Pray

[Verse 1] I was born on February 24th, 1970 The day I was delivered, they said I would build a legacy Picture me with influence that last generations I was made out of love to keep you happy and educated The first three letters of the alphabet, my name I made you laugh, I made you dance, I made you sing I been around the world and back, you recorded my almanac So dearly way before the fact me and pops was estranged My father was a public figure, bigger than life Lived as a winner, on stages alike Rivers of people surely united, just to see our bond Time carried on, that was a common thread My perfect father had many flaws Still they moved they legs and shook they heads in unison He had more children, I was the oldest We always played with each other 'fore they ruined 'em (You can't hide away) He told me his personal secrets, childhood catching on beatings Sexually touched and abused, never seen life in a school The price of being iconic was demonic and screwed I stood on stage and had to watch my father on the news Stress on the head of my spirit, I was lost and confused I knew both sides of the story, but still, I couldn't choose See, it was more than humiliation and bein' sued They crucified my affiliation for points to prove And now my purpose for livin' makes no difference to you My total existence was for makin' us smile and move They said that I'll live forever, but the moment he died More accusations arrived, I had to die too [Verse 2] I remember takin' my first breath, August 28th, 1963 The whole nation had saved the day, I made it on TV My come out was a standing ova', the crowd in disbelief How could a group of words be so great? Designed to make you think Races and faces embracin' my conscience in letter form How gracious was I speakin' on changes once outside the norm? The person responsible, my creator He never conformed or used hatred to form mass retaliation Watch him perform with conviction Two hundred and fifty thousand souls left they homes to listen I gather his thoughts in abundance made to complete the mission His life became heroic, then tables turned My creator stripped from being a poet because he yearned Other women, infidelity stricken, I can't say he was perfect It made me nervous they'd tear him down and forget me I prayed that I'd survive in the midst of the controversy How many lives will fall on deaf ears if I'm not worthy? I won't justify his personal problems, that's not my job I was only born to make sure your children can play outside And I imagine the other demons he hid before he died If they came to surface, this dream probably won't be alive because of you [Verse 3] I was born in paranoia, it's poison for us We can't create with joyous ambition, we're out of luck The critics formed a new coalition and huddled up The non-creators are now elated and out of touch Why can't you gladly appreciate the influence we give? Stop starin' at me disgusted, my substance made sure you live You want the head of the messenger and the history from him Which eventually takes away from the good you accustom Think of a life without the likes of imagination that's prosperin' The bodies that you consider genius, you like to box 'em in The great debaters and thinkers, they gave you a voice Why can't you prosecute the crimes and not the thoughts I employ? Because your better judgement will always look down on me But if I recollect how we connect, you will count on me I got a theory that most of y'all won't allow to see It goes like this, talent doesn't choose morality See, if Daniel Hale was a killer, would you not want a heart? If Carl Benz was a racist, would you stop driving cars? I can't help we jump in these bodies and you called them a God Just know the Earth is just a rock without the voices of art Sincerely, yours