[Intro]
I—I—I—I
I—I—I—I—I—I—I—
I'm free, free, free, free
Free, free, free, free
I'm free, free, free, free
Free, free, free, free (Woo, ugh)
[Chorus: Pharoahe Monch]
You can clip my wings
Shackle and chain me
Back straight, standing tall
A child of God, and I'm (Free)
Ugh, phew, go
Hey, hey
Spit in my face
Hold me down
I keep my feet firm to the ground
'Cause I'm (Free)
Yeah
[Verse 1: Pharoahe Monch]
Your A&R's a house n***a, the label's the plantation
Now, switch that advance for your emancipation (Ugh)
MCs in the field like pick cotton for real
I pop blocks like Beat Street with a notch and a kill (Ugh)
They take the strongest of slaves to compete in a track meet
For the king of the city sang songs of backstreets
Choruses of cocaine tales and black heat
Only to trade n***as like professional athletes
They'll take that merchandising, snatch that publishing
Package that Black ass, ship you to London
By way of France, Germany, Dublin
A railroad to underground, like Harriet Tubman
While y'all stay struggling, we smuggle MCs through the streets
'Til we bubbling on mix CDs, hustling
Klan see me on the block and said, "Freeze!"
I said, "Fuck you! I'm a man, I'm free" (Woo, ugh)
[Chorus: Pharoahe Monch]
You can clip my wings
Shackle and chain me
Back straight, standing tall
A child of God, and I'm (Free)
Ugh, phew, go
Hey, hey
Spit in my face
Hold me down
I'ma keep my feet firm to the ground
'Cause I'm (Free)
Okay
Yuh
[Verse 2: Pharoahe Monch]
I give birth to verses in churches with no confession
So please pardon my post-partum depression
A-List MC to spit it in C-Sections
For immature minds that get it with each lesson (Ugh)
Three-fifths-of-a-man-ass n***a with no plans
How you discussing publishin' figures without a band?
They got digital codes on our music for them to scan (Huh)
So even when you sample a snare, you paying the Klan
So Google Pharoahe Monch, search triskaidekaphobia
I'll explain why these city banks watch over ya
I'll peep the future in my sleep
To be honest man, we never had a mutual relationship with Washington
Why? Because I believe they put the virus in the latex— (Hey!)
Condoms that they sell us, call it "safe sex"
What I spit, not only causes a glitch in The Matrix
But another listed terror threat that they ain't even faced yet (Woo, ugh)
[Chorus: Pharoahe Monch]
You can clip my wings
Shackle and chain me
Back straight, standing tall
A child of God, and I'm (Free)
Ugh, phew, go
Hey, hey
Spit in my face
Hold me down
I'ma keep my feet firm to the ground
'Cause I'm (Free)
Woo, ugh
[Outro: St Juste]
You can clip my wings
Shackle and chain me
Back straight, standing tall
A child of God, and I'm (Free)
No, you can't define it
You're blinded by the light
When I rock the mic
'Cause I'm (Free)
Got you sick with emotions
Drink this potion
DJ, MC, free
Like the thief in the night
Brown skin, ready to win
If you're prepared to fight