Letras
Born in chains didn't know the day
Didn't know the man they called my name
Learned real early how truth feel
When the world tell you you ain't real
Stole some letters hid em away
Made them words do more than pray
Every page that I learned to read
Felt like one more broken link off me
They tried to keep my mind locked tight
But knowledge kept me up at night
I taught myself to be free
With every word I could see
They could bind my hands break my back
But they couldn't chain my belief
Yeah I taught myself to be free
And once I knew I couldn't stay
When a man learns who he is
He don't live no other way
Ran north guided by the stars
Fear in my chest hope in my heart
Found my voice when I hit that ground
Turned my story into a sound
Stood on stages spoke it plain
Made em feel every lash and pain
Said this country gotta hear this truth
If it ever gon live up to you
Didn't whisper didn't beg
Spoke like freedom was overdue
I taught myself to be free
With every word I could see
They could bind my hands break my back
But they couldn't chain my belief
Yeah I taught myself to be free
And once I knew I couldn't stay
When a man learns who he is
He don't live no other way
Met with presidents challenged laws
Still spoke fire without a pause
Said progress don't come from time
It comes from pressure on the line
I taught myself to be free
Turned pain into testimony
From the field to the front page stand
Made a nation face what it had done
Yeah I taught myself to be free
Now the truth still walkin round
Every time we speak it loud
That same freedom make a sound
If you want the chains to fall
You gotta learn who you are