American Me

(album: A Breukelen Story - 2018)

Come on
Yeah
And you say, "Black America"
And you say, "Young America"
Another day in America

Yeah, it's hard to be the American Me
If this ain't home, then where can I be?
Answer's "no" when they ask, "Oh say can you see?"
Specially when the lawyer asks, "Oh hey, can you plead?"
I was born in a world without innocence
'Cause we all look guilty in them tenaments
Living life on the edge and it's been intense
The hands of hate planned our fate, and they been winning since
Graduated and my moms couldn't be prouder
In my soul lived the spirit of Kalief Browder (Wow)
And that was thirty-five years back
When the song cried, couldn't hold them tears back
The promiseland, tell me where it's at
I been alive fifty-one, been the same amount of years black
But still I'ma write these bars
In the land of these stripes and stars, let's talk about it

By the dawn's early light
Trying to survive this perilous fight
Anything that's done in the dark
Time reveals when the moment is right
The red glare from a cop's gun
Shots rang consecutively
I'm right here and I'm not done
Looking for the American me

Yeah, Masta Ace, I solemny swear
To take it where it need to go, just follow me there
This broke system's in need of a lot of repair
Stand up for what's right like you're out of your chair
Yeah, a better life is possible still
And that can't be ignored like a hospital bill
Yo, you wanna be at the top of your field?
So Christmastime you can put up a stocking to fill?
Have a bright smile like you rocking the grill
Wake up every day with the option to chill
But when faced with the option to kill
And my life's on the line, I'm fighting for mine
Every song, every script, I'm writing for mine
Every day goes by, I'm fighting for time
To get a slice of American Pie
But I'm still trying to find the American I

By the dawn's early light
Trying to survive this perilous fight
Anything that's done in the dark
Time reveals when the moment is right
The red glare from a cop's gun
Shots rang consecutively
I'm right here and I'm not done
Looking for the American me

And you say, "Black America"
And you say, "Young America"
Another day in America
Should we stay in America?
Find our way in America?