It been eleven years, I held it in and I ain’t shed a tear
I had a story I ain’t never share
Thought it was normal ’cause they left us here
This for the voices they will never hear
Walkin’ out the courtroom, cameras everywhere, yeah
And they say, “Better join ’em, you can’t beat ’em”
Don’t believe ’em ’cause I went against the odds to make it
even
It’s deceivin’, they say, “You gettin’ probation, you think you
leavin’?”
But they get technical, they give you violations, for even
breathin’
ni**as pleadin’, they got no money for lawyers, to even feed
’em
Nobody left to raise our sons and our daughters, so they repeat
us
Reapin’, innocent for twenty-eight years, ’cause mamas’
grievin’
Only goals’ to make it back home while she’s still breathin’
Can you believe it, in the land of the free I’m fightin’ for
freedom?
They ain’t even have no evidence on ’em, they tryna keep ’em
Black babies’ still caught in the system, they try and Meek ’em
My new condo overlook Central Park and it’s still reekin’
Said we guilty ’til we innocent (‘Til we innocent)
And they gon’ try and kill us with these sentences (Sentences)
It wasn’t for the fame, they wouldn’t mention it (They wouldn’t
mention it)
That’s why I take my platform and distribute it for the ones
that gotta live in it, it get interestin’ (Get interestin’)
When all the cops ain’t got no discipline, we live in it (We
live in it)
The ones .. ’cause there be times the judge ain’t listenin’
(Ain’t listenin’)
And you can’t label me a rapper ’cause I’m different, kid
And the only difference is, I’m really makin’ differences
(Differences)
I done took my pen and pad and made some businesses
This ain’t no cap, I used to trap and now my business lit
Now I can’t tell you, “Mind yo’ business” ’cause my business is
Really on yo’ mind, right where your fitted is, I’m fit for
this
I gotta inspire them
Motivate the people where I come from, my requirement
Say it loud, “I won’t be a product of my environment”
Say it again, “I won’t be a product of my environment”, we
playin’ to win (Playin’ to win)
Took them bars they locked me in and made it a rap
I took them cells that they gave us and I made it a plaque
Before the sales on my album, I was scrapin’ a ..
I turned them jails into mansions with a lake in the back
Now, there ain’t no takin’ me back, I just left in a chopper
And brought some billionaires together so they never could stop
us
Had a dream, they say I’m king like Martin Luther, the doctor
We freein’ ni**as, it’s like two for a dollar
A hundred-million on reform, ni**a (Reform, ni**a)
They never seen it, what you doin’, ni**a? (What you doin’,
ni**a?)
Puttin’ work and puttin’ on, ni**a (Puttin’ on, ni**a)
You know whoever doubt on .., ni**a (.., ni**a)
I knew I was the one, the first, yeah, I was born, ni**a,
hangin’ out the door, ni**a
Rolls Royce drop-top, every time the cops stop
My career was at a lost stop, but I will not stop
The system broken, we can fix it, take it to the chop shop
Pick it apart and build it back, make it equal for the Browns
and Blacks
Word up (Word up)
The Nelson Mandela Changemaker award recognizes individuals who
are carrying on Mr. Mandela’s legacy
Across one of the following key pillars:
Social equity through activism
Community and nation building
Protection and education of children and youth
So today, today we honor Robert “Meek Mill” Williams
For carrying on President Mandela’s legacyyy