Hold On

(album: Desire - 2007)

[Intro:]
[Erykah Badu:] You're beautiful, you know that?
[Young Girl:] Uh huh
[Erykah Badu:] Do you know that?
[Young Girl:] Yes
[Erykah Badu:] You do?
[Young Girl:] Um hum
[Erykah Badu:] You know when those kids tease you
[Young Girl:] Uh huh
[Erykah Badu:] Don't you ever worry about that because you are very beautiful
[Erykah Badu:] Do you know you're beautiful?
[Young Girl:] Uh hum
[Erykah Badu:] Are you ready?
[Young Girl:] Ma, I love you
[Erykah Badu:] I love you

[Pharoahe Monch:]
He pushed down and called her black and ugly
She asked "why must you tease me?"
He laughed at her said, "you're from Africa, your hair is peasy
Your skin is dark and greasy
And plus you are so beneath me"
Please trust me it wasn't easy for Diamond, it scarred her deeply
Plays like a Fender bass
To myself thought how much does gender play?
Rememberin such hatred at this tender age
If I could send a mental page
My thoughts would end the rage
Reminiscin of the looks to her in class I gave, my eyes would say

[Erykah Badu:]
Hold on, I'm sure, that there's so much more to live for
If you hold on, things'll change
So come on, be strong
And hold on, I'm sure, there's so much more to live for
As you grow strong, things'll change
No pain (no more pain), no gain (no more pain)

[Pharoahe Monch:]
Please be willin to fight for your will despite writings from William Lynch
Millions tried to rise like helium, but died in the fields and the trenches
Cries from the killing is senseless
Eyes to the ceiling, it quenches a thirst and a feeling that's endless
The prize like a rain that wrenches the soul and cleanses your mind from white picketed fences
Heads up your ass, splinters in face, mentally ridin benches
The masters, pastors, disastrous but fascist bastards
They crafted this hazardous plan, that still has us broken and battered
We shoulder the struggle
With the weight of a boulder that muffles the sound of provocative thinking, the pieces of puzzles
Incompleted, only deleted
To be pushed to the back of your mind like a hairline that has receded
Now we repeated, the process, but never weeded the problem out
Heeded the warnings but never proceeded to solve it
No forward progress, it's obvious the soul is gone
I meditate and pray that these words will somehow allow you to

[Erykah Badu:]
Hold on, I'm sure, that there's so much more to live for
If you hold on, things'll change
So come on, be strong
And hold on, I'm sure, there's so much more to live for
As you grow strong, things'll change
No pain (no more pain), no gain (no more pain)

[Pharoahe Monch:]
See now Diamond is priceless
Timeless, how she maneuvers like Heimlich
In this new world it remind me of Isis
She knows now that her complexion is a holy device
A protection from UV rays in this negative time of crisis
Like a knife through butter slices
Easily to anger she reacts pious
Like a cell protectin itself from a virus
Twice is strong is her demeanor, now she is righteous
God is what you see now when you peer inside her eyelids

[Erykah Badu:]
Hold on, I'm sure, that there's so much more to live for
If you hold on, things'll change
So come on, be strong
And hold on, I'm sure, there's so much more to live for
As you grow strong, things'll change
No pain (no more pain), no gain (no more pain)

[*harmonizing*]
You're so beautiful
You can change this world
If you want to girl
Ohhhhhh, ewwwwwwwww
Now come on, hold on
Grow strong