MOTHERLESS (Robert Glasper Rendition)

Mm, mm
Mm, mm

My mama dead, my grandmama dead
To keep it honest, I get depressed and be feeling scared
You see, I wasn't prepared and never will be
To think about your death, Denice, sometimes, it kill me (Sometimes, I)
You won't believe it, Mama, I achieved it, Mama
I turned these hatin'-ass people to believers, Mama
A Black boy born to a teen mama, Mama
Gets regarded as a leader by his people, Mama (Sometimes, I)
If God sent me back to normal to be next to you
I would gladly trade it all 'cause I be missing you (Sometimes, I)
I be missing hugging you, I miss kissing you
I miss all the jewels and I miss all of your wisdom too (I need you, Mother)
Some days, I be mean as fuck and I be meaning too
Fussing, fighting over fuck shit that be minuscule (Sometimes, I)
Shay and Taj tell me, "That's just the Denice in you
And it's in both your daughters, Mikey and Anniah too"

(Sometimes, I feel)
I miss you so much (I feel motherless, like a motherless child)
(Oh, sometimes, I feel)

My mama dead, her mama dead
Her mama died in my arms, my ma said that wasn't fair
Her mama raised me, I told her she crazy
She told me, "I'm gon' be gone one day, Michael, you gon' see
That my mama wanted you, but you belong to me
And you don't understand the sacrifice that took from me" (Mm)
Like pulling up on Sunday nights
Just to tell you "I apologize and, Mama, you was right" (Sometimes, I)
Like a hole in my heart and I wanna call the Lord
But I don't know where to start (Oh, ah)

My mama dead, my grandmama dead
I miss 'em so much, sometimes, I just cry and hold my head
They left the world a man like me to make sure I'm prepared
To live a life to make sure my wife ain't gon' beg for bread
I got a altar in my home to honor both of them
Just this morning, I was smoking, spoke to both of them
I asked Bettie for her prayers over my generations
And I asked Niecy, "Keep me through my tribulations"
Death'll come like thief in night and steal your joy away
Have you asking God, "Why You forsake your boy today?" (Why?)
Is this a blessing or a blessing or some other shit? (Why, why, why, why, why, why, why?)
No matter what, I'm numb as fuck and I'm still motherless (Sometimes, I)

(Sometimes, I feel)
No matter what, I'm numb as fuck and I'm still motherless
(I'm still motherless, motherless)
Oh man, I remember, I remember you told me, you said
"I wish I could be softer on you, but you my only boy
And you got to be a man"
(Mother, motherless)
(Mother, motherless)
(Mother, I'm still motherless)
(I'm still motherless, mm)
I remember your mama, I remember (Mm)
Bettie was saying, "23rd Psalms"
And say, "God'll lay you down by still water and green pastures"
And I lay down in green pastures and I have to
Sometimes, I have to, man, I just have to focus 'cause shit get crazy, shit get crazy
But the Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want (Denice)
Amen