Hate Me For Who I Am

Hate me for who I am, don’t hate me for what you think

They throwing everything at me except the kitchen sink

They want me to sink, walking on thin ice on this hockey rink

And I realize that this shit can be snatched from you faster than you can blink

Hate me for who I am, But don’t twist my words

These nouns and verbs, I took time to craft and you got the nerve

To misinterpret what I say? That’s just absurd

No wonder more and more of folks are kicking you to the curb

Do you hate me for who I am? Or what I represent

Does a black man in America set a dangerous precedent?

Criticized and analyzed from all sides, I guess it all flies

Cutting all ties, if you ain’t on my side, you on the other side

Is that wise? I don’t know but I’m feeling the pressure get to me

If I leave? Who’s missing me. I can make excuses or make history.

My talent is the gift the universe already gifted me

On a treasure hunt for the missing puzzle piece, you feeling me?

Bench players out here asking for privileges of the starters

They’re testing us on the lessons they never taught us

Men seeing the humanity in women only when they have daughters

And we’re blaming most of our issues on the “missing fathers”

I been called problematic and a pick me, a fuckboy and an ally

I didn’t know the two could mutually exist but who am I to criticize

I give myself to the world just for them to take and reject it

Twist and dissect it, try and have me remixed and resurrected

Personality renovated, I still don’t feel like I made it

But I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about the things I created

Nothing more dangerous than a black educated man that’s motivated

Because we’re in an era where mediocrity is celebrated

You either get crowned or cremated, you willing to gamble with your life?

Or sell your soul when the devil asks, “what’s the price?”

Or stick to your principles when it’s time to take a stand

So if you’re gonna hate me, don’t use perception, hate me on who I actually am.