Why We Kneel

I once had 20:20 vision, now I just see glimpses
They take our rights, they take our lives
Steal culture, kill tradition
You say you don't need our permission, you just steady living
Well I don't need police, politicians or orange bigots

It's hard to keep it all together, though your blood is boilin'
When everybody's good and you're hurt
You feel the walls, they're crashing down and all your work and toil
Might as well go to the dirt

'Cause they say they want a difference
But they don't wanna change anything
As we sink and say we're suffering
And they say they think we're bluffing
Just ignoring all the violence and drown it out

They claim we're dangerous as they cage us, try to shut us down
They claim to own the land they stole and then they drive us out
They pull us over, striking fear before they shoot us up
They flood the street with so much hatred hoping that we drown

We can take a stand, best believe, no we will not stay quiet
And all our differences are perfect, so we will not hide 'em
Stand hand in hand, strong shoulders, oh we will keep on going
'Cause underneath the skin they cry, oh lord, this is our moment

Hold on 'cause they want you to let go
Stay strong, you are more than you are told
The song we sing is an anthem
Don't lose hope, 'cause the pen is lethal

I'm praying for a miracle, something alleviating
I'd take a prophet over gold, could use some mediating
My destiny's a for sure thing, but they just keep debating
The way the prophecies of old had people hesitating

Since I was young I had to learn how to fight from the back
And now that I'm doing it voluntarily they scared of me
They fear I'm dangerous or deranged simply because I'm black
They want the kid in institutions, penitentiaries

Head set to heaven for solutions, and my heart is heavy
Unsteady, petty, but ready for every adversary
I don't think I could hold it back,
Or last another attack on blacks, that's just a fact
But if it gets to that then, I can just outlast 'em
Like your hipster rap, and I stay boom bappin'

But I stay up nights and cry and think about the travesty
Hate has plagued the nation, made for you and me
You say, oh can I see, and try to hide from me
The lies and plain to deceit, this land was never free

I don't got a body count cause I ain't killin'
Welcome to America, police kill our children
Innocence equals wrong, so the hero must be the villain
They fabricated justice, why you think they call it system

Yet we ain't never had the luxury of feeling all these chains released
And simply jogging down the street
Without fear of being killed or beat
'Cause taking a stand for human kind means you stand with me
And if black lives don't matter, no one's does, say can you see

Hold on 'cause they want you to let go
Stay strong you are more than you are told
The song we sing is an anthem
Don't lose hope, 'cause the pen is lethal

I'm praying for a miracle something alleviating
I'd take a prophet over gold, could use some mediating
My destiny's a for sure thing, but they just keep debating
The way the prophecies of old had people hesitating

Alleviate me from this pain and then you'll finally see
We can no longer fight the fact that y'all been tryna sleep
Tell me I'm trippin and frontin, okay, okay I guess
But all your words don't mean nothing, let's put em to the test

I once had 20:20 vision now I'm seeing clearer
You want our rights, you want our lives, but we refuse to mirror
The hate inside, deceit and lies, yo miss me with that fear
If y'all can't stand it, Collin Kaepernick, it's sit or kneel

Hold on 'cause they want you to let go
Stay strong you are more than you are told
The song we sing is an anthem
Don't lose hope, 'cause the pen is lethal

I'm praying for a miracle, something alleviating
I'd take a prophet over gold, could use some mediating
My destiny's a for sure thing, but they just keep debating
The way the prophecies of old had people hesitating