Put your hoodie down

I don't care if it's raining and you get wet

I'd rather you catch a cold and be alive

Than be gone because you were considered a threat

 

Son, I know it's hard

But always mind your manners and in danger, don't run

It's unfair, but these are the cards we've been dealt

We pulled the joker; melanin can make you public enemy number one

 

I want you to be proud of your heritage

And be aware of the strength that runs through your veins

And of the kings and queens and empires of our ancestral motherland

And of the pioneers of progress slain

 

But I also want you to be mindful

Don't always believe what you see on TV

For the “thugs”, “animals”, and “n-words” that come out of the mouths of the ignorant

Will try to shape and bend your identity

 

So, son, I need you to stay strong and stand tall

And be immune to the flames of a world on fire

Because I pray that one day, when I am long gone,

The beauty in your existence will be something all will admire.