[Verse 1] I wish A Tribe Called Quest would get back together And record an album of twenty tracks or better I wish society would stop trying to box me in I wish me and Jasmine hadn't had to stop speakin' I wish the hood on my car was fixed I wish I had a deal, so I could get paid off the bars I spit And the beats I make I wish I had the money to buy everybody in the world a rib-eyed steak I wish the government would quit tappin' phones in the ghetto (Leave us alone) I wish my student loans were all settled I wish they'd quit riggin' elections, the sh** is depressin' Bet your bottom dollar Bush wins again, no question I wish AIDS didn't exist I wish I didn't have flashbacks of my cousin slittin' his wrists I wish there weren't so many single mothers and deadbeat dads Yeah [Verse 2] I wish I had a one-way ticket to Kalamazoo, Michigan I'm wishin' it were 1996 again And De La Soul was playin' on the radio (850 spins a week) I wish muh'f**as wouldn't diss me when I speak Yo, I wish that I could rhyme on beat I wish I had some silk slippers for my mom's feet I wish Baby Girl was still here, and Left Eye too Jam Master Jay, with Biggie reppin' Bed-Stuy too Freaky Tah, Big L, Big Pun and 2Pac I wish that I could buy a new clock 'Cause we're runnin' out of time And the way hip-hop sounds these days It seems like we're runnin' out of rhymes Yeah, I wish for a world with no hate I wish we all had a soulmate That'd be so great I wish I didn't have to live alone
[Verse 3] I wish cats would take down south MC's more seriously I'm wishin' I were more advanced lyrically I wish I was engaged to Miri Ben-Ari And at our wedding she can even play some "Overnight Celebrity" I wish Harold would just let it be I wish the unemployment rate weren't so damn high I wish politicians wouldn't tell no damn lies I wish I'd never have to see a lonely old man cry Yo, I'm wishin' that nobody ever coined the word "n***a" I wish I were a few inches bigger And I ain't talkin' 'bout my height I wish for fried chicken, bu*tered corn, dirty rice and sauerkraut tonight And on that note I wish we didn't have no stereotypes I wish the dream k**ers would chill, take care of yo' life I wish nobody was shunned for being different [Verse 4] I wish everybody could make it to church on Sunday I wish Ms. McIntyre would see her son one day I wish I could talk to God, face-to-face Well...that wish'll probably come true one day I wish every son could give their mom a kiss At least twice a day I wish we wouldn't through our life away Over some material possessions I wish I wasn't clowned for eating cereal for breakfast I wish I had a genie to grant these damn wishes I wish my critics wouldn't call me too ambitious I'm wishin' my a** never got kicked out of school I was a foolish muthaf**a, livin' without rules Yeah, I wish I made wiser choices f** that, I wish we all did So we can all live Yo I've been wistful ever since I was a small kid