WHY?

Uh, yo

Why I gotta work ten times more?
Why I gotta sing, rap, act, and dance to settle the score?
Why I gotta be as hard as it gets?
Why I gotta lay my life on the line just to get their respect?

Tell me why I always gotta be strong
Why I gotta fake the funk, knowin' me and them don't get along?
Tell me why I always gotta be on
When the truth is I'm really burnt out and I don't wanna respond

Tell me why I gotta pay black tax
To be honest, I don't even really mind givin' back
But once you make it, if your people get entitled, tell me how you react
And if I lose it all, nobody gonna help me with that

Tell me why I gotta hide my pain
I feel a spectrum of emotions, if I'm angry, I should not feel ashamed
Or afraid to be reduced or be called out of my name
But before I catch a charge, I gotta charge it to the game

Stressed out (uh), worked up (ooh)
Diamond (yeah) in the rough
Blessed gift (uh), old heart (ooh)
Work hard (yeah), but it ain't enough
Count it up (uh), goin' off (ooh)
So long (yeah), so long (uh)
All wins, no loss (uh), no loss

Tell me why I'm made to feel less than
Why my worth can be determined by the fact I got a kid or a man?
Tell me why the system don't give a damn
Why am I more at risk in labor due to race, even if it was planned?

Why was she found in her house unalived?
Her neighbors called police for help for 20 minutes, they just stayed outside
If that was one of yours, is that how you would let things slide?
Or would you leave it even if the clearance did get denied?

Why am I told it's better if I was light?
That I would have global appeal as if my dark skin just isn't right
Say I'm pretty for a black girl, that isn't a slight
Then they want me to show 'em grace as if they're bein' polite

Tell me why I won't get high every night
From holdin' down our brothers to single mothers, it's always a fight
In slavery, they used to take away their men from their wife
Now they leave it down to us to fit the stereotype, it's trife

Stressed out (uh), worked up (ooh)
Diamond (yeah) in the rough
Blessed gift (uh), old heart (ooh)
Work hard (yeah), but it ain't enough
Count it up (uh), goin' off (ooh)
So long (yeah), so long (uh)
All wins, no loss, no loss

I'm here to remind you that stress and anger is the leadin' cause of autoimmune diseases in black women
That was a lot to say, but I'm here to tell you that you need to take a break
If you can't fix it, let it go
And if you're angry about it, deal with it (mhm)

Because, uh, stress is killin' us
That whole strong black woman thing
It was made to set it, it's a setup, basically
So, uh, stop it

Um, ask for help, you know, detach, let go, whatever you gotta do
But we out here dyin' of autoimmune diseases
Because we are trying to carry the weight of the world
And help everyone but ourselves