Next Generation
Wyclef Jean Lyrics

Hold on now, don't die now, be strong now
Encouragement to stay strong and not give up

He said, I was born a crack baby
A person revealing that they were born with a drug addiction

In a plastic bag in the alley
The harsh conditions under which the person was born

Raised in a foster home
Growing up in a home with a foster family instead of biological parents

With no mother to love and I never knew my papi
Lamenting the absence of both parents in their life

Back in the days of Bobby McFerrin
Referencing a musician from the past

Used to sing don't worry, be happy
Recalling a popular song from the past

Lord how can I be happy
Expressing the difficulty in finding happiness in their life

When I don't even know my own family tree Lord
Feeling disconnected from their family and heritage

We are the next generation, we ain't scared to die
Confidence and courage in the face of danger

The only thing I fear is the after life
Concern about what happens after death

'Cause I don't know what's there on the other side
Uncertainty about the afterlife

But I pray the Lord forgives me, gives me one more try
Asking for forgiveness and another chance at life

Gang poppin' things, doing drive-by's and angers
Describing gang violence and criminal behavior

Kids going to school putting fears in their teacher
Children causing trouble and scaring their teachers

The teacher let them know that it ain't all good
A teacher trying to educate their students about the negative aspects of gang life

'Cause the gang was created to protect the neighborhood, now
Explaining the origins of gangs and their original purpose

All you red now, all you blue now
Challenging gang members to unite instead of fighting each other

All you yellow now, follow me now
More encouragement to come together and follow a positive path

To that place of righteousness
Aiming for a morally and ethically good place

Where the only thing that matters is your consciousness, he said
Stressing the importance of self-awareness and making good choices

In my father's kingdom there are many mansions
Reference to a Biblical passage about heaven

All the rooms are free, there is no tax collection
A picture of heaven as a place where everyone is equal and there's no money

I can see Biggie, Tupac, Moses and Abraham
Naming famous people from different fields of life and religion

Jason, the one and two's, jamming with the sun of man
An image of musicians playing together in heaven, along with religious themes

I've been kicked, I've been stabbed
Being a victim of physical violence

I've been shot, I've been ? by a
More descriptions of violent attacks

Person that I thought I trusted, where I live
Betrayed by someone close to the artist of the song

It's a war at the cribs, walk with a strap
Describing areas where gang violence is prevalent and the need to carry a gun for protection

Myself 'cause I don't want nobody's son on my back
Taking responsibility for oneself and not wanting any trouble with anyone else's family

My mind playing tricks ?, to really ?
Unclear lyrics, perhaps talking about feeling paranoid or unsure of oneself

Me out in five unless I take another hit
Risking punishment if they don't do something illegal or stay in their current lifestyle

I done seen the sun set on the other side of town
Having seen the negative aspects of life in another area of their city

Now I'm drifting in the darkness, Heaven hold me down
Feeling lost and uncertain, asking for guidance from a higher power

? but I know I'm born dying
Unclear lyrics, perhaps referencing the inevitability of death

Feel the tears of the angels looking down on me crying
Imagining heavenly beings mourning the artist's troubles

For a lying ass but yo forgive us in a while
Asking for forgiveness despite past misdeeds

And I'm sorry, never let me forget that I'm your child
Apologizing to God and asking to be remembered as a child of God

While I'm locked up in this basement staring eye to eye with Satan
Feeling trapped and in a dark place, tempted by negative influences

In this cold dark world with no patience
Living in a harsh world with little hope or optimism

We get plotted on by agents with talks of replacing
Feeling like they are under surveillance and targeted for replacement or removal

The Africans, Jamaicans and the Haitians in this next generation
Referring to different populations and nationalities who are targeted by outside threats

Whoa, we the next generation, look at what we facing
Acknowledgement of the difficult challenges the next generation will face

The kids raise themselves, all kind of temptation
The struggle of young people growing up without guidance or structure, leading to temptation

Flowers and candles decorating all the pavements
Signs of grief and mourning on the streets

No, the perpetrator ain't seeing no arrangements
A perpetrator of violence will face no consequences or arrangements

Nobody cares about feelings of the poor
The neglect of those who are low-income and struggling in society

Man they suffer while we spending eighty billion on a war, uh
Comparing the amount of money spent on war versus social programs for those in need

Cutting school budgets, US stockmarket plummets
Describing how budget cuts and economic factors impact schools and education

Condition's only worse and I wonder what become it
Feeling like things are getting worse and uncertain about the future

Metal detectors replace music classes
Schools spending more on security measures than on art and music education

Angry little kids want to beat their teacher's asses
Feeling frustrated and taking out anger on authority figures

The red and blue's, somebody gotta lose
In reference to gang colors, someone will always be on the losing side of violence

Reality TV be reality for who
Questioning the authenticity and accuracy of reality TV shows in depicting real life

I don't question what the Lord found in me
Trusting that God has a plan for their life and purpose for being here

I just pass it on to folks with no boundaries
Sharing their faith and beliefs with others who may feel lost or without direction

Got a long road ahead of us, AIDS already gettin' us
The challenges and obstacles faced by the next generation, including health issues

Now we got stars, how many will there be left of us
Questioning how many young stars and icons will survive in a difficult and dangerous world