Eh, eh, ehm
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
It's easy to say "I love you" when you hate yourself
Face yourself
Born of a loving woman, but I had to make myself
Nobody put food in my mouth or money in my pocket
Hit the plug up like a socket and I paid myself
Laid to rest my insecurities, like racist bars, they never served me
I grew around some animals, my habitat disturbed me
Lions, tigers, and bare man on their separate journeys
Until their paths crossed and end up on separate gurneys
My father read me like a book while others tried to burn me
He sat me down and offered me advice when he spoke firmly
"Son, never let them make you what they want for you to be"
So, I replaced the noose with gold chains, just wanting to be free
I accomplished all my dreams and invited my friends to see
In hopes I could inspire, like the fire ignited under me
I combust, my heart filled with love, my guts filled with kombucha
Let my words ferment, sip them slow, and end up looser
Losers sitting in a stupor, wasting time behind computers
Angry how I rolled the dice, gambled with my future
And it worked out
I swear I shine so bright, they want me burnt out
Humble as the sun, I'll come, the flowers grow, the birds' out
The weak are quick to speak till the strong walk in the room
And like dictionaries glued they're having trouble getting words out
Thank God that I made it out alive
Didn't have to sell my soul, yeah I made it out with pride
While them other man are lyin'
I can see it in their eyes
Shake my locks like a mane, feeling Gucci, looking fine
I'ma shine
Black man shine
Completing my goals on black man time
No blacks, no dogs, but the Irish are fine
So long as they don't rise
Tiocfaidh ár lá, that's right
Ah, they will come
Said I'm as humble as the sun
The album went to eighteen, but they know I'm number one
Meditate on stage and with no smoke up in my lungs
Watch how I take a drag on beats, proceed to burn down Babylon
I said I'll burn it down, burn it down
Now watch me as I fight back for every reggae artist that never got their rights back
That died broke and hungry on that island of Jamaica
Whilst someone at Island Records made a killing off the right tracks
Fuck that
Let the sun shine upon my face
Who would have thought my dark skin would brighten up this place?
Ghetts told me I'm electric like I'm lighting in this place (Yo, the vibe was, the vibe was electric, dawg)
Seconds after talking to Saadiq about strikes up in this place
"How you feelin'? How you feelin'?
It's the one and truly living with so much life left to live somebody might just try to kill him"
The way I spout off at the mouth wouldn't really be surprising
But the sun is fucking rising, I'ma melt this glass ceiling
Watch me shine
Shine, black man, shine
I'ma shine, shine, shine
Shine, black man, shine
Let them sing it like
Shine, black man, shine
Shine, black man, shine (Shine, black man, shine)
Shine, black man, shine (Black man, shine, shine)
Shine, black man, shine (Oh, black man, shine bright)
Shine, Black man, shine (Oh, black man, shine yeah)
Shine, black man, shine (Shine, shine, shine, black man, shine)
Shine, black man, shine (Black man, shine woah)
Shine, black man, shine (Black man, black man, black man, black man, shine)