SETUP

Can I live
Can i grow
Can I kneel
Can I be successful even though I'm black

Can't drive
Can't shop
Can't thrive
Tryna figure what the fuck they lookin at

Can I smile
Have a job
Have a child?
Is he a juvenile just because he black

Can't drive
Can't shop
Can't thrive
Tryna figure what the fuck they looking at

(Can we live?)

We always been taught home of the brave land of the free
But honestly dog
That sound like some real bull shit to me
X got young niggas sitting in school learning white history
X juneteenth 13th amendment and somehow we still not free

X how you think we'd ever be brothers
X we separate laundry by colors
X think that them niggas in office love ya?
X naw they see numbers above ya

Xx look at the color of gangs
Xx two parties dont change
Xx that red and blue
Xx and the cops steady bang
Xx might choke you out
Xx might leave you to hang

Xx they come through hot when its popping off
Xx thats we never get cops involved
X they might empty the clip to top it off
X they go to the courts but drop it all
X do our lives matter nigga not at all
X paid vacations when they knock us off

X it ain't even like the shit is subliminal
X call you all kinda names make you think a criminal
X thats why niggas afraid to walk down the avenue
X get frisked or get tased kicked in face for just skimming through

Xx the hurt and the pain got us living all miserable
Xx gotta do drastic things make a move make it out and be pivotal
Xx even if you struggling in burbs you like this a do
Xx white neighbors gone call and complain if yo family ever come visit you

Can I live
Can i grow
Can I kneel
Can I be successful even though I'm black

Can't drive
Can't shop
Can't thrive
Tryna figure what the fuck they lookin at

Can I smile
Have a job
Have a child?
Is he a juvenile just because he black

Can't drive
Can't shop
Can't thrive
Tryna figure what the fuck they looking at

(Can we live?)

They say its 2018 ain't no racist exist
Well tell me why I still feel the hatred anywhere I live
Joined this military thinking it would get me some respect
But when I'm outta uniform they be coming at my neck
With no collar device on they see just another nigga
Same nigga who protect them when he gripping on them triggas
Same nigga leave his family for 8 months at a time
Just to pull back into land and see my brothers still dying
Black mothers still crying dont matter about the crime
They gone shoot regardless so you might as well be violent
Some white people wanna speak up but they still be hiding
Rather act as if the times have changed and everything is fine
Base the actions off that person he don't represent our kind
Bullseye that's what we been saying for some years
Every nigga ain't a thug but yall just dont wanna hear
Every nigga ain't gone rob you gone and loosen up your grip

We ain't round here selling drugs maybe this just where we live
Keep the racism alive and they pass it to their kids
Generational hatred that's how 12 year olds get lynch
That's mixed kids getting jumped and hear the very worst of names
That's how clantee got the jr Kkk disguised as gangs
X that's why the same shit yall smoking got my bros in chains
X nigga weed ain't fuckin change difference now yall see the bank
Yall just do us so dirty and won't even wash the stains

Can I live
Can i grow
Can I kneel
Can I be successful even though I'm black

Can't drive
Can't shop
Can't thrive
Tryna figure what the fuck they lookin at

Can I smile
Have a job
Have a child?
Is he a juvenile just because he black

Can't drive
Can't shop
Can't thrive
Tryna figure what the fuck they looking at