Bir Kimlik ve Kabulleniş Manifestosu: A Seat At The Table

2016 yılında yayımlanan bu albüm, sadece bir müzik projesi değil; **kişisel bir iyileşme, kültürel aidiyet ve öz değer arayışının** son derece samimi ve sanatsal bir dışavurumudur. Albüm, modern yaşamın karmaşası içerisinde bireyin kendi kimliğini koruma, toplumsal baskılar karşısında ayakta kalma ve içsel huzuru bulma mücadelesini merkeze alır.

Ses manzarası açısından oldukça dingin, derinlikli ve yer yer soul köklerine dönen albüm, hem interlüdler aracılığıyla paylaşılan hikayelerle belgesel bir derinlik kazanmakta hem de liriksel cesaretiyle dinleyiciyi kendi iç dünyasıyla yüzleşmeye davet etmektedir.

### [Rise]

* **Ana Tema:** Zorluklar karşısında direnç geliştirme ve yeniden doğuş.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Albümün girişi, bir mantra niteliğinde kurgulanmıştır. "Fall in your ways" (yollarında düş) ifadesi, kişinin kendi yolculuğundaki kaçınılmaz hataları ve düşüşleri kabullenmesini simgeler. Ancak bu düşüşler, bir son değil, daha güçlü bir şekilde "yükselebilmek" için gerekli olan duraklardır.

### [Weary]

* **Ana Tema:** Dünya yorgunluğu ve bireysel varoluşun sorgulanması.

* **Lirik Analizi:** "I'm weary of the ways of the world" cümlesi, toplumsal beklentilerin ve dışsal baskıların yarattığı yorgunluğu özetler. Şarkıda geçen "kralın sadece bir insan olduğu" vurgusu, herkesin aynı kırılganlıklara ve aynı haklara sahip olduğunu, ancak toplumun dayattığı rollerin bu gerçeği unutturduğunu hatırlatır.

### [The Glory Is In You (Interlude)]

* **Ana Tema:** Başarı algısının içselleştirilmesi.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Bu kısa geçiş bölümü, başarının dışsal onaylardan ziyade, kişinin yaptığı işten duyduğu huzurla ölçülmesi gerektiğini savunur. "Glory is in you" (görkem senin içindedir) mesajı, albümün genelindeki öz-sevgi temasını destekler.

### [Cranes In The Sky]

* **Ana Tema:** Geçici kaçış mekanizmalarının yetersizliği ve içsel boşluk.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Şarkı, acıyı veya huzursuzluğu dışsal yöntemlerle (alışveriş, seyahat, değişim) gidermeye çalışmanın beyhudeliğini anlatır. **"Metal bulutlar"** metaforu, kişinin zihnini saran ve gökyüzünü kapatan kasvetli, ağır düşünceleri temsil eder. Tüm çabalara rağmen çözümün dışarıda değil, içsel dünyada olduğu vurgulanır.

### [Dad Was Mad (Interlude)]

* **Ana Tema:** Kuşaklar arası travma ve öfkenin kökenleri.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Çocukluk dönemine dair paylaşılan bu anı, tarihsel travmanın kişisel hayata nasıl yansıdığını gözler önüne serer. "Öfke" duygusunun, dış etkenlere karşı savunma mekanizması olarak yıllarca taşınan ağır bir yük olduğu açıkça belirtilir.

### [Mad]

* **Ana Tema:** Öfke duyma hakkı ve bu duygunun bastırılması.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Toplumun "öfkelenme" veya "şikayet etme" konusundaki önyargılarını ele alır. Şarkıdaki diyaloglar, bir bireyin yaşadığı adaletsizlikler karşısında öfke duymasının ne kadar insani olduğunu, ancak bu öfkenin zamanla kişiyi tükettiği ikilemini işler. "I got a lot to be mad about" nakaratı, bu öfkenin haklı bir zemine oturduğunu savunur.

### [Don't You Wait]

* **Ana Tema:** Beklentilerden kopuş ve özgürleşme.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Kişinin başkalarının onayını veya yolunu beklemeden kendi rotasını çizmesi gerektiğini ifade eder. "Don't you wait for me" kısmı, geçmişteki hataların veya beklentilerin artık bir pranga oluşturmadığını ve yola tek başına devam etme kararını temsil eder.

### [Tina Taught Me (Interlude)]

* **Ana Tema:** Kültürel gurur ve kendini ifade etme özgürlüğü.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Bu bölüm, bir kültüre duyulan sevginin, diğerlerine karşı bir düşmanlık anlamına gelmediğinin altını çizer. Kendi kökenleriyle barışık olmanın ve bu gururu dışa vurmanın, "karşı tarafı küçümsemek" olarak algılanmasının yanlışlığı vurgulanır.

### [Don't Touch My Hair]

* **Ana Tema:** Sınırlar, saygı ve bireysel özerklik.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Saç, burada hem fiziksel bir varlığı hem de kişinin kimliğini, kültürel mirasını ve özgünlüğünü temsil eden bir metafor olarak kullanılır. "Don't touch my hair" uyarısı, kişinin kendisine ve sınırlarına izinsiz müdahale edilmesine karşı duruşunu simgeler. **"Don't touch my crown"** ifadesiyle bu kimlik, kutsal bir taç olarak konumlandırılır.

### [This Moment (Interlude)]

* **Ana Tema:** Aidiyet duygusu ve mekanla kurulan bağ.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Mahalle, ev ve aidiyet duygusu üzerinden kurgulanan bu bölüm, görünmez kılınmaya çalışılan bir topluluğun kendi değerini yine kendi içinde bulması gerektiğini anlatır.

### [Where Do We Go]

* **Ana Tema:** Değişim, kayıp ve belirsizlik.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Değişen koşullar karşısında "eskiden bizim olanın" yitip gitmesi ve bu boşlukta nereye gidileceğinin sorgulanmasıdır. Birlikteliğin bittiği veya yapının değiştiği bir dünyada, yön arayışı işlenir.

### [For Us By Us (Interlude)]

* **Ana Tema:** Kendi kendine yetebilme ve ekonomik bağımsızlık.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Kendi değerini başkasının belirlemesine izin vermemek, albümün en vurucu temalarından biridir. Emek verilen ürünün, yine kendi topluluğu için yapıldığını ve dışsal onay mekanizmalarına ihtiyaç duymadığını anlatır.

### [F.U.B.U.]

* **Ana Tema:** Topluluk bilinci ve sahiplenme.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Başlık, "For Us, By Us" (Bizim için, bizim tarafımızdan) anlamına gelir. Şarkı, bir şeylerin "bizim" olduğunu bilmenin getirdiği o güven duygusunu işler. Dünyanın geri kalanından gelen baskılara rağmen, kendi kimliğini koruyan ve bunu kutlayan bir dayanışma çağrısıdır.

### [Borderline (An Ode To Self Care)]

* **Ana Tema:** Kişisel sınırları koruma ve dinlenme ihtiyacı.

* **Lirik Analizi:** "Sınırda" olmak, sürekli tetikte ve mücadele halinde olmanın getirdiği yorgunluktur. Şarkı, "intermission" (ara verme) ihtiyacını vurgular. Savaşın dışarıda devam ettiği bir dünyada, kendi zihinsel ve duygusal sağlığını korumak için çekilecek güvenli bir alan arayışıdır.

### [I Got So Much Magic, You Can Have It (Interlude)]

* **Ana Tema:** Öz-değerin paylaşılabilirliği.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Kişinin kendi içindeki potansiyeli ("magic") fark etmesi ve bu değeri kimsenin çalmasına izin vermemesi mesajı verilir. Bu büyü, paylaştıkça çoğalan bir kaynak olarak sunulur.

### [Junie]

* **Ana Tema:** Oyunculuk, özgürlük ve beklentilere karşı duruş.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Hayatın getirdiği "oyunlara" karşı hazırlıklı olmayı ve başkalarının ne düşündüğünden bağımsız hareket etmeyi öğütler. Kendi kurallarını koymak ve "öğretmen" rolüne bürünmek yerine, kendi öğrenme sürecini yönetmek üzerine kuruludur.

### [No Limits (Interlude)]

* **Ana Tema:** Sınırsızlık ve vizyoner yaklaşım.

* **Lirik Analizi:** "I don't have no limit to what I can do" (Yapabileceklerimin bir sınırı yok) cümlesi, bireyin potansiyelini engelleyen tüm yapıların yıkılması gerektiğini savunur. Kendi "ordusunu" kurmak, yani kendi imkanlarını ve yolunu oluşturmak metaforu öne çıkarılır.

### [Don't Wish Me Well]

* **Ana Tema:** Kararlılık ve veda.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Geride bırakılanlara veya bir daha dönülmeyecek olanlara yönelik net bir duruştur. "Ben olduğum gibi kabul edilmediğim sürece değişmem" tavrıyla, özgünlüğü korumanın her şeyden önemli olduğu vurgulanır.

### [Pedestals (Interlude)]

* **Ana Tema:** İnsanların kusurluluğu ve yargı mekanizması.

* **Lirik Analizi:** İnsanları yüksek kaidelere (pedestals) oturtup onları tanrılaştırmanın veya sürekli yargılamanın getirdiği yanılgı eleştirilir. Kimsenin kusursuz olmadığı, herkesin kendi içsel savaşını (rehabilitasyonunu) yine kendi başına vermek zorunda olduğu anlatılır.

### [Scales]

* **Ana Tema:** Başarı ve başarısızlık algısı arasındaki ince çizgi.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Dış dünyanın (sokakların ve toplumun) bir kişiyi "kral" veya "başarısızlık" olarak etiketlemesi arasındaki uçurum işlenir. Bu etiketlerin ötesinde, kişinin kendi değerini koruma ve "yıldız" ışığını devam ettirme çabası vurgulanır.

### [Closing: The Chosen Ones]

* **Ana Tema:** Miras, dayanıklılık ve asalet.

* **Lirik Analizi:** Albümün finali, köklerinden güç alarak geleceğe "kraliyet" bilinciyle bakmayı öğütler. Acıyla başlayan yolculuğun, bir "seçilmişlik" ve gururla tamamlanması, albümün genelindeki iyileşme sürecinin zaferi olarak tanımlanır.

Solange - "A Seat At The Table" Albüm Şarkı Sözleri (2016)

"Rise"

Fall in your ways so you can crumble

Fall in your ways so you can sleep at night

Fall in your ways so you can wake up and rise

Fall in your ways so you can crumble

Fall in your ways so you can sleep at night

Fall in your ways so you can wake up and rise

Fall in your ways so you can crumble

Fall in your ways so you can sleep at night

Fall in your ways so you can wake up and rise

Walk in your ways so you won't crumble (so you won't crumble)

Walk in your ways so you can sleep at night

Walk in your ways so you will wake up and rise

☆☆☆☆☆

"Weary"

I'm weary of the ways of the world

Be weary of the ways of the world

I'm weary of the ways of the world

I'm gonna look for my body yeah

I'll be back like real soon

I'm gonna look for my body yeah

I'll be back like real soon

I'm gonna look for my body yeah

I'll be back like real soon

But you know that a king is only a man

With flesh and bones, he bleeds just like you do

He said "Where does that leave you

And do you belong?"

I do, I do

Be leery bout your place in the world

You're feeling like you're chasing the world

You're leaving not a trace in the world

But you're facing the world

I'm gonna look for my glory yeah

I'll be back like real soon

I'm gonna look for my glory yeah

I'll be back like real soon

I'm gonna look for my glory yeah

I'll be back real soon

But you know that a king is only a man

With flesh and bones, he bleeds just like you do

He said "where does that leave you"

And do you belong? I do, I do

☆☆☆☆☆

"The Glory Is In You (Interlude)"

"You know, but... sometimes you ask yourself "where's the peace?" Everybody is always talking about peace, but, as long you find peace in what you doing then you successful, and that's what people don't realize. See, you got do stuff till you gotta go sleep at night. Cause the glory is in you"

☆☆☆☆☆

"Cranes In The Sky"

I tried to drink it away

I tried to put one in the air

I tried to dance it away

I tried to change it with my hair

I ran my credit card bill up

Thought a new dress would make it better

I tried to work it away

But that just made me even sadder

I tried to keep myself busy

I ran around in circles

Think I made myself dizzy

I slept it away, I sexed it away

I read it away

Away, away, away, away, away, away

Away, away, away, away, away

Well it's like cranes in the sky

Sometimes I don't wanna feel those metal clouds

Yeah it's like cranes in the sky

Sometimes I don't wanna feel those metal clouds

I tried to run it away

Thought then my head be feeling clearer

I traveled 70 states

Thought moving around make me feel better

I tried to let go my lover

Thought if I was alone then maybe I could recover

To write it away or cry it away (don't you cry it baby)

Away, away, away, away, away, away

Away, away, away, away, away

But it's like cranes in the sky

Sometimes I don't wanna feel those metal clouds

Yeah it's like cranes in the sky

Sometimes I don't wanna feel those metal clouds

Away, away, away, away, away, away

Away, away, away, away, away

☆☆☆☆☆

"Dad Was Mad (Interlude)"

I was the first, one of the first. My first day, a state trooper caught me, put me in the backseat of the car, and meeting the other black kids, was six of us. And seeing all of those parents, and also KKK members having signs and throwing cans at us, spitting at us. We lived in the threat of death every day. Every day. So I was just lost in this vacuum between integration and segregation and, and racism. That was my childhood. I was angry for years... angry, very angry

☆☆☆☆☆

"Mad"

(feat. Lil Wayne)

[Solange:]

You got the light count it all joy

You got the right to be mad

But when you carry it along

you'll find it only get up in the way

They say you gotta let it go

[Lil Wayne:]

Now tell 'em why you mad son

'Cause doing it all ain't enough

'Cause everyone all in my cup

'Cause such and such still owe me bucks

So I got the right to get buck

But I try not to let it build up

I'm too high, too better too much

So I let it go, let it go, let it go

[Solange:]

I ran into this girl, she said why you always blaming?

Why you can't just face it?

Why you always gotta be so mad? (be mad, be mad, be mad)

Why you always talking shit, always be complaining

Why you always gotta be, why you always gotta be so mad (mad, mad, mad)

I got a lot to be mad about (be mad, be mad, be mad)

Where'd your love go

Where'd your love go, baby

[Lil Wayne:]

Yeah, but I, got a lot to be mad about

Got a lot to be a man about

Got a lot to pop a xan about

I used to rock hand-me-downs, and now I rock standing crowds

But it's hard when you only

Got fans around and no fam around

And if they are, then their hands are out

And they pointing fingers

When I wear this fucking burden on my back like a mother fucking cap and gown

Then I walk up in the bank, pants sagging down

And I laugh at frowns what they mad about?

'Cause here come this motherfucker with this mass account

That didn't wear cap and gown

Are you mad 'cause the judge ain't give me more time

And when I attempted suicide, I didn't die

I remember how mad I was on that day

Man, you gotta let it go before it get up in the way

Let it go, let it go

[Solange:]

I ran into this girl, she said why you always blaming?

Why you can't just face it?

Why you always gotta be mad? (be mad, be mad, be mad)

I got a lot to be mad about (be mad, be mad, be mad)

[Solange & Lil Wayne:]

Where'd your love go

Where'd your love go, baby

[Solange:]

I ran into this girl I said I'm tired of explaining

Man, this shit is draining

But I'm not really allowed to be mad

☆☆☆☆☆

"Don't You Wait"

I gave it all away that night

It was taking a little time, oh

I gave it all I got but now you better know that I know for sure

Yeah I made my bed, dealt with it when the lights went out

Now looking back for temporary nothings

But I bet on it you'll all be here when the lights come out

Still looking for nothing oh

I gave it all I got to know now

I don't want no part of it no longer, no longer

Looked around this place enough to know now

I don't want to waste the time to know you, to know you

Don't you wait for me

Now I don't want to bite the hand that'll show me the other side, no

But I didn't want to build the land that has fed you your whole life, no

Don't you find it funny

Yeah I made my bed, dealt with it when the lights went out

Now looking back for temporary nothings

But I bet on it, you'll all be here when the lights come out

Still looking for nothing

I gave it all I got to know now

I don't want no part of it no longer, no longer

Looked around this place enough to know now

I don't want to waste the time to know you, to know you

Don't you wait for me

I don't wanna wanna wanna wait

Don't you wait for me

☆☆☆☆☆

"Tina Taught Me (Interlude)"

(feat. Tina Lawson)

[Tina Lawson:]

"I think part of it is accepting that it's so much beauty in being Black. And that's the thing that I guess I get emotional about, because, I've always known that. I've always been proud to be Black. Never wanted to be nothing else. Loved everything about it, just...

It's such beauty in Black people, and it really saddens me when we're not allow to express that pride in being Black; and that if you do then it's considered anti-white. No! You just pro-Black. And that's okay. The two don't go together. Because you celebrate Black culture does not mean that you don't like white culture; or that you putting it down. It's just taking pride

What's irritating is when somebody says, you know, 'They're racist!' 'That's reverse racism!' or 'They have a Black History Month, but we don't have a White History Month!'

Well, all we've ever been taught is white history: so why are you mad at that? Why does that makes you angry? That is to suppress me and to make me not be proud."

☆☆☆☆☆

Don't Touch My Hair"

(feat. Sampha)

Don't touch my hair

When it's the feelings I wear

Don't touch my soul

When it's the rhythm I know

Don't touch my crown

They say the vision I've found

Don't touch what's there

When it's the feelings I wear

They don't understand

What it means to me

Where we chose to go

Where we've been to know

They don't understand

What it means to me

Where we chose to go

Where we've been to know

You know this hair is my shit,

rode the ride, I gave it time

But this here is mine

You know this hair is my shit,

rode the ride, I gave it time

But this here is mine

[Solange & Sampha:]

What you say, oh

What you say to me [x8]

Don't touch my pride

They say the glory's all mine

Don't test my mouth

They say the truth is my sound

They don't understand

What it means to me

Where we chose to go

Where we've been to know

They don't understand

What it means to me

Where we chose to go

Where we've been to know

You know this hair is my shit,

rode the ride, I gave it time

But this here is mine

You know this hair is my shit,

rode the ride, I gave it time

But this here is mine

[Solange & Sampha:]

What you say, oh

What you say to me [x8]

[Solange & Sampha:]

What you say to me [x16]

☆☆☆☆☆

"This Moment (Interlude)"

(feat. Devonté Hynes & Lu)

"If you don't understand us and understand what we've been through, then you probably wouldn't understand what this moment is about. This is home. This is where we're from. This is where we belong. And if it ain't for the better of the people, nah, 'cause you're robbing and stealing from the people that been there for so many years, not just come and destroy, knocking our neighborhoods down. You know, when it come there, you invisible. You know, you don't even have a number in the system. Nobody cares about you. Everything is about dollars and cents, you know, even when you're talking the Government, you know, even when you're talking about the preachers and the people that's running the community. And we have to show them the evolution of where we come from. I'm about to send a message to the world, like..."

☆☆☆☆☆

"Where Do We Go"

(feat. Sean Nicholas Savage)

Speakers off tonight

Turn off your headlights tonight

Don't drive the road too slow

Don't look too close tonight

This used to be ours, this used to be you and I's

What used to be mine

Say your goodbyes

And I don't know where to go

No I don't know where to stay

Where do we go from here?

Do you know?

Where do we go from here?

Hey yo hey yo hey yo hey yo

We bowed our heads

We broke our bread that night

Shook our hands

Then conquer and divide

This used to be home

This used to be what we know

What used to belong

Now good and gone

And I don't know where to go

No I don't know where to stay

Don't know where to go

And I don't know where to stay

Where do we go from here?

Do you know?

Where do we go from here?

[x4]

Hey yo hey yo hey yo hey yo

☆☆☆☆☆

"For Us By Us (Interlude)"

(feat. Master P)

[Master P:]

"And they offered me a million dollar deal, and had the check ready. Said I wouldn't be able to use my name. I was fighting my brother, because 'Man, you shoulda took the million dollars!' I said 'No, what you think I'm worth? If this white man offer me a million dollars I gotta be worth forty, or fifty... Or ten or something.'

To being able to make "Forbes" and come from the Projects. You know, "Top 40 Under 40." Which they said couldn't be done. Had twenty records on the top "Billboard" at one time. For an independent company. Black owned company. You know, going to the white lady's house where my Grandmother lived at, and say, 'Look, you don't have to work here no more Big Mama! We got more money than the people on St. Charles Street.'

And I, I took that anger and said 'I'mma put it into my music.' I tell people all the time, if you don't understand my record, you don't understand me, so this is not for you."

☆☆☆☆☆

"F.U.B.U."

(feat. BJ The Chicago Kid & The-Dream)

One for us

All my niggas in the whole wide world

Made this song to make it all y'all's turn

For us, this shit is for us

All my niggas let the whole world know

Play this song and sing it on your terms

For us, this shit is for us

Don't try to come for us

All my niggas got the whole wide world

Tell them niggas that it's all our turn

This us, some shit is a must

Some shit is for us

When you know you gotta pay the cost

Play the game just to play the boss

So you thinking what you gained, you lost

But you know your shit is taking off, oh

When you driving in your tinted car

And you're criminal, just who you are

But you know you're gonna make it far, oh

When you feeling all alone

And you can't even be you up in your home

When you even feeling it from your own

When you got it figured out

When a nigga tryna board the plane

And they ask you, "What's your name again?"

Cause they thinking, "Yeah, you're all the same."

Oh, it's for us

All my niggas in the whole wide world

Made this song to make it all y'all's turn

For us, this shit is for us

Some shit is a must

This shit is for us

When it's going on a thousand years

And you pulling up to your crib

And they ask you where you live again

But you running out of damns to give, oh

I hope my son will bang this song so loud

That he almost makes his walls fall down

Cause his momma wants to make him proud

Oh, to be us

And all my niggas in the whole wide world

Made this song to make it all y'alls turn

For us

This shit is for us

Sometimes we don't trust

This shit is for us

[BJ the Chicago Kid & The-Dream:]

And we bomb on sight, on sight we must charge

Host of my emotion, it's your call

Liquor in my system, we must crawl

Addiction, disobey the law

Don't clip my wings before I learn to fly

I didn't come back down to Earth to die

All my niggas in the whole wide world

Made this song to make it all y'all's turn

For us, this shit is from us

Get so much from us

Then forget us

Don't feel bad if you can't sing along

Just be glad you got the whole wide world

This us

This shit is from us

Some shit you can't touch

Ooh, oh baby

For us baby

Yeah

It's all for us baby

Nobody else, baby

All for us baby

☆☆☆☆☆

"Borderline (An Ode To Self Care)"

(feat. Q-Tip)

We been lovers on a mission

We been lovers on a mission (all the way)

But what's love without a mission

We been lovers on a mission (all the way)

So let's take an intermission

You know I have the world to think

And I know I gotta go ahead and take some time

Because the last thing that I want

Is think that it's time that I leave the boderline

So let's take it off tonight

Break it off tonight

Baby let's know when to let go

Know when to let go

Take it off tonight

Break it off tonight

Baby I know you're tired

Know I'm tired

Let's take it off tonight

Break it off tonight

Baby it's war outside these walls

Baby it's war outside these doors, yeah

It's a safe place tonight

Let's play it safe tonight

Baby I know what you're fighting for

Baby you know what I'm fighting for

You know I have the world to think

And you know I gotta go ahead and take some time

Because the last thing I want

Is think that it's time that I leave the boderline

So let's take it off tonight

Break it off tonight

Baby let's know when to let go

Know when to let go, oh

Take it off tonight

Break it off tonight

Baby I know you're tired

You know I'm tired

Let's take it off tonight

Break it off tonight

Baby I've been more than a woman

We've been lovers on a mission

It's a safe place tonight

Let's play it safe tonight

Baby we've been lovers on a mission (all the way)

So let's take an intermission

☆☆☆☆☆

"I Got So Much Magic, You Can Have It (Interlude)"

(feat. Kelly Rowland & Nia Andrews)

[Nia Andrews and Kelly Rowland:]

You did it from the get go, get go

Let's go look for magic yeah

They not gon' get it from the get go get go get go get go

Don't let anybody steal your magic yeah

But I got so much yall...

You can have it yeah

☆☆☆☆☆

"Junie"

(feat. André 3000)

[Nia Andrews and Kelly Rowland:]

...have it, yeah

[Solange:]

First one's a fool, who'll be the fool now?

Who's gonna get in line?

First one to go, first one to fight the way

Let's go to moonlight, then they will never find

Let's go to home, free from the mother mind

Come on along, along, along, along, along, along, along

[André 3000:]

Jump on it

Jump on it, on it

Jump on it

[Solange:]

Hit 'em with a left

Hit 'em with they knock, knock

Hit 'em with a play

Then away, and away, and away, and away

Hit 'em with a knock, knock

Hit 'em on the top

Hit 'em when they flock, flock

Hit 'em with a shock, shock

Then away, and away, and away, and away

Hit 'em when they watch

Hit 'em with a dot, dot, dot, dot, dot

Then I'm up, up, up and away, and away, and away, and away

Hit 'em when they watch

Hit 'em when they cop, cop, cop what you got

Then away, and away, and away, and away, and away, and away

[André 3000:]

Jump on it

Jump on it, on it

Jump on it

Jump

[Solange:]

You want to be the teacher

Don't want to go to school

Don't want to do the dishes

Just want to eat the food

But what you gonna do

When they saw all your moves and practiced em daily?

Protect your neck, or give invitations?

☆☆☆☆☆

"No Limits (Interlude)"

(feat. Master P)

[Master P:]

"People wanna know what "No Limit" comes from. My Grandfather, Big Daddy, was in the military. And, uh, you know, he always said, 'Man them people ain't gon' do nothing for us.' So he was like, 'Grandson, you need to start your own army.' And that's where the tanks and the military thing come from

See, I watched the Avon lady in my hood. She popped her trunk and sell her products. So I put all my CDs and cassettes in the back of my trunk and I hit every city, every hood. My Grandfather said, 'Why you gon' call it "No Limit"?' I said, 'Because I don't have no limit to what I can do.'

☆☆☆☆☆

"Don't Wish Me Well"

I went away this concrete don't have love for me

I took a day, too much talk and not much to see

I know you always speak on something

So I'll leave on the mic for you

And I'm going all the way

But I'll leave on the lights for you

I'm going all the way

And now you're almost out of view

Cause when I say what I mean you ought to know

You got to know, I don't let it go

Cause when I say what I mean you ought to know

You got to know, I won't let it go

Away away away

Look what remains

Pour ashes where they claimed my name

They say I changed

What a pity if I stayed the same

Thinking that everything is funny

But don't say that the jokes on you

And I'm going all the way

But I'll leave on the lights for you

I'm going all the way

And now you're almost out of view

Cause when I say what I mean you ought to know

You got to know, I don't let it go

Cause when I say what I mean you ought to know

You got to know, I won't let it go

Away away away

☆☆☆☆☆

"Pedestals (Interlude)"

(feat. Master P)

[Master P:]

"But man, I done been through it all, so I said, 'I wanna tell my story.' Cause I never cried or nothing, and that's where the 'Make 'em Say Uhh,' that's like my pain. That's basically what it is. That's my battle cry. Think about it. None of us are perfect. We live in an imperfect world

You know, only God can judge me, that's how I look at it. The people that's sitting around pointing their fingers, imagine all the stuff they're probably doing. Whether you're police officers, doctors, lawyers, presidents, whatever, you got good and bad in everything. You know, we're putting people on a pedestal that's just a human like us. You know, I mean, they got more drugs in the rich neighborhoods than they got in the hood. A lot of their kids dying from overdosing, things like that, think about it. Black kids have to figure it out! We don't have rehabs to go to. You gotta rehab yourself. But for us, you can't pull the plug on us and tell us it's over. Not me."

☆☆☆☆☆

"Scales"

(feat. Kelela)

[Solange & Kelela:]

Candy red things gonna spin

With that big body boy you're bound to win

And that armor in your mouth

You're gonna shine

Your wrist talking, boy it's only time

Put the incense on

Cover up the smell

And if your boys go down I know you'll never tell

You're a superstar

Always shining in the night

And your skin glowing in the moonlight

[Solange:]

The streets say you're a king

The world says you're a failure

And your mother is a queen

But damn she always tells ya

'You gon' end up like your daddy'

But damn that nigga fresh

So if it all comes out to plan

You gon' end up like the best

You say 'look on the TV... they all want to be me'

For nothing, whatever it's worth, it's something

Ain't no apologizing, for all of the things you want

So if dreams only go so far

They'll come to where you are

[Solange & Kelela:]

Candy red things gonna spin

With that big body boy you're bound to win

That armor in your mouth

You're gonna shine

Your wrist talking boy it's only time

Put the incense on

Cover up the smell

And if your boys go down I know you'll never tell

You're a superstar

Always shining in the night

And your skin glowing in the moonlight

Your love is kind

But your love ain't blind

Your world is kind

But your world ain't blind

☆☆☆☆☆

"Closing: The Chosen Ones"

(feat. Master P)

[Master P:]

"That's what makes my life complete, knowing that it's a higher being, a higher power, knowing that these people done paved their way. You know, our great-great-grandfathers and grandmothers that came here, they found some kind of way to make the rhythm. You know, and they kept rhythm, no matter what. Now, we come here as slaves, but we going out as royalty, and able to show that we are truly the chosen ones."