Lizzie Velasquez

English Translation

[Verse 1]
February 18th, '98 NY state
Between two artists
To let the world see what I’m worth
To make a difference, I

After my first word ‘sky’
And after the sky thickened with 9/11
Dad misses his hometown
So, I left with mum first
1 year ago, the me in USA

Lost in translation
A language where ‘Yes’ is ‘no’, ‘no’ is ‘yes’
‘If you’re younger, you’re lower’, feel the oppression
Everything got boring, expressing yourself got awkward

Now everything makes sense, and I got used to it
Even if I fit in, the people around me ask
‘What’s America like?’
Shit, I don’t even know anymore

[Hook]
Ask yourself
What defines you? What defines you?
Where you were born? Where you grew up?
What defines you? What defines you?
The parents that gave birth to you? Your inherited appearance?
What defines you? What defines you?
Yeah...
Who are you?

[Verse 2]
Yeah, uhh
‘Even if you have a good heart, you can’t go to heaven’
Even if I’m called, I’m the elementary student that never obeys
When my classmates recite the Lord’s Prayer
Pretending to be a rebel and looking out the window, yeah that’s me

‘A unique kind of faith’
Can’t quite grasp the concept
I only like my teachers and friends
When I get home, I prepare to sacrifice with my grandmother

Things that affect me now; crazy people, experience, environment
I dedicate this song to all of them
Today I made a difference with others
For this beat, my identity is stripped off

Wait, don’t give your identity away
Don’t be controlled, don’t be limited
Cause as much as you don’t have high expectations
Achievement goes away, punk

[Hook]
Ask yourself
What defines you? What defines you?
Where you were born? Where you grew up?
What defines you? What defines you?
The parents that gave birth to you? Your inherited appearance?
What defines you? What defines you?
Yeah...
Who are you?

[Verse 3]
Who are you?

Before that let me ask, ‘Hiphop, what’s that?’
Same shitty English, mixing up profanity, wordplay?
No, it’s about your story
I am what I spit, I don’t tell fake shit

Without anything I’m good at ’Agency casting’ I got this kind of thing
Recklessly grabbed the opportunity I saw
Seemed like it would be fun everyday
Now my heart crazily yearns to change the way I live

So
If you see me in the subway
Kids thinking its foreigner, how amusing
Take a good look at my face
Vernon appearing everywhere
I could become your rival

Ah believe me, I believe in myself
Even if I don’t have it right now, I will have it all someday
Got no 2 chainz, just tryna rap true
Just tryna make a million dollars off a rap tune

Hangul

[Verse 1]
February 18th, '98, NY state
두 화가 사이에
세상에 내 가치를 증명해 보이기 위해
변화를 만들어 보이기 위해 나와

After my first word ‘sky’
And after the sky thickened with 9/11
아빠는 고향이 그리워 엄마랑 나를 먼저 보내고
1년 뒤 미국에서 나와

Lost in translation
‘Yes’가 ‘아니’, ‘no’가 ‘응’이 되는 언어
‘어리면 낮춰’, 억압으로 느껴져
모든게 싫증났고 표현에 서툴렀어
이젠 이미 다 이해되고 익숙해
잘 어울리다가도 주변에선 가끔 내게 물어보곤 해
‘미국은 어떤대?’
Shit 나도 아는 게 더 이상 하나 없는데

[Hook]
스스로에게 물어
What defines you? What defines you?
너가 태어난 곳? 너가 자라온 곳?
What defines you? What defines you?
널 낳아준 부모? 물려받은 외모?
What defines you? What defines you?
Who are you?

[Verse 2]
‘마음 착해도 못 가요 하나님나라엔’
따라 불러도 수긍이 안 갔던 초등학생
반 친구들이 주기도문을 외울 때
대충 같이 외는 척 창 밖을 내다본 애 yeah that’s me

‘유일무이한 믿음’
Can’t quite grasp the concept
난 그냥 선생님들과 친구들이 좋았을 뿐
집에 돌아오면 할머니랑 같이 제사 준비를

지금껏 내게 영향을 미친 사람, 경험, 환경
그 모두에게 이 노래를 바쳐
남들과의 다름이 만든 오늘날의 난
이 beat 위에서 나 자신을 빨가벗긴다

잠깐, 네 자신을 너무 주지마
통제하게 하지마, 규제하게 하지마
Cause 너무 높이 바라지 않는 만큼
성취는 떨어져 임마

[Hook]
스스로에게 물어
What defines you? What defines you?
너가 태어난 곳? 너가 자라온 곳?
What defines you? What defines you?
널 낳아준 부모? 물려받은 외모?
What defines you? What defines you?
Who are you?

[Verse 3]
Who are you?

그 전에 먼저 물어볼게 ‘Hipho 이란건 뭔데?’
좆같으면 영어 욕 섞어가면서 까는 wordplay?
No, it’s about 너의 얘기
I am what I spit 배출하지 않아 fake shit

잘 하는 거 하나 없이 ’기획사 casting’ 이란 걸 받고
무작정 새로워 보였던 기회를 잡어
당시의 일상보다는 재밌을 것 같던
지금 난 미친 듯 기쁜 마음으로 빡세게 살어

So 지하철에서 날 보고
외국인이라 신기해하던 꼬마들 내 얼굴 잘 봐둬
곳곳에서 Vernon 나올 때면
내가 너희들의 동경의 상대가 되 있을 테니까

I believe me 나는 나를 믿지
지금은 없어도 언젠간 모두 가지겠지
Got no 2 chainz, just tryna rap true
Just tryna make a million dollars off a rap tune

Romanized

[Verse 1]
February 18th, '98, NY state
Du hwaga saie
Sesange nae gachireul jeungmyeonghae boigi wihae
Byeonhwareul mandeureo boigi wihae nawa

After my first word ‘sky’
And after the sky thickened with 9/11
Appaneun gohyangi geuriwo eommarang nareul meonjeo bonaego
1nyeon dwi migugeseo nawa

Rost in translation
‘Yes’ga ‘ani’, ‘no’ga ‘eung’i doeneun eoneo
‘eorimyeon najchwo’, eogabeuro neukkyeojyeo
Modeunge silhjeungnassgo pyohyeone seotulleosseo
Ijen imi da ihaedoego iksukhae
Jal eoullidagado jubyeoneseon gakkeum naege mureobogon hae
‘migugeun eotteondae?’
Shit nado aneun ge deo isang hana eopsneunde

[Hook]
Seuseuroege mureo
What defines you? What defines you?
Neoga taeeonan gos? neoga jaraon gos?
What defines you? What defines you?
Neol nahajun bumo? mullyeobadeun oemo?
What defines you? What defines you?
Who are you?

[Verse 2]
‘maeum chakhaedo mot gayo hananimnaraen’
Ttara bulleodo sugeungi an gassdeon chodeunghaksaeng
Ban chingudeuri jugidomuneul oeul ttae
Daechung gati oeneun cheok chang bakkeul naedabon ae yeah that’t me

‘yuilmuihan mideum’
Can’t quite grasp the concept
Nan geunyang seonsaengnimdeulgwa chingudeuri johasseul ppun
Jibe doraomyeon halmeonirang gati jesa junbireul

Jigeumkkeot naege yeonghyangeul michin saram, gyeongheom, hwangyeong
Geu moduege i noraereul bachyeo
Namdeulgwaui dareumi mandeun oneulnarui nan
I beat wieseo na jasineul ppalgabeosginda

Jamkkan, ne jasineul neomu jujima
Tongjehage hajima, gyujehage hajima
Cause neomu nopi baraji anhneun mankeum
Seongchwineun tteoreojyeo imma

[Hook]
Seuseuroege mureo
What defines you? What defines you?
Neoga taeeonan gos? neoga jaraon gos?
What defines you? What defines you?
Neol nahajun bumo? mullyeobadeun oemo?
What defines you? What defines you?
Who are you?

[Verse 3]
Who are you?

Geu jeone meonjeo mureobolge ‘Hipho irangeon mwonde?’
Jojgateumyeon yeongeo yok seokkeogamyeonseo kkaneun wordplay?
No, it’t about neoui yaegi
I am what I spit baechulhaji anha fake shit

Jal haneun geo hana eopsi ’gihoeksa casting’ iran geol batgo
Mujakjeong saerowo boyeossdeon gihoereul jabeo
Dangsiui ilsangbodaneun jaemisseul geot gatdeon
Jigeum nan michin deut gippeun maeumeuro ppaksege sareo

So jihacheoreseo nal bogo
Oeguginira singihaehadeon kkomadeul nae eolgul jal bwadwo
Gosgoseseo Vernon naol ttaemyeon
Naega neohuideurui donggyeongui sangdaega doe isseul tenikka

I believe me naneun nareul mitji
Jigeumeun eopseodo eonjengan modu gajigessji
Got no 2 chainz, just tryna rap true
Just tryna make a million dollart off a rap tune