Nas - I Can

I know I can
Be what I wanna be
If I work hard at it
Ill be where I wanna be
Chorus
I know I can- 2x
Be what I wanna be- 2x
If I work hard at it- 2x
I'll be where I wanna be- 2x
Verse 1
Be be boys and girls listen up
You can be anything in the world
In god we trust
An architect, doctor, maybe an actress
But nothin comes easy
It takes much practice
Like I met a woman whos becoming a star
She was very beautiful
Leaving people in awe
Singing songs later on
But the other version
Hung with the wrong person
Got her strung on that heroin
Cocaine sniffing up drugs
All in the nose
Could a died so young
Now looks ugly and old
No fun
Cuz now when she reaches for hugs
People hold they breathe
Cuz she smells of corrosion and death
Watch the company you keep
And the crowd you bring
Cuz they came to do drugs
And you came to sing
So if your gonna be the best
Im gonna tell you how
Put your hands in the air
And take a bow
Chorus 4x
Verse 2
Be be boys and girls listen again
This is for grown lookin girls
Whos only 10
The ones who watch videos
And do what they see
As cute as can be
Up in the club with fake ID
Careful for you meet a man with HIV
You can host a TV
Like Oprah Winfrey
Whatever you decide
Be careful some men be
Rapists, so act your age
Dont pretend to be
Older than you are
Give yourself time to grow
You thinkin he can give you wealth
But so young boys
You can use a lot of help you know
You thinkin lifes all about smokin weed
And ice
You dont wanna be my age
And cant read and write
Beggin different women for a place to sleep at night
Smart boys turn em in and do whatever they wish
If you believe you can achieve it then say it like this
Chorus 4x
Verse 3
Be be for we came to this country
We were kings and queens
Never porch monkeys
There was empires in Africa, Calcush, Timbuktu
Where every race came to get books
To learn from black teachers
Who taught Greeks and Romans
Asian, Arabs and gave them gold when
Gold was converted to money
It all changed
Money then became empowerment
For Europe means
The Persian military invaded
They heard about the gold the teachings, and everything sacred
Africa was almost robbed naked
Slavery was money
So they began making slave ships
Egypt was the place that Alexander the Great went
He was in shock that the mountains were black faces
Shot up they nose to impose what basically
Still goes on today you see
If the truth is told
The youth can grow
They learn to survive
Until they gain control
No body says you have to be gangstas hoes
Read more
Learn more
Change the globe
Ghetto children do your thing
Hold your head up little man
Youre a king
Young prisses when you get your wedding ring
Your manll be saying
Shes my queeeen
Chorus 4x