Somewhere In America
JAY Z/Justin Timberlake Lyrics

And he'll bring out the, out the darkness
There is a sense of darkness that needs to be surfaced and exposed.

Sweet King Martin, sweet Queen Coretta
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta, and the impact they made in the Civil Rights movement.

Sweet Brother Malcolm, sweet Queen Betty
Honoring Malcolm X and his wife Betty Shabazz, and the impact they made in the Civil Rights movement.

Sweet Mother Mary, sweet Father Joseph, sweet Jesus
Honoring the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus.

We made it in America, sweet baby Jesus, ooh
Celebrating the success of achieving the American Dream.

I told my mama I was on the come up
Sharing with his mother that he is on the cusp of success.

She said "you going to school I'll give you a summer"
His mother supports his dreams of success only if he gets an education.

Then she met NO ID and gave me his number
His mother met his future music producer NO ID and gave her son his contact information.

Ten years later she driving a Hummer
A reference to how his mother's support helped him achieve success and made it so she could afford a car like a Hummer.

Niggas hustle every day for a beat from Ye
Other aspiring musicians work tirelessly to get beats from Kanye West.

What I do? Turn around gave them beats to Jay
He turned around and gave his beats to Jay Z, even though others work for it, because he is loyal to Jay Z.

And I'm rapping on the beat they was supposed to buy
He took a beat meant for someone else and rapped over it, showcasing his talent and ambition.

I guess I'm getting high off my own supply
He is getting high off his own talent, instead of relying on drugs.

Downtown mixing fabrics trying to find the magic
He is experimenting with fashion and trying to find what works for him.

Started a little blog just to get some traffic
He started a small blog in order to gain followers and attention.

Old folks'll tell you not to play in traffic uh
A common phrase that tells people to be careful not to get hurt, which he ignores in pursuit of success.

A million hits and the web crashes, damn!
His blog gained so much attention it crashed the website hosting it.

South Park had 'em all laughing
South Park made fun of him, but he still recognizes that it brought attention to him.

Now all my niggas designing and we all swaggin'
All of his friends are now designing and succeeding, and they are all fashionable.

Ignore the critics just to say we did it
He is ignoring the critics because he knows he and his friends have achieved success.

This ain't no fashion show, motherfucker, we live it
He is emphasizing that this is not just for show or to be fashionable, they are actually living the high life of success.

I pledge allegiance, uh, to my Grandma
He is pledging allegiance to his grandmother who made him banana pudding.

For that banana pudding, our piece of Americana
The banana pudding is a symbol of American culture and heritage, passed down through generations.

Our apple pie was supplied through Arm and Hammer
A reference to how drugs (specifically cocaine) were heavily involved in the making of American history and culture.

Straight out the kitchen, shh don't wake Nana!
Making banana pudding requires using the kitchen, so he has to be quiet so as not to wake his grandmother.

Built a republic, that still stands
He is proud of the republic beliefs and structures that still stand in the United States.

I'm trying to lead a nation, to leave to my little man's
He is trying to be a leader and pave the path for future generations of his family to follow.

Or my daughter, so I'm boiling this water
He is boiling water to provide for his children and ensure their well-being.

The scales was lopsided, I'm just restoring order
The situation was uneven, but he is trying to bring balance back to it.

Hold up, here comes grandma, what's up YaYa?
He is acknowledging his grandmother's presence.

What's that smell? Oh I'm just boiling some aqua
His grandmother is asking about the smell of boiling water, which he explains is for his children.

No papa, bad Santa
A reference to not having a father figure, so he had to frame the bad aspects of his childhood on Santa Claus.

The streets raised me, pardon my bad manners
He grew up in a tough environment which has impacted his manners and personality.

I got my liberty, chopping grams up
He has achieved financial freedom and is using drugs (Grams of a drug like cocaine) to maintain his wealth.

Street justice, I pray God understand us
He is referencing the harsh and unfair realities of the streets, and hopes that God will show them mercy.

I pledge allegiance to all the scramblers
He pledges allegiance to all of his friends who are making money through illegal means.

This is the Star Spangled Banner
He recognizes that the rough and sometimes wrong actions he is describing are still part of American culture and history, just as the national anthem is.