[Hook]
I can, can be
Anything I wanna be
I can, can be
Anything, don't tell me
Don't tell me
That I can't, can't be
Anything I wanna be
I can, can be
Anything I wanna be
[Verse 1]
President, can you tell me what's good?
Why they don't like them n***as in hoods
Police put me on d**h row, like I'm Suge
Mama probably try to help, if she could
If she can't then I'ma f** with my thugs
Daddy can't, so I'ma f** with them d**
I'ma G, I be Crippin', I'm Blood
Parents walked in and they knew what it was
Bullet holes, souvenirs in the doors
Blood stains on the carpet and floors
Do a n***a love his hood? Fasho'
But don't judge me, baby that's all I know
I been hurting without knowing I'm sore
It's just life, but on the news, it's a war
Aliens turn into connoisseurs
Yea' my people strange, but so is yours
[Hook]
I can, can be
Anything I wanna be
I can, can be
Anything, don't tell me
Don't tell me
That I can't, can't be
Anything I wanna be
I can, can be
Anything I wanna be
[Verse 2]
When success is just collecting a check
Everybody that I know wanna do that
Ain't nobody thinking bigger, that's sad
They just think I act this way 'cause I'm black
Education, that don't run in my fam
I was in school and I didn't give a damn
Never pledged to no mo'f**in' flag
Told my nephew, "You should never do that"
Join the army, baby never do that
I got homies in the army, they'll tell ya
Feed you lies about the war just to scare ya
Then they send ya' a** back home like a failure
Why the f** did I just k** all those children?
Why the f** did I just shoot up that building?
That's my enemy, now tell me who is it?
That's my enemy, but tell me who isn't
[Hook]
I can, can be
Anything I wanna be
I can, can be
Anything, don't tell me
Don't tell me
That I can't, can't be
Anything I wanna be
I can, can be
Anything I wanna be
[Verse 3]
On my mail, got my name in all caps
I don't even spell my name like that
John Lennon, Dr King, where you at?
Bob Marley, 2Pac, can you come back?
I was f**ing with that plan that you had
Building children for the future with past
Educate 'em to a doctor with math
Make 'em lawyers, I wasn't thinking 'bout that
I was young and I was thinking 'bout swag
Wasn't really thinkin' 'bout what it was
Everybody was the same, I ain't judge
I ain't never saw 2Pac as a thug
Kanye West, aye I get it, I get it
Hopefully, in the future, they dig it
It ain't even really about the music
I can tell you just don't wanna k** your spirit
They gon' box you, they gon' tell you wildin'
They gon' say you way too old and you childish
They gon' hate, you can't do nothing about it
But with faith, they can't do nothing about it
How they know so much 'bout life and you don't?
Everybody got one life, so come on
I don't wanna be that old and so gray
Looking back like "Where the f** I went wrong?"
[Hook]
I can, can be
Anything I wanna be
I can, can be
Anything, don't tell me
Don't tell me
That I can't, can't be
Anything I wanna be
I can, can be
Anything I wanna be