New Black
B.o.B Lyrics

Tell me what it means
I want someone to explain the true meaning of being black

To be black, someone tell me what it means
I need someone to define and explain the experience of being black

Who I gotta vote for, who am I to be
Who should I support in elections, what is my role as an individual

What car I gotta drive, where I gotta buy my jeans, black man
What type of car should I own, where should I shop for clothes as a black man

If you ain't really hood, you can't be a black man
If you don't fit the stereotype of being 'hood,' you are not considered a true black man

Is it cause I'm proper when I speak, black man
Am I judged for speaking properly as a black man

Should I be a chain and gold teeth black man
Should I conform to the stereotype of wearing chains and gold teeth as a black man

Or a Martin Luther King had a dream black man, a dream black man
Or should I aspire to be like Martin Luther King Jr., a black man who had a dream for equality

You really gotta practice what you preach, black man
As a black man, it's important to practice what you advocate for

How you gonna talk about peace, black man
How can you advocate for peace as a black man

When I got death threats on my screen
Even though I receive death threats, I am not the enemy

So who draws the first straw
Who is responsible for starting conflict and tension

Everybody hurt, who caused the first scar
In a situation where everyone is hurt, who is the one who initiated the pain

'Cause as soon as you see niggas get to fighting
Because as soon as you witness black people fighting

You be the first mother fucker wanna yell out World Star
You are the first person to want to record and share the fight on the platform World Star

Can't nobody else touch a nigga
No one else can harm a black person

But it's cool for a brother just to bust a nigga
But it's acceptable for a black person to harm another black person

Guns sold in every hood, he'll slay a dozen niggas
Guns are readily available in every neighborhood, and someone will kill multiple black individuals

Gon' kill yourself, while you're at it, take a couple with you
You are going to cause harm to yourself, and you might harm a few others as well

And that don't justify the cop shit, I'm just on some black mob shit
That doesn't excuse police brutality; I'm just expressing frustration about the mistreatment of black people

The best way to protest, hit 'em where it hurts, their pockets
The most effective way to protest is to impact their finances and economic interests

It's time to boycott shit
It's time to refuse support or engage in boycotts

We need less rappers and more doctrines
We need fewer musicians and more philosophical teachings or principles

We need less ballers and more prophets
We need fewer athletes and more visionary leaders

We need more unity, less gossip
We need greater togetherness and reduced spreading of rumors and unnecessary talk

But who am I to speak, I never went to college
But as someone who didn't attend college, who am I to have a voice

I hate to be the bearer of bad news
I dislike being the one to deliver negative information

But all of this double standard thinking is taboo
But this mindset of applying different standards to different races is considered unacceptable

If black hate is a myth, the term new black wouldn't even exist
If it's untrue that black people face hatred, the term 'new black' would not have been created

I pray for tomorrow, I pray for the sorrow
I hope for a better future, I pray for the pain and sadness to diminish

I pray for the truth and I pray for Chicago
I hope for honesty and integrity, and I pray for the city of Chicago

I pray for Detroit and I pray for Oakland
I hope for progress and positive change in the cities of Detroit and Oakland

I pray for Port Au Prince and I pray for New Orleans
I hope for the recovery and well-being of Port Au Prince and New Orleans

Somebody let me know, how can I be a better African American
Can someone please inform me how I can improve as an African American

Like I ain't grow up being black in America
As if I didn't experience the challenges and realities of growing up as a black person in America

Like I ain't grow up around crack, AIDS and heroin
As if I wasn't exposed to drugs, AIDS, and heroin while growing up

Damn
Expressing frustration or disappointment

They don't really know, black man
They lack true understanding of the black experience

They don't really know, ugh, they don't really
They truly don't comprehend or recognize the reality

Sim simmer sim simmer, ugh
An exclamation expressing frustration, confusion, or contemplation

Pour some liquor, for my niggas, ugh
Symbolic act of pouring alcohol in memory of deceased or absent friends

Bust a swisher, roll a cigar
Prepare and smoke a Swisher, a type of cigar

Hitta another strip club, throw my income
Visit another strip club and spend a significant amount of money

Well, I guess it's all we know
I suppose this is the only lifestyle we are familiar with

Hate is all we been taught, so that's all we show
We have been consistently taught to hate, so that's what we display

Just a nigga from Decatur, white as all our doors
I'm just a black person from Decatur, where even the doors are painted white

Even though the days of dark, still we all got hope
Despite the times of darkness, we all still hold on to hope

So what's the motive
What is the underlying reason or intention

We don't control shit, cause we don't own shit
We have little control over our lives and society because we lack ownership

Even in our own hoods, we ain't votin'
Even within our own neighborhoods, we fail to exercise our right to vote

And not just for Obama, but locally voting, that's power
We should not only vote for national figures like Obama, but also actively participate in local elections, as that's where true power lies

Rome wasn't built in just an hour
Significant achievements take time and effort, they are not accomplished quickly

Can you hear me, do I need to speak louder
Can you understand and listen to me, or do I need to increase the volume of my voice

Christopher Columbus ain't the only one founder
Christopher Columbus is not the sole person responsible for discovering new things

They don't mention niggas that was on the Mayflower
They don't acknowledge or talk about black individuals who were also on the Mayflower (first English ship to arrive in America)

Wait a second, let it soak, mind blown
Pause for a moment, allow the information to sink in, and be amazed

Bobby Ray from a different timezone
Referring to himself, B.o.B, as a person with a different mindset or perspective

I dare to speak my mind, and I'm wrong
I have the courage to express my thoughts, even if they are considered incorrect

Well shove it up your ass with a pinecone
An exclamation expressing frustration or defiance

I'm tryna paint the bigger picture
I am attempting to convey a broader perspective or message

You looking for the enemy, then stare into the mirror
If you are searching for the culprit, look at yourself in the mirror

I said I'm trying to paint a bigger picture
I mentioned earlier that I'm trying to convey a broader perspective or message

You looking for the answer, then look into the mirror, black man
If you are seeking answers, reflect on yourself in the mirror, fellow black man

I'm not even against the whole movement
I am not completely opposed to the entire social or political movement

Like I'm not even hating on it
I'm not expressing hatred or negativity towards it

It's just, if we put that energy into ourselves
However, if we redirect our energy towards self-improvement

And into our community
And towards benefiting our community

And not so much into complaining about how we've been done wrong
Instead of focusing primarily on complaining about injustices done to us

And, and we have been done wrong, but it's like
And yes, we have experienced wrongdoing, but it seems

We gotta stop just saying the same thing and do something different
We need to move beyond just repeating the same complaints and take action in a new way

All this energy that we're putting into protesting
The amount of effort we invest in protesting

We should put it into our community
We should direct that energy towards improving and supporting our community

Put it into start up businesses, put it into your kids
Invest that energy into creating new businesses and supporting your children

Put it into your community
Direct it towards benefiting your local community

Start our own businesses
Initiate and establish our own enterprises

So we don't have to support all these other businesses
So we don't have to rely on or give our money to non-black-owned businesses

Feed the, fuck, feed the homeless all year
Provide food and support for the homeless throughout the entire year

Do this all year, don't just stop
Continue doing these charitable acts consistently, without halting

Don't just stop after this case is over
Don't cease your efforts after this particular incident or trial concludes

Don't just stop after this topic, keep it going
Don't discontinue your actions after addressing a specific issue, continue the progress