CAGED BIRDS (NPR MUSIC'S TINY DESK CONCERT)

One more time

Let's teach them how the caged bird sings

I spit a verse so a horde of heathens can find the light

But keep a pistol that tear tissue like it's time to wipe

Don't fret, my first step ain't to resign ya life

Plus that pistol fye, don't bark until it's time to bite

Hell once you find a wife, you do what you must do

To protect her and keep her up off a stretcher 'til she due

To have a baby, glad a lady came up to me and said

"Congratulations don't come to those rather lazy instead

Of hard working"

We all searching for affirmation

Some sheeple wander the atlas for validation

And valid statements from those who never will validate 'em

I pray I navigate 'em to a fortress where congregating with angels is the norm

You pray and they perform

Immaculate miracles to help you evade the storm

Of vipers, snipers, and every wicked form

Of evil that's been tryna deceive you since you was born

With yo heaven sent melanin

Don't let 'em convince you that ya etiquettes' a speech impediment

I'm in my element and feel benevolent even when I'm viewed as the elephant

In every residence I'm stepping in but hell I ain't trippin'

Aye mayne, say mayne, flow nuts macadamia

I'm from the city of purple spitting vibrainium

Get it in yo cranium, can't nobody Simba him

And if I ever go down it'll be like swingin' like pendulums, ooh

I said if I ever go down, it'll be swingin' like pendulums, sing

We come from where most don't break free

We had to learn why caged birds sing

But we fly even though they poisoned the sky

We don't cry, we gon' take our piece of the pie

Talk to 'em Nell

So I'ma need my bread hot fresh and ready

For those who tried to keep me on ice like a Yeti

The west be where they pressed me to a diamond

That's why I throw it up like the Heimlich

I'm just maneuvering on the serpent's head

Swear I tread on the skull of my enemies

And I'm quadrupling anything that I touch

If it's milk and honey, dummy, I'm the honey bee buzzin'

You can see the pure pollination

Need G's like Masons and a haven

For these beats I freak on the daily

I lose sleep putting feet to the pavement

And grindin' like a power tool or axe

Refinin' everything I do on wax

My time is near and I refuse to lack

The Shine which only a diamond can match

Bling, bling

Now Tiny Desk, if y'all wouldn't just mind vibin' with us real quick while we sing

We come from where most don't break free

We had to learn why caged birds sing

But we fly even though they poisoned the sky

We don't cry, we gon' take our piece of the pie

Talk to 'em Luke

We come from where most don't break free

We had to learn why caged birds sing

But we fly even though they poisoned the sky

We don't cry, we gon' take our piece of the pie

Talk to 'em Dave

We come from where most don't break free

We had to learn why caged birds sing

But we fly even though they poisoned the sky

We don't cry, we gon' take our piece of that pie

Everybody say

Ooh (ooh)

Ooh (ooh)

We gon' take take our piece of that pie

Ooh ooh ooh (ooh ooh ooh)

We gon' take take our piece of that pie

Everybody say

Ooh ooh ooh (ooh ooh ooh)

Ooh ooh ooh (ooh ooh ooh) we gon' take take our piece of that pie

Ah oh ooh