See my family on my mom like I'm outchea on the grind like
Could care less about your song
It's the cause right?
I'm far removed from that pulpit, bullpen
The mood is to hand you off this energy
Hadoken
I knew that
The day would finally come when I'd be donned in my new skin
Redefine my youth
Can I share a little truth with ya?
It's a struggle to connect to my roots
Correcting my perception is the hardest thing to do
Cause when I come around these n***as get ta *clicking sounds*
Chump that's a southern accent, I'm West African
The middle name agrees that I'm born overseas
So I don't trip that I ain't from the streets
[Chorus]