[Verse One: Rhymefest]
Can't you see? When the pain goes deep
You need an IV, bomaye, El Che to Ali
It's all good, Jamaicans say, "I'm irie"
Nah, that's not me
It's all irony, I'm tryna be down to Earth, India Arie
Without the oils and beads, but where I'm free
From the wars and haters tryna stop me
No, it's not me, I swear it's not me
I blame my father for running out when I was three
Born in the ghetto, I'm a product of society
I blame my eighth-grade teacher for tryna silence me
Yeah, I act violently
I used to feel like God don't love me
Maybe the problem is I don't love me
I was livin' wrong so my mom don't trust me
But I know who I am, God don't make ugly
Or mistakes or lies, my mistakes is mine
Told my girl pack her bags, no more wasting time
Any excuse is lame, if you stay, we dying
I ain't look to nobody for help, I'm, I'm—

[Hook: Michael Jackson]
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
[Verse Two: Michael Jackson]
I've been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It's time that I realize
There are some with no home, not a nickel to loan!
Could it be really me pretending that they're not alone?

[Verse Three: Rhymefest]
Look, we talk about places we destined to be
Unaware of your own life's destiny
I asked this crazy dude, "Why you talking to yourself?"
He said, "Who can answer my questions better than me, huh?"
We claim the pain, we claim we sane
We change the shame, regret and then shift the blame
Runnin' with bags, I'mma miss my plane
I will not stand in the standby lane
Good guys stood by then got slain
Then got set up, then got blamed
Malcolm X, 2Pac, this is insane
This is that thing that kills the black man
What happened to Garvey should not happen again
What happened to T.I.P. and Dr. King
This is that anguish, this is that pain
This is why Prince sing about Purple Rain, ahhh

[Hook: Michael Jackson (Choir)]
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways (Ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself then make that (Change!)
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (Oh yeah!)
I'm asking him to change his ways (Better change!)
No message could have been any clearer
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
(Take a look at yourself and then make the change)
(You gotta get it right while you got the time)
(cuz when you close your heart then you close your)
You can't close your, your (Mind!)
[Outro: Michael Jackson]
That man, that man, that man!
(With the man in the mirror, oh yeah!)
That man! I'm asking him to change his ways!
That man, that man, that man, you know...