We Can Make It Better )
Kanye West Lyrics

Make it up we can make it better
We have the power to improve the situation, let's take action and make it better

Somebody told me that delta's brownskinned, akas' lightskinned And they supposed to be bougious, so they got white friends
There is a divide among black people based on skin color and social class, resulting in some having white friends

First day of school, I'mma take you sight seein' Show you what we do on weekends for a sight, man She said, "i know what you about to say, like your hypeman" She let a nigga hit it, and now she only date white men And if a nigga even wave at her, it's frightnin' but
The singer is taking someone around to show them what they do for fun, but the person knows what he will say and has already become disillusioned and only dates white men, so much so that even a black man waving at her frightens her

The night fallin' over brooklyn, where they murder for change The converter remains faithful to the drug dealer priestess He in search of the word of fame, you heard of the name Kweli the truth, like I'm comin' out the mouth of bass One for it, one for out the grave Niggas want they reparations, how you calculate the amount to be paid You try to imagine america without the slaves (the slaves)
The scene shifts to Brooklyn, where violence and drug dealing are rampant. The artist mentions an individual in search of fame, whose tactics involve drug dealing. A reference is made to Kweli, a respected rapper. There is also mention of reparations to be paid to black people, though calculating the amount is difficult. The artist also asks what America would be without slaves

Her tenament yo, is rat infested Her heart is like a gold booya cause she wouldn't protest it 'Cause, her best friends man got popped He was sixteen years old, the cop thought his phone was a glock In the hood is a everyday happenin' A friend of the priest say she chose out the captain She yelled out "why you do this to black men? "
The artist brings attention to a woman whose living space is infested with rats, but she won't protest it. Her best friend's boyfriend was shot by the police who mistook his phone for a gun. This is an everyday occurrence in the hood. A friend of the artist who is a priest also speaks out about the treatment of black men by the police

I think of eighty seven ways, to make better days Whether climb or rhyme, I heard of rebel pays On the scene, tryin' to get green like everglades Music, rhymin' good like escalates In the ghetto infested by shade and drama And niggas wit' things ain't afraid of karma I'm thinking big like lil wayne in the problem set
The singer contemplates various ways to make life better, noting that even through music and creativity, people can rebel and make change. The singer wants to succeed like the everglades and aspires to be a great rapper. Despite the difficulties faced in the ghetto, some are not afraid of the consequences of their actions. The singer acknowledges the problems and the need to address them in a big way, like Lil Wayne

C'mon, tell people the truth, but never give 'em ya true thoughts Terrorism on blacks, they poison our newports Patriot act in effect, make it hard to breathe now Johnny cochran dead, who gonna get us free now? Clinton ain't in office, who gon' give us shit free now? Who gon' make it better for the thugs and p's now? Who gon' make it good for old folks that's senile? Oh, it's good music, yeah dog I see now
The singer calls for truth-telling, while being guarded about their own thoughts. They mention how certain things such as poisoned cigarettes and the Patriot Act harm black people. The singer also poses questions about who can help now that certain people are no longer in power. Despite this, the singer is optimistic about the power of good music