Intro: Ekemini Uwan
Peace does not come before salvation and salvation does not come without truth
Chorus
I will only tell the truth
I will only tell the truth
Incoming!
Truth, truth, truth, truth
Truth, truth, truth, truth, truth
Verse 1
People wonder, “Is he woke or just a new slave?”
Old religion, he just covered it with new chains
Choppin’ out the church, he ain’t real, he fake
He divisive, he don’t rep the King, he just want the fame
Aw man, now they actin’ like I’m suddenly political
Told me shut my mouth and get my checks from Evangelicals
Boy, my momma raised me, on Angela and Eldridge
Chuck Berry made it, but the credit went to Elvis
Know you never knew that, know you think I’m too black
I just think I’m too real, I grew up on 2Pac
You grew up thinkin’ that the Panthers was some terrorists
I grew up hearin’ how they fed my momma eggs and grits
“‘Crae, they say you should follow in the steps of King”
I say, “You’ve forgotten how they shot him in the streets”
I ain’t really changed, it’s the same old rebel
Still a radical, I’m passionate, it’s just another level (leggo!)
AT told me I should fight back
They don’t like that (they don’t)
Just know if you rock the boat you better have a life raft (what?)
BJ told me I should fight back
They don’t like that
Just know if you rock the boat you better have a life raft, woo!
Chorus: Ekemini Uwan
I will only tell the truth (facts)
People cannot abide by a truth. They prefer fantasy over reality… (facts)
I will only tell the truth
I am for truth no matter who tells it
I will only tell the truth
I am for justice no matter who it is for or against (facts)
Verse 2
Rose up out the dungeon
I was feelin’ haunted
Now I’m bein’ hunted
And I’m on a hunnid
Hit the gas, gunning
Skip the past running
Tell ’em they could bring that
If they really want it
I, I’m on the hometeam
You just running with the wrong team
Never take ’em with the heavyweights or, boy, you’ll die and need a little protein
Southside off a Yellowstone, had a ham bone and a white tee
Got a 12-pack of that real talk in the trunk, tell ’em, “Come find me”
Draped up, dripped out, covered in the blood
Man, I hang where they cripped out, sippin’ on the mud
Where they swingin’, got the whips out, watch ’em pop trunk
Yeah, I know it’s hella dark, but I’m tryna light it up
Now these people swear they own me, sendin’ out threats
Told me keep my mouth shut, told me be a Stepin Fetchit
I will not oblige to your colonized way of faith
My Messiah died for the world, not just USA
They say, “Jesus was Conservative”
Tell ’em, “That’s a lie”
No, He not a Liberal either if you think I’ll choose a side
They say, “‘Crae, you so divisive, shouldn’t be a black church”
I say, “Do the math, segregation started that first!”
Hey, you want unity? Then read a eulogy
Kill the power that exists up under you and over me
I said, you want unity? Then read a eulogy
Kill the power that exists up under you and over me, woo! (facts)
Spoken
So reconciliation or conciliation requires defrauded parties to be made whole. Not just apologizing for the offense
Verse 3
I was waitin’ for the right time to tell y’all how I feel
And, yeah, I know that it hurts, but look, it’s gon’ heal
I waited ’til I was on prime time before I let y’all know
And you prolly won’t wanna hear my music no mo’
But it’s all good, man, I love y’all
Hope you know that I’m black black
Trade in my Smart Car for a Cadillac, can you handle that?
And I love God
I love Jesus, the one out of Nazareth
Not the European with the ultra perm and them soft eyes and them thin lips
And I’m still hood
Been in the ‘burbs for quite some time
But I still might hit the gas station for the Lemonheads and the pork rinds
And I’m on one
Yeah, 116 been real
Binghamton, Tennessee, from Third Ward to Ceiling Hill
And I live a multiple world, call me a hybrid ’cause I’m so black
Young theologian who educated, but still be at that Chicken Shack, yeah
Outro
Lemme get a two-piece