Ashanti - #Ham4Ham: The Hamilton Mixtape Performance lyrics

No John Trumbull (Intro) [Black Thought] Yeah, Listen You ever see a painting by John Trumbull? Founding fathers in a line, looking all humble Patiently waiting to sign a declaration and start a nation No sign of disagreement, not one grumble The reality is messier and richer, kids The reality is not a pretty picture, kids Every cabinet meeting is a full on rumble What you're about to witness is no John Trumbull Give it up for DJ J Period on the 1 and 2 New York City this is a special Hamilton Mixtape edition of Ham4Ham You all are literally in the room where it happens I wanna thank you all for coming out, and thank you all for having us My Shot (Rise Up Remix) [Verse 1: Black Thought] Ayo mugshot, gun shot, dope shot, jump shot Take your pick, but you only get one shot Advice from a schoolteacher to a young tot Applyin' a sticker to his Spiderman lunchbox When even role models tell us we're born to be felons We're never gettin' into Harvard or Carnegie Mellon And we gon' end up either robbin' somebody or k**in' It's not fair that's all they can tell us That's why I hustle hella hard, never celebrate a holiday That'll be the day I coulda finally hit the lottery I refuse to ever lose or throw my shot away Or chalk it up as just another one that got away So I'm unapologetic, I'm on my calesthenics If I have given it all I got I cannot regret it My final destination's different from where I was headed 'Cause I'ma shoot for the stars to get it One shot [Hook: Black Thought & Joell Ortiz] I said I'm not throwin' away my shot I said I'm not throwin' away my shot Yo I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy, and hungry And I'm not throwin' away my shot I said I'm not throwin' away my shot No I'm not throwin' away my shot Yo I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy and hungry And I'm not throwin' away my shot [Verse 2: Joell Ortiz] When opportunity knock, you don't send anyone to get it Answer the door, welcome it, let it in, or regret it They said if you can't beat 'em you join 'em I said, "Forget it" 'Cause once you join 'em you're buildin' a ceilin' the way you're headed Be American, express how you feel and take the credit Don't settle for 87, go premium unleaded and Take off, shake all the hate off, it's over It's they loss, the payoff's their weight off your shoulders Must admit, I'm feelin', um, kinda, um Lighter as a writer with this fire and desire to go higher Than a stealth fighter pilot with my eye on every prize I surprise you guys, I'm a prize fighter My nine to five describe your scribe, survive minor Setbacks and take steps back from pied pipers Be leaders, believers in yourself and mean it I mean you only get one shot, take it or leave it [Hook: Black Thought & Joell ortiz] Yo,I'm not throwin' away my shot I said I'm not throwin' away my shot Yo I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy and hungry And I'm not throwin' away my shot I said I'm not throwin' away my shot No I'm not throwin' away my shot Yo I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy and hungry And I'm not throwin' away my shot It's time to take a shot, shot I'm not throwin' away my shot I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy and hungry And I'm not throwin' away my shot I said I'm not throwin' away my shot No I'm not throwin' away my shot I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy and hungry And I'm not throwin' away my shot It's time to take a shot [Outro: Nate Ruess] Woah, woah, woah, woah Woah, woah, woah, woah [Black Thought] New York City! Stands up! Everybody give it up for Joell Ortiz, ladies and gentlemen! Right on! [Questlove] Woah What's up New York? How y'all doin'? Hello and welcome to our very special Ham4Ham I'm Questlove [Black Thought] I'm Black Thought Of the Roots, of the legendary Roots crew Were excited to give you guys the Hamilton Mixtape tonight We got a lot more awesome performances coming up for you here But before we even get started, I want you guys to give it up for our DJs; DJ !llmind and J.Period [Questlove] So, there is an important person were missing here today He's probably having a hangover I don't know Actually a special message for you all the way from London [Black Thought] Damn! [Questlove] Give it up for Lin Manuel Miranda! Video Message from Lin Manuel-Miranda [Lin Manuel-Miranda] Hello, Hello, Hello! Welcome to the Richard Rodgers Theatre Its Lin Miranda. I so wish I could be there with you in person, but I am so thrilled you are going to hear some songs from the Hamilton Mixtape tonight! We've worked for over a year on this, and I can't wait to bring it to you. In fact, we have a little surprise for you! We've got physical copies of the mixtape for you guys out in the merch lobby and across the street at our merch store! So, enjoy that and enjoy tonight! Thanks for coming out! [Black Thought] We love y'all! [Questlove] Alex, the whole crews out there Our next performer is an unreal singer songwriter from right here in New York City. This is the first song that was recorded for the Hamilton Mixtape. We are so excited to have her here tonight, or today with us. Here is Regina Spektor with Dear Theodosia [Black Thought] Thank You! Dear Theodosia [Regina Spektor] Wow, I'm so excited to be here! [Verse 1: Regina Spektor] Dear Theodosia, what to say to you? You have my eyes, you have your mother's name When you came into the world, you cried And it broke my heart I'm dedicating every day to you Domestic life was never quite my style When you smile You knock me out, I fall apart And I thought I was so smart [Pre-Chorus: Regina Spektor] You will come of age with our young nation We'll bleed and fight for you, we'll make it right for you If we lay a strong enough foundation We'll pa** it on to you, we'll give the world to you [Chorus: Regina Spektor] And you'll blow us all away… Someday, someday Yeah, you'll blow us all away Someday, someday [Bridge: Regina Spektor] My father wasn't around My father wasn't around I swear that I'll be around for you I'll do whatever it takes I'll make a million mistakes I'll make the world safe and sound for you… [Pre-Chorus: Regina Spektor] ...Will come of age with our young nation We'll bleed and fight for you, we'll make it right for you If we lay a strong enough foundation We'll pa** it on to you We'll give the world to you [Outro: Regina Spektor] And you'll blow us all away... Someday, someday Yeah, you'll blow us all away Someday, someday [Regina Spektor] Thank you! [Black Thought] Give it up, give it up one more time for Regina Spektor, ladies and gentleman! Alright, we got our next performer here right now. A beautiful, unbelieveable R&B singer here to sing her song from the Hamilton Mixtape, called Burn; I want you to put your hands together for Grammy nominee, Miss Andra Day! Round of applause! Burn [Verse 1: Andra Day] I saved every letter you wrote me From the moment I read them I knew you were mine, said you were mine I thought you were mine Do you know what Angelica said When we saw your first letter arrive? She said, “Be careful with that one, love He will do what it takes to survive.” [Bridge: Andra Day] You and your words flooded my senses Your sentences left me defenseless You built me palaces out of paragraphs You built cathedrals [Verse 2: Andra Day] I'm re-reading the letters you wrote me Searching and scanning for answers In every line, for some kind of sign 'cause when you were mine The world seemed to [Chorus: Andra Day] Burn The world seemed to burn [Verse 3: Andra Day] You published the letters she wrote you Told the whole world how you brought This girl into our bed In clearing your name, you have ruined our lives Do you know what Angelica said When she read what you'd done? She said, “You have married an Icarus He has flown too close to the sun.” [Bridge: Andra Day] You and your words, obsessed with your legacy Your sentences border on senseless And you are paranoid in every paragraph How they perceive you You, you, you… [Verse 4: Andra Day] I'm erasing myself from this narrative Future historians wonder how Eliza Reacted when you broke her heart You torn it all apart I am watching it [Chorus: Andra Day] Burn Watching it burn [Bridge: Andra Day] The world has no right to my heart The world has no place in our bed They don't get to know what I said I'm burning the memories Burning the letters that might have redeemed you You forfeit all rights to my heart You forfeit the place in our bed You sleep in your office instead With only the memories Of when you were mine [Outro: Andra Day] I hope that you burn I hope that you burn [Black Thought] Man! Andra Day, you are quite incredible! Give it up one more time for Andra day, ladies and gentlemen! We can't begin to tell you how amazing this album is. We got artists like John Legend, Wiz Khalifa, Jill Scott and so many more on this Hamilton Mixtape. Its been a year since we began to put it together and we can't wait for you all to hear it. But, we got one more performance for you before you rush out to cop that Hamilton Mixtape. Back together again, for the first time ever, performing their song from the Hamilton Mixtape, here is Grammy-award-winning R&B artist Ashanti and hip-hop legend, Ja Rule. Make some noise! Helpless [Ashanti & Ja Rule] Yeah, ooh Yeah, I like that! [Chorus: Ashanti] Baby, I'm Helpless Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit I'm Helpless, baby Down for the count, and I'm drownin' in ‘em [Verse 1: Ashanti & Ja Rule] I ain't ever been the type to try and grab the spotlight We were at the revel with some rebels on a hot night Laughin' at my sister as she dazzling the room Then you walked in and my heart said ooh! Tryin' to catch your eye from the side of the ballroom Everybody's dancin' and the ba** top volume Grind to the rhythm as we wine and dine Saying to myself, "Baby, this one's mine.” [Pre-Chorus: Ashanti & Ja Rule] Shorti made her way across the room to you And I got nervous, thinking “What's she gonna do?” Uh huh! She grabbed you by the arm, I'm thinkin' “I'm through” Then you look back at me and suddenly I'm What! Come on! [Hook: Ashanti & Ja Rule] Helpless, yeah Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit I'm Helpless, baby Down for the count, and I'm drownin' in ‘em Helpless, yeah Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit I'm Helpless, baby Down for the count, and I'm drownin' in ‘em [Verse 2: Ashanti & Ja Rule] One week later, I'm writin' a letter nightly, Wo! Now my life gets better, every letter that you write me Laughin' at this girl, cuz she wants to form a harem Uh, nah, I ain't sharin', nah! Two weeks later, in the living room stressin' My father's stone-faced cause you're asking for his blessin' I'm dying inside, as you wine and dine And I'm tryin' not to cry ‘Cause there's nothing that your mind can't do [Pre-Chorus: Ashanti] My father makes his way across the room to you I panic for a second, thinking “we're through” Uh huh! But then he shakes your hand and says “be true” And you turn back to me, smiling, and I'm Yeah! Yeah! [Chorus: Ashanti & Ja Rule ] Helpless, yeah Uh huh! Come on!! Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit I'm Helpless, baby Down for the count, and I'm drownin' in ‘em Helpless, yeah Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit I'm Helpless, baby Let me talk to 'em! Down for the count, and I'm drownin' in [Break: Ja Rule & Ashanti] Ashanti, I don't have a dollar to my name An acre of land, a troop to command, a dollop of fame All I have's my honor, a tolerance for pain A couple of college credits and my top-notch brain Insane, your family brings out a different side of me Peggy confides in me, Angelica tried to take a bite of me Oh, oh! No stress, my love for you is never in doubt We'll get a little place in Queens and we'll figure it out Yeah, yeah! I've been livin' without a family since I was a child Oh, oh! My father died, my mama cried, I grew up buck wild Yeah, yeah! But I'll never forget my mama's face, that was real And long as I'm alive, Ashanti, swear to God You'll never feel so… Baby I'm [Chorus: Ashanti & Ja Rule] Helpless, yeah Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit I'm Helpless, baby Down for the count, and I'm drownin' in ‘em Helpless, yeah Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit I'm Helpless, baby Down for the count, and I'm drownin' in ‘em [Outro: Ashanti & Ja Rule] Yeah Mm, so into you Yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah Helpless Hahaha! [Black Thought] Give it up, ladies and gentlemen, for Grammy-award-winner Ashanti. Give it up for my man Ja Rule! Give it up for the cast and crew of this iconic production, Hamilton! Wouldn't be possible without the creator, Mr. Lin Manuel-Miranda! Give it up for our producers !llmind and J.Period and everyone who came out to rock with us this evening. Give it up, Joell Ortiz, Regina Spektor, Andra Day. I go by the name Black Thought. My partner Questlove has left the building. You've been a beautiful audience so we want to thank you. Make sure y'all cop the Hamilton Mixtape, is in stores! [Audience] *Cheers & Applause*