Magnolia

(album: The God Box - 2017)

Yeah, ooh
Mighty mighty Magnolia

[David Banner:]
I was sitting up under these trees
She was talking to me, said
"Son do you know who I am? Who I happen to be?"
And I told her, "The Mighty Magnolia that stand tall for the shoulders of slaves and soldiers when the days get colder"
I'm so older but I'm young in my spirit
From the blood I'd hear it
From Mr. Malcom Garvey and Marley
Then she started to tell me
How she was used in the lynching of blacks
Branch cracked, broke her arms so his neck wouldn't snap
And if I wouldn't rap, I'd probably meet the same damn fate
From the same damn rope, I'm 'bout the same damn weight
I said, "Wait, man, wait"
I still got the nooses just loose and they tighten that bitch up
When I'm speaking the truth
They need proof that God exist
So, I gave The God Box
It ain't shit hard as this, it ain't shit hard as this
Flick a wrist, I flick a brick
An O, I still get this dough
These bitches know
Everywhere we go, it's Mississippi, ho
Peace the dro
This some old outer space ballin, spacecraft calling
Black George Jetson, Juice City jack kawing
Painting pictures of scriptures
I know that ya'll missed us
Crackers out here stacking they army
Tryna enlist us
You pissed us off enough to clique up on your ass
The last shall be first and the first shall be last
No average, no savage, this King Ruler
Billion dollar freedom fighter
And I take it if I gotta, nigga
Cracker

[CeeLo Green:]
Oh, Mother Magnolia
Your daughters and your sons
Made the sky start crying
As they hung lifeless from your arms
Please, Mother Magnolia
Although, the fruit is strange
It's been such a long time coming
But will the seasons ever change?

Let me try to offer ya'll a whole 'nother perspective really quick
Now, this African American officer was an undercover
Who lost a little brother because of a gang color
Which, eventually, accelerated the cancer that killed his mother
And he was married to a white woman that they called a nigga lover
And it became a full time job not to kill a nigga
I wonder does he still consider that he's still a nigga
We've all got choices, and the real recognize what's real and chose
But he's basically still undercover in his civilian clothes
All the right reasons
But he may not even get that love again
'Cause salary's still not enough to be a Republican
Issues of growing up without a dad
Had one too many one night and forgot his badge
A brawl ensued with a racist cop
Didn't stop and ask
'Cause he was sure that he was a nigga when he shot his ass

Oh, Mother Magnolia
Your daughters and your sons
Made the sky start crying
As they hung lifeless from your arms
Please, Mother Magnolia
Although, the fruit is strange
It's been such a long time coming
But will the seasons ever change?

If a tree could speak
It's probably shed a tear and weep
For the skin like mine
For being there behind Confederate lines
Mighty Magnolia
Mighty Magnolia