Young Black Intelligent

Am                      C
Young black intelligent, this is not
 a first
        G                          
But it feels like it's curse and it
 Am
 weighs like a elephant
Am                          C
Heavy on my mind, 'cause I feel so 
irrelevant
G                                
Heavy on my heart, it's like I'm 
Am
smart for the hell of it
Am                           C
Heavy on my soul, it's our stroll 
through the 'ville again
G                        Am
Stranded on this island, feel like 
I'm Gilligan
Am                     C
Friends got jailed and then they got
 bailed
N.C.
Stress that I'm under, I just wonder
 when they kill again
Am                          Em
Please understand that I'm living in
 the concrete
G                           
Jungle where I stumble is the 
   Am
crumble under my feet
Am                    Em
In the building lobby, see my man 
Bobby
G                             Am
Puffing on a joint that's the point 
where our eyes meet
Am                             Em
Asked what's the weight on the books
 in my knapsack
G                       Am
He's so amused, I'm confused why he 
asked that
Am                    Em
Then I understand the motive and the
 plan
     G                           
He's trying to be the man while I 
  Am
stand getting laughed at
Am                  Em
Dudes got jokes but very little 
hopes
        G                          
That's why they trying to bring me 
Am
down like a halfback
Am                      Em
But I got balanced, my moms made a 
promise
N.C.
If I get the grades, I'll be praised
 like Thomas
Am                             Em
Clarence; but I don't know if law's 
in my future
G                            Am
Cops in the war and they'll sure try
 to shoot ya
Am                      Em
All I wanna do is get a B in 
geometry
G                      Am
Lose my virginity and live my life 
drama free

[Chorus: Pav Bundy & Masta Ace]
Am          Em                  
(sing) As I sit and count these 
G       Am
clouds
Am         Em           G        Am
   I sure hope my ma is proud of me
        Am          Em
(Why be I?)  why be I?
        G             Am
(Why be me?)   why be me?
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      Am           Em
(If I fly) - if I fly
           G                Am
(They gon' see) - they gon' see
          Am            Em
(I might die) - I might die
             G                   
(But I'll be free) - but I'll be 
Am
free
           Am         Em
(So why be I?) why be I?
        G             Am
(Why be me?) - why be me?  Young 
Black Intelligent

[Refrain]
Am Em              G   Am
     (intelligent)        Young 
Black Intelligent
Am Em              G   Am
     (intelligent)        Young 
Black Intelligent
Am Em                         G  
     Young Black Intelligent        
 Am
 Young Black Intelligent
Am Em                         G  
     Young Black Intelligent        
 Am
 Young Black

[Verse 2: Masta Ace]
Am                          Em
Penny for your thoughts, a nickel 
for your dreams
  G                         Am
A dime for your goals and a quarter 
in your jeans
Em                          
Trying to make a dollar outta 
  Em
forty-one cents
G                              Am
Caught up in the barbed wire, shorty
 on the fence
Am                        Em
I can be a knife-packing, gun-toting
 hooligan
G                         Am
But I can't decide so I'm on my way 
to school again
Am                       Em
On my way to duel again, me against 
the world
    G                        Am
But all I can think about is me 
against a girl
Am                   Em
Youthful exuberance, busting at the 
seams
G                          Am
Look at all the other kids cussing 
at the deans
Am                          
Looking at all the other kids 
  Em
cutting 8th period
G                         Am
But I'm on a team and my coach won't
 hear of it
Am                     Em
He's well aware of it, I ain't 
getting pinched
G                         Am
Y'all dummies go ahead I ain’t 
getting benched
Am                        Em
Whole lot of right and a little bit 
of wrong
     G                           
And everything you've worked for?   
Am
 Gone

[Chorus: Pav Bundy & Masta Ace]
Am          Em                  
(sing) As I sit and count these 
G       Am
clouds
Am         Em           G        Am
   I sure hope my ma is proud of me
        Am          Em
(Why be I?)  why be I?
        G             Am
(Why be me?)   why be me?
      Am           Em
(If I fly) - if I fly
           G                Am
(They gon' see) - they gon' see
          Am            Em
(I might die) - I might die
             G                   
(But I'll be free) - but I'll be 
Am
free
           Am         Em
(So why be I?) why be I?
        G             Am
(Why be me?) - why be me?  Young 
Black Intelligent

[Refrain]
Am Em              G   Am
     (intelligent)        Young 
Black Intelligent
Am Em              G   Am
     (intelligent)        Young 
Black Intelligent
Am Em                         G  
     Young Black Intelligent        
 Am
 Young Black Intelligent
Am Em                         G  
     Young Black Intelligent        
 Am
 Young Black

[Bridge: Chuck D]
Am          Em                    
   In this state of emergency and 
 G               Am
sense of urgency
Am                Em              
Just how young is young? Cause the
 G            Am
 youth be not youth for long
      Am                        
Young society might be afraid of 
     Em                    G      
you, But you continue to be you
         Am

        Am         Em           G
We are you, so we feel you, for 
               Am
that those that see you
   Am              Em             
We salute you, continue to find 
    G           Am
like minds, brah
               Am                   
Em            N.C.
Design your inside, concentration, 
desire  Dedication, inspiration, 
perspiration
N.C.
Is the hard work
   Am                   Em        
Doesn't guarantee anything
  G     Am

     Am       Em                  
But without it, you don't stand a 
  G     Am
chance
                   Am     Em       
Intelligence will save you, And us 
G    Am
too,    peace

[Other]
Am          Em              
-     As I sit and count these 
    G       Am
clouds
Am         Em           G        Am
   I sure hope my ma is proud of me