Yasiin Bey
I’m Leaving
[Mos Def]
Yeah
Yo, yo, what time the plane leavin'?
Alright, see you at the airport

[Hook]
I'm leaving, on a jet plane
I don't know if I'll be back again
Kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me, like you know I'll never go
Even though you know I will
I'm a travellin' man
Movin' through places, space and time
Got a lotta things I got to do
But God willin', I'm comin' back to you, baby-boo
I'm a travellin' man
Movin' through places, space and time
Got a lotta things I got to do
But God willin', I'm comin' back to you, baby-boo
I'm leaving

[Verse 1]
"Well, go 'head and leave"
The call heard around the world from the wives of MC's
These cats is payin' more than half a pound
My garment bag'll snatch it down
Ain't got the skate, but we can probably run it back in town
Scenarios like this is tear jerkers
For the modern MC, i.e. the blue collar worker
'Cause this thing called rhymin' no different from coal minin'
We both on assignments to unearth the diamond
When you start climbin', then them eyes start shinin'
You be strugglin' and strivin', and they think you prime-timin'
Maintain and keep silent, make note and observation
This confrontation, this is the daily operation
My concentration, stay focused on my recitation
'Bout to reach my destination with no pause or hesitation
Baby, make the preparation 'cause this ain't no recreation
This is pro-ball, and we lettin' you know, y'all
At the show, y'all, doin' this for dough, y'all
Get the phone call, and I'm ready to blow, y'all
'Bout to go, y'all, been a pleasure to know y'all
And I'm lettin' you know that
[Hook]
I'm leaving, on a jet plane
I don't know if I'll be back again
Kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me, like you know I'll never go
Even though you know I will
I'm a travellin' man
Movin' through places, space and time
Gotta lotta things I got to do
But Inshallah, I'm comin' back to you, baby-boo
I'm a travellin' man
Movin' through places, space and time
Got a lotta things I got to do
But Inshallah, I'm comin' back to you, baby-boo
I'm leaving

[Verse 2]
But God willin', I'll be back home
To drop these heavy-ass bags up off my backbone
Around the world with a catalogue of rap songs
My baby girl is walkin', been away for that long
But no, you haven't
Well, at least that's how it seem to me
My hometown is like a whole different scenery
The old timers on the stoop leanin' leisurely
The new jacks up in the parks smokin' greenery
Easily taken for granted when you up in it
But it's sweet scented, when you been down for a minute
Move around city limits, break it down with the vintage
The inovinin', classical b-boy image
Collect the winnings, 'cause it the reason that we came here
This thing is not a game here
The fortune, not the fame here
From New York to the Cackalacks
Cali and the Cadillacs
Chicago know we innovate
Infiltrate Virginia state
DC make me stimulate
Philly know we penetrate
Georgia make us generate
Let's set a date to get the papes
They celebrate to my jams in foreign lands
Even your mans in Japan know who I am
Mina-san, make everybody out in Nippon say "ichiban"
"Me God, man, Mo', where you get it from? Phenomenon"
'Scuse me, that's a phone call
It's a show, y'all, tryin' to get this dough, y'all
'Bout to blow, y'all, been a pleasure to know y'all
And I'm lettin' you know
[Hook]
I'm leaving, on a jet plane
I don't know if I'll be back again
Kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me, like you know I'll never go
Even though you know I will
I'm a travellin' man
Movin' through places, space and time
Got a lotta things I got to do
But Inshallah, I'm comin' back to you, baby-boo
I'm a travellin' man
Movin' through places, space and time
Got a lotta things I got to do
But God willin', I'm comin' back to you back to you, back to you
I'm leaving!
I'll be back to you
I'm leaving!
I'll be back to you

[Outro]
All over the world, we go
DC, all over the world, we go
VA, all over the world, we go
The Cakalacks, all over the world, we go
London, all over the world, we go
Japan, we go, over the world, we go
Paris, we go, over the world, we go
Shake your money maker
Shake your money maker
Shake your money maker
Move your money maker
Move your money maker