Be a Man
Wordsworth Lyrics

Hit the play button, got a chance to say something
I have a platform and opportunity to express myself through music

The pen to the page touching like a paint brushing
My lyrics are like artwork, carefully crafted and expressive

Carriages, baby daddies, but we ain't husbands
We may have children, but we're not yet ready for marriage

Marriage is in the future, but we ain't rushing
We understand the importance of marriage but are taking our time to get there

It's a design we began that's defining a man
As we navigate through life, we are creating our own definition of what it means to be a man

Money, women, fights, spending time in the can
Part of our journey involves dealing with financial struggles, relationships, conflicts, and even imprisonment

A father only shows a boy how to become a man
Traditionally, it's a father's role to teach his son how to be a man, but it's not the only way

Not true, single parents showed a mother can
A single mother can also effectively teach her son what it means to be a man

Stepdad tried to show your mom his raising abilities
Sometimes, stepfathers try to take on the role of raising a boy into a man

Was rent free, now she want paying utilities
Living rent-free with a stepfather isn't a long-term solution, and eventually, financial responsibilities need to be addressed

Your responsibilities was grades, babysitting, no work
As a young man, your responsibilities should be focused on education and family, not work

Just keeping from those convict facilities
By staying focused on education and family, you can avoid ending up in prison

It's cool that, once you were the man of the house
It's a natural feeling to want to be the man of the house when you're growing up without a father figure

But when your mom finds a man then you should plan to be out
It's still important to respect your mother's choices and not overstay your welcome when she finds a new partner

And I don't want to be a failure neither
I don't want to disappoint my mother, and I want to be a successful man

Coming to jail to see us, reading mail, using mail to free us
My mother has been there for me, even when I was in jail, and she used her resources to help me

Finally Ma, I did it, my music's coming
I'm proud to share with my mother that my music is finally being recognized

Tell you everything so you know that I'm doing something
I want my mother to know that I'm actively pursuing my dreams and making progress

See the shame in my face when I ask you for money
It's difficult for me to ask my mother for financial help, and I feel ashamed when I have to do so

So embarrassed almost had Khadijah asking you for me
I was so embarrassed that I almost had someone else ask my mother for money on my behalf

Wanna be a man, but I know my pride will kill me
I want to be self-sufficient and not have to rely on my mother, but my pride may be my downfall

I'm your son, so if I didn't aks you'd find it silly
Because I'm her son, it's not silly for me to ask my mother for help when I need it

In my memory my worst day is
Asking my mother for money because it symbolizes my struggle with financial independence

Asking you for money so I can go and buy your birthday gift
Even though I had to ask my mother for money, it was so I could buy her a gift and show my appreciation

Superficial, showing off for the group that's with you
Sometimes, we prioritize superficial things like impressing our friends

Artificial, yes man in your crew makes you official
Having people who agree with everything you say can make you feel more important or validated

And ladies jump in your car, cruising the city
Women can be attracted to status and material possessions, and some men take advantage of that

Picking guys how they look so that their children are pretty
Women may choose their partners based on physical appearance in hopes of having attractive children

Midguided, but inspired, from our hoods came songs
Growing up in difficult circumstances can lead to misguided behavior, but this same environment can also inspire creativity

Buying things to the make up for a childhood that's gone
Some people try to fill the void left by a difficult childhood by buying material possessions

Better days now steps away, close to the edge
Despite past struggles, a better future is within reach

Went through enough, but it's tough, rougher roads are ahead
Although we've already gone through a lot, there may be more challenges and struggles to come

Pledge to good health, long life, we toast and break bread
Despite life's difficulties, we make a commitment to living a healthy, long life and celebrate by sharing food with loved ones

Cause we made it past the age we were supposed to be dead
Despite the odds, we've survived and are living past the age that we were statistically expected to die

Fabric of life, what I compose is a thread
Life is like a fabric, and I'm adding to it by creating and expressing myself

Poems I've said go beyond violets blue and roses are red
My poetry has a deeper meaning and significance beyond typical rhymes about flowers

When gone they'll have a monumental stone of a throne
When I pass away, I'll leave behind a legacy that will be remembered for a long time

Sculpted of me, chin in my hand, holding my head
My legacy will be a representation of me, with my signature pose and demeanor

The lessons written in these rhymes, like a blessing in disguise
Through my music, I'm sharing important life lessons, even if they're not always apparent or obvious

The fittest survive and real recognice likewise
Those who are strong and resilient are the ones who will thrive and succeed, and others will recognize and respect that

Wave your hands side to side [x8]
This line is a command to the audience to participate and celebrate along with the music