American Heartbreak

Black ThoughtBlack Thought 

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Black Thought

Tariq Trotter (born on October 3, 1971), better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots, as well as an occasional actor. Black Thought, who co-founded The Roots with drummer ?uestlove (Ahmir Thompson), is widely lauded for his live performance skills and his complex and politically aware lyrical content. more »

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Yeah, America the ugly
This country is deep to say the least
Ask from Louisville to Kentucky, to LA to the East
Where the race been on, recently I been makin' peace
With the fact black bodies are worth more if they're deceased
I'm trapped in a nine-by-twelve, awaitin' our release
Not takin' it upon ourselves to break away and teach
The next new crop before they face the next few cops
'Cause a traffic stop at night alone could get you pop
Nina Simone sang, "What the matter with you? Rock?"
Is it my hip hop? Hey, what's the matter with 2Pac?
We will finish the journey from Mecca to pilgrimage
Build bridges over burial grounds, they filled with us
I grimaced upon a photo I found
A still image of a friend who said to lean on Him, like Bill Withers
I wish he was still with us
They issue moratoriums on the truth and label us 'revisionist historians'
Changin' the point of origin in all the events
Any prince with some kind of sense is all they're against
For generations, they ain't shown us that the American modus operandi
The holders, controllers, and try-to-fold-ya's
But yo, watch your body

Oh, America
Not gon' bring me down today
Don't wanna see another American heartbreak
Oh, you can't keep me down
Oh, America
Yeah, watch your body for me
I wasn't built to breathe
I won't be another American heartbreak
My soul you won't take
You can't keep me down

The beast brand is strong
To each man, his own
For every Tameka Mallory in the cold hand o' Jones
Get up like Jayla Rose so they don't stand alone
Leaders understand the code
Pawns do what they suppose
In part, this heart of stone
Is for you to make it home
If I perish when you grown
I want you to take the throne
But when drivin', you a target
Don't be talkin' on the phone
You a alien, you might as well be walkin' on the moon
When you walk into a room
Never shrink that you can fit in
Your beauty and your brilliance ain't build to keep it hidden
Your path, more like the vision of Richard Wright
Was written too long ago to give him, too strong to be forbidden
So whether saint or sinner, here's the tenor like Kamasi
I'm from the kinda posse that's down with Ta-Nehisi
Clowns can try to box me, their hate can never stop me
I'm a product of American Heartbreak, but watch me
I'm still a problem, liftin' my wings
Despite the system that vilified the victim, I'm still alive and kickin'
I'ma striver, survivor, a husband and a father from the bloodline o' kings
I move different than ya, watch ya body

Oh, America
Not gon' bring me down today
Don't wanna see another American heartbreak
Oh, you can't keep me down
Oh, America
Yeah, watch your body for me
I wasn't built to breathe
I won't be another American heartbreak
My soul you won't take
You can't keep me down

Built to last strong
Nothin' gon' hold me down, no
Power, yeah, that black power
That's how I keep holdin' on, yeah
I'm holding on (holding on, yeah)
Holdin' on yeah
I'm holdin', I'm holdin' strong
Holdin', holdin', I'm holdin' on
Can't nobody bring me down
I'm holdin' (stronger)
'Cause I've got that power (I've got that black power)
Yeah, yeah (built to last)
I'm built to last, ooh
My, my, my, my, my

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