Uh, yo

Why I gotta work ten times more?

Why I gotta sing, rap, act and dance to settle the score?

Why I gotta be as hard as it gets?

Why I gotta lay my life on the line just to get their respect?

Tell me why I always gotta be strong?

Why I gotta fake the funk, knowing me and them don't get along?

Tell me why I always gotta be on?

When the truth is, I'm really burnt out and I don't wanna respond

Tell me why I gotta pay black tax?

To be honest, I don't even really mind giving back

But once you make it, if your people get entitled, tell me how you'd react

And if I lose it all nobody gonna help me with that

Tell me why I gotta hide my pain?

I feel a spectrum of emotions, if I'm angry I should not feel ashamed

Or afraid to be a reduced or be called out my name

But before I catch a charge, I gotta charge it to the game

Stressed out

Worked up

Diamond

In the rough

Black skin

Gold heart

Work hard

But it ain't enough

Count it up

Going off

Sawn off

Sawn off

All wins

No loss

No loss

Tell me why I'm made to feel less than?

Why my worth can be determined by the fact I got a kid or a man?

Tell me why the system don't give a damn?

Why am I more at risk in labour due to race, even if it was planned?

Why was she found in her house unalived?

Her neighbours called police for help for twenty minutes, they just stayed outside

If that was one of yours, is that how you would let things slide?

Or would you leave it even if the clearance did get denied?

Why am I told it's better if I was light?

That I would have global appeal, as if my dark skin just isn't right

Say I'm pretty "for a black girl", that isn't a slight?

Then they want me to show 'em grace as if they're being polite

Tell me why I wan' get high every night?

From holding down our brothers to single mothers, it's always a fight

In slavery they used to take away the men from their wife

Now they leave it down to us to fit the stereotype, its trife'

Stressed out

Worked up

Diamond

In the rough

Black skin

Gold heart

Work hard

But it ain't enough

Count it up

Going off

Sawn off

Sawn off

All wins

No loss

No loss