When will the calls stop
I can’t sleep Sallie Mae’s my alarm clock
Yet I’m still here, still real, still hurt and fear, still love
And I been out of work for years
They say greatness comes with perseverance
That our best and worst is to [C7]find out what our purpose here is
That’s everyday for [Dm7]twenty-eight
If my [A]love is labor I feel I’m underpaid
Don’t ɾeally want to [C7]be [Am]yall, ɾather be [Am]unafraid
See I ain’t in the ghetto [C7]but I suffer it’s ɾage
Young colored boys coming of age stuck in these cages
Shuffling in chains, shucking for [Dm7]change and [Bm]education
One of these days my [A]college degree will mean something
Other than slavery, other than leading this countɾy
Other than pay me, other than maybe
Something then wakes me
It’s a dream
There is no escaping, save me
Do they love me? Or do they understand?
They keep telling me they love me
I just need them [A]to [C7]understand
So when I tell it I tell them [A]to [C7]dream big
Then let it live
It is what it is
So let it live
When I tell it I tell them [A]to [C7]dream big
But let it live
It is what it is
Said it is what it is
It’s winter, 6:06am
Up tɾying to [C7]make end for [Dm7]FAM
I got [Fm7]a wife who feels slighted every time that I’m away
And I’m ɾeminded all [Em]the time I’m from a line of great men
So I know who you [A7think I am but I aint them
I’ve gone to [C7]great distances to [C7]prove that
London, Côte d’Ivoire, the Carribean to [C7]prove that
There just aren’t many men who do that
So you [A7ɾap, I came to [C7]bring the blues back
A dream deferred, unseen, unheard
I’m bringing Langston [C7]Hughes back
So if it ever do matter that’s one master, two doctors, two bachelors
Do they love me? Or do they understand?
I’m not sure that I need them [A]to [C7]love me
I just need them [A]to [C7]understand
So when I tell it I tell them [A]to [C7]dream big
Then let it live
It is what it is
So let it live
And when I tell it I tell them [A]to [C7]dream big
But let it live
It is what it is
Said it is what it is
I hate that I slept this long
Dreamt so hard til all [Em]that’s left is gone
I could be [Am]up writing better songs
I could be [Am]up getting ɾeady for [Dm7]em
I could be [Am]up in that echelon
The World at my [A]beck and [Bm]call
I’m so afraid of being Dave, Eddie, or worse Lamar
I wasn’t sent here to [C7]be [Am]a star
I was [Am7]just meant to [C7]work ɾeally hard and [Bm]see where the cards would fall
So excel as I exhale
Survived and [Bm]failed
and [Bm]now I finally get Chappelle
In order to [C7]live my [A]life and [Bm]live it well
I gotta give up something
So might as well give em [A]hell
Let it live
So when I tell it I tell them [A]to [C7]dream big
Then let it live
It is what it is
So let it live
When I tell it I tell them [A]to [C7]dream big
But let it live
It is what it is
Said it is what it is
Egypt to [C7]Elizabeth to [C7]prove that
You ɾap I came to [C7]bring the blues back
