Black Man In A White World (Ghetto Gettysburg Address) lyrics - Nas (with Michael Kiwanuka) (feat. Mr. Books)

[from "The Get Down" soundtrack]

I'm a black man in a white world
I'm a black man in a white world
I'm a black man in a white world
I'm a black man in a white world
I'm a black man in a white world

I can see the saddest life, a savage life
Snakes and thieves, every man has his price
It's hell below, who will or won't sell his soul
What's my goal? Go to jail or fail, hell no
In the streets there's a few ways out cause face it
Time is short, think fast while I resort
To a life of crime and fast cash?
Nah I'm destined to be king, stayin' on the right path

I'm in love, I feel sad
(I'm a black man in a white world)
I found peace and I'm not there
(I'm a black man in a white world)
All my nights and all my days
(I'm a black man in a white world)
I've been tryna runaway
(I'm a black man in a white world)

I'm left in a world oppressed
How do I express
My very own ghetto Gettysburg address
My platform is a rap song
Black man is politically attacked on the norm
My life's survivin', at night I'm ridin'
Smokin', hopin', dreamin', speedin'
White lightenin' steamin', streets triflin'
I keep writin', it gets deeper
My brother's keeper are divided?
I decided to keep risin', yeah

I'm in love, I feel sad
(I'm a black man in a white world)
I found peace and I'm not there
(I'm a black man in a white world)
All my nights and all my days
(I'm a black man in a white world)
I've been tryna runaway
(I'm a black man in a white world)

New York, the irrefutable
The city if you make it out here it's beautiful
And the streets can deceive you when the times are hard
And the pressure leaves your mind, body, and soul so scarred

I'm in love, I feel sad
(I'm a black man in a white world)
I found peace and I'm not there
(I'm a black man in a white world)
All my nights and all my days
(I'm a black man in a white world)
I've been tryna runaway
(I'm a black man in a white world)

(Let me out here)
We need to wisen up
We risin' up
These times is rough
(I'm a black man in a white world)
For real
(I'm a black man in a white world)
For real
(I'm a black man in a white world)
Yeah
(I'm a black man in a white world)
Yeah
(I'm a black man in a white world)
Yeah
(I'm a black man in a white world)
Let's rise
(I'm a black man in a white world)
Yeah
(I'm a black man in a white world)
Come on let's rise
(I'm a black man in a white world)
Come on y'all
(I'm a black man in a white world)
Yeah
(I'm a black man in a white world)