Charles Bradley
Up In Flames
[Hook: Charles Bradley]
This World, is going up in flames
And nobody wants to take the blame
Don't tell me how to live my life
[Karl]
When you have no clue of what I had to go through
Just to get here so I’m a show you

[Verse 1]
I’m from humble beginnings, close to the poverty
Where making it out for most folks, is the lottery
It’s where state officials pull a hoax on the economy
There is no solution so it’s mostly a mockery
Since I made it out no one is stopping me
All I’m asking for is eight boats and some property
And I don’t want to flash it boasting is not in me
I’m only doing this so my kinfolk can profit, b
They said they got to see me up in the Forbes
I told them pray for me I put my trust in the lord
So hopefully they’ll be seeing us go on tours
See Idriss told me he wants a couple of broads
I don’t trust them no more it’s a given that they’re average
So going to college won’t have me living lavished
If I was trying to be regular I’d follow down your path
But I want something better, it’s what going out to grab
[Interlude]
It’s crazy because as immigrants
We all came to this country strictly for an opportunity
And I refuse to believe
That school is the only place that can come out of
If this recession thought me anything it’s not
You got n***as with degrees bussing tables for Christ sake!
[Hook: Karl]
When you’ve never walked for a mile in my shoes
So therefore you can’t try to judge what I do

[Verse 2]
Me and my sister don’t speak it’s hard to get intimate
When she shakes her ass and it goes on the internet
It was just us, we should be best of friends
I don’t think about it cause I’ll get depressed again
I pray the pressure ends, she surely can’t stand me
I’m hurt she prefers her girls over family
Some days I pray that the world understands me
I do this to vent it’s not work towards a Grammy
I’m sure mom did but I got something to say too
Those facebook pics might make somebody rape you
Protect your image and take care of yourself sis
It’s on my status, I was just feeling helpless
So fuck your friend and how she deals with her brothers
You’re my sister we’re supposed to keep it real with each other
Far as my dirty laundry I’ll help you air it out too
Just because we don’t speak it don’t I don’t care about you
[Interlude]
Oh so you felt embarrassed?
Well now you know how me, mom, and everybody else felt
You said when I go out I do the same shit?
Well I go to the beach topless, you should try too then
And that’s hypocrisy by moral standards
It's not my fault
[Hook: Karl]
When you have no right to even try to mention me
I’m a do what I want to, how I want to, when I please

[Verse 3]
It’s hard to find peace in this cold world we live in
With innocent people going to prison
While everyone’s so pressed over religion
Kids starve and Eddie Long is blowing his millions
Where’s hope for the children, it’s not in the bible?
I guess we’ll ask Jesus on his second arrival
Someone I knew passed to a set that he rivaled
Ironically enough he called his weapon survival
I guess I’m an idol rap puts me in power
Because the game’s filled with mad pussies and cowards
So I guess I’ll step up, doubt anybody else will
And I got to speak about how everybody else feels
Like the health bill, Bush hangs with Osama
We’re better off now and it’s thanks to Obama
He got us out of a crisis, it’s why my mans ask me
What brothers got to do to make white men happy
[Interlude]
I’m not a Politian or anything, I’m just saying
I didn’t sit down to analyze any of this shit
I just call it how I see it
And you would see it too if you weren’t so blind
I feel as if though the news, the media, and the world in general
Made it cool to be a sheep… and when you try to break out
[Hook: Karl]
When you try to break out all they’ll do is judge
But all my actions have a reason I don’t do it just because]