Walkin’ down the hallway

What do I see?

I see boys posted up,

Thinkin’ “Yeah, I’m a G”.

Hats to the side, pants barely on

If you didn’t wanna wear that

Why’d you put that on?

Belts are for pants

You got loops for a reason

Me seein’ your boxers

Ain’t no tease and

If you think that’s cool

Then, yeah you fly

I’m just sayin’ what I see

Out the corner of my eye

I see couples holdin’ hands makin’ plans

For the weekend

Me wishin’ he was here to kiss him on the cheek

And as the days go by my life goes on

Sit down

Pen and paper

Just to write my song.

 

Walkin’ down the hallway

What do I feel?

I feel stares on my back

You lookin’ at my new heels

I feel my swag go up

While your swag goes down

I feel on top of the world

Queen Aminah, where’s my crown?

I feel your attitude hit me from way over there

I feel the vibes that you’re sendin’ me

Whisperin’ you don’t care

But you do

You know you do

Tell the truth

To my face

This the place

Where everyone around you is the same

And I ain’t been here long

But everybody knows that

This right here is my song

 

Walkin’ down the hallway

What do I hear?

I hear the slam of the locker

First block is comin’ near

I pass a group of boys

Only one of them is black

I hear the white boy say

“Man nigga, you is wack!”

I stop my tracks

Look back

Turn around

With a frown on my face

Cause it’s not okay for him to say that

He’s not even black,

And even then, it’s still not okay.

 

Do you know where that word came from;

Derived from; seemingly breathed air

That wasn’t our air to breathe for so long?

For so long, my ancestors

Your ancestors, were called that by

Your ancestors

And were forced to answer with nothing else but

“Yes Master”.

In the dictionary, do you know what that word means?

Someone who has dark skin,

Or who is black,

And lacks the ability to process a simple thought

Or can’t be taught how to do anything

Because they’re ignorant,

Don’t forget inferior to the overseer

Who rushed them to pick that cotton,

Trust me, it won’t be forgotten

What they had to go through,

To make it through, for me and you.

 

Imagine the pain they felt as the whips

Cracked against their backs

And master calls them that name

While they call out HIS name

Because even though they lived

In a cloud of shame,

They believed in something higher.

Its not okay for you to say that,

You’re not even black,

And even then it’s still not okay.

I wish that word never existed

I wish it would suddenly disappear

Into the thin air

That surrounds our heads

That have been washed thoroughly

With filthy hands

Letting us believe we can say that word.

Not even a word,

More like a weapon

That jabs and cuts our ancestors spirits

In the gut

Making them suffer all over again.

 

You say that word

Like you meant to say

Friend, or guy, or man

And if that’s what you meant

Then say that then

Because in the end

This generation underestimates

That word to the fullest

Thinking you’re the coolest

When that weapon

Flows from your lungs, up your throat, out your mouth

To someone’s ears

It doesn’t process like it would

All those years ago.

Just let it go,

Drop it, leave it, let if suffer

Knowing we don’t need it.