Minnesota Mean

(Chorus One)

I want to be heard
But…Hopefully/
I won’t have to conform
Just to make you notice me-
EARNED the respect I got
Since the older teens/
Why Minnesota Nice?
Minnesota Mean!-
NO passive-aggression
Approachin’ thee/
Confidence over self-degradation
Grow, indeed-
Repel status quo & lead
When ya’ know the scene/
To HELL with Minnesota Nice! Minnesota Mean!-
(In about 4 seconds a born-elsewhere Minnesotan will began to speak…)

(Verse One)

Roughly 15 years ago before I was a full-time dope verser/
I was having lunch with a
Co-worker-
She asked if I was born in this…
Snow we wallow in/
Told her I was blown here by that
Chicago wind-
Said she had been here for just over
Four years/
From Chicago, too, and assumed I wasn’t born here-
When she saw a conflict between another employee/
As the subtle aggressor & I as the
Trouble addressor-
She said my confrontational…
Bolder traits evoke/
Opposition to the nice
Minnesota fake approach-
I told her, “Even if considered in
Ruder taste/
If I ever have somethin’ to say
I’m a say it to your face!”-
But, damn! This revelation was
Quite astonishin’/
THAT’S when I learned Minnesota Nice ain’t always a compliment-
This accomplishment meant knowledge would not prevent/
Calling it how I see it as a means of kyboshin’ it-

(Chorus Two)

I want to be heard
But…Hopefully/
I can speak my mind
& it makes you notice me-
EARNED the respect I got
Since the older teens/
NOT Minnesota Nice…
Minnesota Mean!-
NO passive-aggression
Approachin’ thee/
Confidence over self-degradation
Grow, indeed-
Repel status quo & lead
When ya’ know the scene/
YOU claim Minnesota Nice!
I’m Minnesota Mean!-
(In about 4 seconds an extremely-direct Minnesotan will begin to speak…)

(Verse Two)

When you hear me speak about
Bein’ mean in ya’ deck/
See it as less about anger
More about bein’ direct-
Not compared to hard in cars
Flickin’ me off as you sped by/
Then makin’ sure we never
Met eyes when at a red light-
No advocate of havin’ an opinion
& sugar-coatin’ it/
No showin’ a stoic
Approach that is emotion-less-
Strangers are surface-warm to
You in this cold state/
Why do some professional males of color re-locate?-
…Searchin’ for where they treat brothers great…Can’t love a place/
Where ya’ often subtly reminded you’re from the “other” race!-
…I’m proud of eloquence, “articulate” & "sound intelligent”/
But HOW White Minnesotans point it out? Grounds for questionin’!-
…Rockin’ “My state’s better
Than yours!” lanyards/
Snobs with liberal-best-place-to-be-born standards-
Greatest of places for raisin’ ya’ babies in…Maybe then/
More amazing when your
Caucasian & Scandinavian!-

(CHORUS 3)
I want to be heard
But…Hopefully/
My tell-it-like-it-is method
Makes you notice me-
EARNED the respect I got
Since the older teens/
NEVER Minnesota Nice!
Minnesota Mean!-
NO passive-aggression
Approachin’ thee/
Confidence over self-degradation
Grow, indeed-
Repel status quo & lead
When ya’ know the scene/
Y’ALL are Minnesota Nice
I’m Minnesota Mean!-
(In about 4 seconds a keenly-observant Minnesotan will begin to speak…)

(Last Verse)

I live where there’s a biker flood…
Got one but don’t ride it much/
Can’t afford to shop at The Wedge
Hair not a hipster nicer cut-
They got my music, I know it’s
Surprisin’ but/
They don’t play me much on the Local Current so I give up-
My sound is loud-in-your-face…Maybe they don’t like the rough/
Green living ain’t quite my stuff, maybe
My jeans ain’t
Tight enough-
Maybe I’m not handsome
I ain’t tryin’ or grindin’ drugs/
Maybe it’s ‘cuz I don’t have that
Skin-that-is-lighter luck-
But a lack of talent is NOT the
Reason I ain’t large/
Discount my experience…
Say I’m pullin’ the race card-
Clung to we’re oddly equal
As you’re supporting Gay marriage/
But…Secretly hating
Hmong & Somali people!-
I BARELY have fans here...
Why change to fit a duty/
Of whiny riddles or EDM to
TRY MAKE ‘em listen to me?!-
Don’t be a passive
CHUMP when ya’ know ya’ right!/
Throw a fist & middle finger…
FUCK Minnesota Nice!!!-