"My People and I"

“My People and I”

My people and I the ones they love to hate

And my people and I the ones they underrate

But my people and I, one day, we will escape

And my people and I, one day, gon’ make it straight

My people and I the ones they love to hate

And my people and I, they kept us out the gate

And my people and I the ones they told to wait

But my people and I, one day, gon’ make it straight

My people and I the ones they love to hate

And my people and I, they kept us from the plate

They missing the point, I guess they can’t relate

But my people and I, one day, gon’ make it straight

Another one gone, but they gon’ keep coming.

They reading the cover, they end up misjudging.
‘Cuz our skin too dark, they want to get to roughing.

We too tired of the crap, but they don’t get fussing.

To some of the people, the treatment seems like nothing,

Like this ain’t something much worth ever discussing.

My people tried the protests, and they thinking we bluffing.

Next they breaking the buildings, and they call it insulting.

They say, “Two wrongs is wrong, and it don’t make it right”.

They say, “That cop done did too much, but don’t put up a fight”.

They say, “We suffered a lot, but we got to see the light”.

They say, “Y’all been through a lot, but it’s gon’ be alright”.

It will be alright, cuz’ it won’t go unchecked.

We fought for too long, we took the disrespect.

The rights and the freedoms, we here to collect.

And by the final page, we gon’ get respect.

My people and I the ones they love to hate

And my people and I, they kept us out the gate

And my people and I the ones they told to wait

But my people and I, one day, gon’ make it straight

My people and I the ones they love to hate

And my people and I, they kept us from the plate

They missing the point, I guess they can’t relate

But my people and I, one day, gon’ make it straight

Let it be known, we ain’t ask for this.

So our thoughts and words, can’t nobody dismiss.

We ain’t come, we were brought here to build this country.

That was permanent, nothing about it temporarily.

And truth be told, they needed my people desperately.

Been put in that work, but we ain’t treated generously,

And now we live in this land, but nothing is free.

I guess our rights and respect were sold separately.

Live till 60? That ain’t no guarantee.

Live till 40, that ain’t no guarantee.

Live till 30, that ain’t no guarantee.

Shoot, live till 20, that ain’t no guarantee.

But we ain’t bugs waiting for the splatter.

Our struggle ain’t something for anybody’s laughter.

Something to keep in mind for here and after.

We all are important, but Black Lives Matter.

My people and I, one day, we will escape

And my people and I, one day, gon’ make it straight

And my people and I, one day, we will escape

And my people and I, one day, gon’ make it straight

And my people and I, one day, we will escape

And my people and I, one day, gon’ make it straight