Young Black Intelligent - Masta Ace, Pav Bundy, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

Young black intelligent, this is not a first

But it feels like it’s curse and it weighs like a elephant

Heavy on my mind, 'cause I feel so irrelevant

Heavy on my heart, it’s like I’m smart for the hell of it

Heavy on my soul, it’s our stroll through the 'ville again

Stranded on this island, feel like I’m Gilligan

Friends got jailed and then they got bailed

Stress that I’m under, I just wonder when they kill again

Please understand that I’m living in the concrete

Jungle where I stumble is the crumble under my feet

In the building lobby, see my man Bobby

Puffing on a joint that’s the point where our eyes meet

Asked what’s the weight on the books in my knapsack

He’s so amused, I’m confused why he asked that

Then I understand the motive and the plan

He’s trying to be the man while I stand getting laughed at

Dudes got jokes but very little hopes

That’s why they trying to bring me down like a halfback

But I got balanced, my moms made a promise

If I get the grades, I’ll be praised like Thomas

Clarence;

but I don’t know if law’s in my future

Cops in the war and they’ll sure try to shoot ya

All I wanna do is get a B in geometry

Lose my virginity and live my life drama free;

sing

As I sit and count these clouds

I sure hope my ma is proud of me

Why be I?

— why be I?

Why be me?

— why be me?

If I fly — if I fly

They gon' see — they gon' see

I might die — I might die

But I’ll be free — but I’ll be free

So why be I?

why be I?

Why be me?

— why be me?

Young Black Intelligent (x7)

Young Black…

Penny for your thoughts, a nickel for your dreams

A dime for your goals and a quarter in your jeans

Trying to make a dollar outta forty-one cents

Caught up in the barbed wire, shorty on the fence

I can be a knife-packing, gun-toting hooligan

But I can’t decide so I’m on my way to school again

On my way to duel again, me against the world

But all I can think about is me against a girl

Youthful exuberance, busting at the seams

Look at all the other kids cussing at the deans

Looking at all the other kids cutting 8th period

But I’m on a team and my coach won’t hear of it

He’s well aware of it, I ain’t getting pinched

Y’all dummies go ahead I ain’t getting benched

Whole lot of right and a little bit of wrong

And everything you’ve worked for?

Gone

As I sit and count these clouds

I sure hope my ma is proud of me

Why be I?

— why be I?

Why be me?

— why be me?

If I fly — if I fly

They gon' see — they gon' see

I might die — I might die

But I’ll be free — but I’ll be free

So why be I?

why be I?

Why be me?

— why be me?

Young Black Intelligent (x7)

Young Black…

In this state of emergency and sense of urgency

Just how young is young?

Cause the youth be not youth for long

Young society might be afraid of you

But you continue to be you

We are you, so we feel you

For that those that see you

We salute you

Continue to find like minds, brah

Design your inside, concentration, desire

Dedication, inspiration, perspiration

Is the hard work

Doesn’t guarantee anything

But without it, you don’t stand a chance

Intelligence will save you

And us too

Peace