"Blackman" lyrics

[Nikki Giovanni:]
A lot of people think we are God's responsibility, it's one of him and 30 million of us

[James Baldwin:]
That's right and God's only hope is us
If we don't make it, he ain't gone make it either
Baby, what we did with Jesus was not supposed to happen
We made him ours

[D-Lylez:]
Our Saviour, we honor

[Rhymefest:]
I used to think of holidays like lullabies
Singing kids to sleep way before Spotify
Spending all my cash on some presents, why should I?
Even celebrate? 'Boy look' You made your Momma cry
When you kill the vibe that's emotional homicide
When you kill the spirit in ya people they be traumatized
When the lights glow and you see the colors harmonize
Think about the story of the Son that was Prophesied
The Bible's a good book I give it a 10!
The hero dies and comes back in the end
When Bethlehem was trappin' him in
That reminded me of me and my friends
A lot of men tryna pretend like we don't sin
That's when the devil getcha again
I don't know if ye is a clone or if they got him a twin
But that ain't the homey I knew from way, way back when
And I ain't the man that I was from way, way back then
So when they all in my DM takin' bout, save yo friend
Imagine tryna tell Mandela not to go to the pin
Imagine tryna tell Malcolm bow ties ain't in
Imagine tryna tell Jesus not to die for yo sins
Imagine leaning on the truth when it always bends
When it always bends
Imagine leaning on the truth when it always bends
That's how it is, and it's always been

I'm healer and I always been
I can't help you live forever though, it always ends
If ya son marry my daughter, hey hey black men
We'll get Mississippi some water, yeah - they my friends
Bring the Haitians cross the boarder, yeah - they my kin
When I die I know that I'mma be in they top 10
But I'm alive
Black man, black man
Black man, black man
Black man, black man
I survived!
Black man, black man
Black man, black man
Black man, black man
We arrived!
Black man, black man
Black man, black man
Black man, black man

[D-Lylez:]
Our Savior, we honor

[Nikki Giovanni:]
I never wanted to be the most moral person in the world
I would like
I mean I would sale my soul, you know what I mean?
What does it profit a main to gain the world and lose his soul?
The world
So you take the soul you know that spiritual take the world but give me Jesus
Y'all can have Jesus, give me the world

[C-RED:]
We all need grace like Jehovah's eyes for Noah
Sacrifice is knowing your price ain't got a total
As I get older, I see the value of my composure
Sleepin' light, sleepless nights, that's life, pick up your shoulders
Bruised my heel on serpents, but my patients can't get Cobra
Tryna see they souls and walk the line of meeting quotas
Compassionately weaning ventilation 'til we choke up
Sleepin' light, sleepless nights just thankful that I woke up
I know hubby tore up for the the stress when I ain't home
Believe my call in life, respect my vessel like his own
Grandma gave advice that I recite just like a psalm
Blood of Christ inspires every knife inside my palm
The most important color is the one beneath your skin
Second Adam came to gather sheep and bleach your sins
Lack of faith's a sink, to think, you could have ceased them winds
Black man, black man, I am my brother's keeper then
As long as I'm able-bodied
I'm offering my best
Though I know that got Abel bodied
Then we came from Seth
Need the Savior's behavior copied
Sometimes being blessed
We forget and it make us cocky
The weakness of our flesh
Y'all don't know the pressure to be needed on your best
To watch a family gasp in reflex to agonal breaths
Hear a heart stop beating, stethoscope still on they chest
Document a cause of death when you got nothing left
Tried indifference as means to calm my stress
And I write down verses when I need to convalesce
I know a God that I can please but not impress
Black man, black man
You the reason I exist

[James Baldwin:]
What you have to do is make it possible for others to live
That's the only reason to be here
Who needs the rest of it - really

[Nikki Giovanni:]
It's so weird though, it's counterproductive
I'm very pessimistic

[James Baldwin:]
Oh you're not as pessimistic as you think you are
You got far too much energy to be as pessimistic as you think you are

[Nikki Giovanni:]
I'm pretty pessimistic though

[James Baldwin:]
No I think you're pretty realistic, I think you're pretty cool, ya know I think you're pretty clear