[Chorus: Cam O'bi]
How come I can't do what fuck I want do?
How come, how come?
Tryna get this skraight, no damn hot comb through
How come, how come?
Weavin' through the naps, dreams been on hold
Since my cradle hit the flo
Tender head, my denim skrong
Yea, yea, yea, yeaaaaaah
[Verse 1: Cam O'bi]
Remember when I was a kiddo, growin' up in the middle
Windows lining my smile, silver teeth underneath my pillow
A nigga had a nappy head like a Brillo pad
Sister said I need to do somethin' about them beedy-beed naps
Snackin' on Andy Capp's with a pickle and a quarter water
Walked in the barbershop asked me what I wanted
I told that man I wanted to look like Superman
But when he had the long hair
You know, kinda like Michael Jackson?
The damn barber just started laughin'
I cried as he gave me that bald fade
Afro puffs hit the flo', symbolic of sheddin' my innocence
I guess I thought they were magicians or alchemists or mathematicians
With algebraic, calculus algorithms designed to cure me of my nappiness
Like a perm burned off my happiness
I sat silently acquiescent
Pitfalls of adolescence
Spitballs and scrabble sessions and tattle-tales
Playing around in the hallway like one of Santa's elves
"You wanna go to jail?"
"Hell naw, mister security!"
Got sent to the principal for my potty mouth
Talkin' bout some, "give me your number so we can call the house"
But gimme got shot, so the ink stainin' my record now
You pull a comb thru my afro, that shit'll crackle
Like a bowl full of Rice Krispies
Rollin' my innocence in a cigarillo like
[Chorus: Cam O'bi]
How come I can't do what fuck I want do?
How come, how come?
Tryna get this skraight, no damn hot comb through
How come, how come?
Weavin' through the naps, dreams been on hold
Since my cradle hit the flo
Tender head, my denim skrong
How come, how come?
How come I can't say what fuck I want say?
How come, how come?
Tender braids, but I can't make my eyes rain
How come, how come?
Yanked straight from my naps, dead on my comb
When my cradle hit the flo'
Tender head, my genes on swole
Yea, yea, yea, yeaaaaaaah
[Verse 2: Smino]
I don't wanna sing the Star-Spangled Banner
Unless it's produced by David Banner
Elbows on the lunch table, eatin' on a gravy sammich
Lil' nigga, no table manners
Crazy it attracted shawty's
On the back of the bus gettin' neck had a knack for noggin'
Lil' nick at nighttime
Googlin' booty, beauty illusions polluted and deep-rooted in my mind
My block was a Rubix
Anywhere you turned, the shit was hot around the clock
And they could not ice cube it, damn
Mama, I don't like this school shit
Fuck a logarithm, I'll log into the music, damn
Daddy, I don't like this school shit
I beat the desk until my knuckles bleed
All my teachers think I'm challenged mentally
But my mental skrong, know who I wanna be
Instantly began a surgery
Bada-bing, Voila!, made wings wit the words, Hallelujah, Yah bitch, Yah!
All my blessings came when I accepted I'm not y'all
I been put it down the line like laundry
They told me find something more concrete
Now a lil' nigga breakin' concrete
Praises to God I ain't no convict
They'll never take away my confidence
[Chorus]
How come I can't do what fuck I want do?
How come, how come?
Tryna get this skraight, no damn hot comb through
How come, how come?
Weavin' through the naps, dreams been on hold
Since my cradle hit the flo
Tender head, my denim skrong
How come, how come?
How come I can't say what fuck I want say?
How come, how come?
Tender braids, but I can't make my eyes rain
How come, how come?
Yanked straight from my naps, dead on my comb
When my cradle hit the flo'
Tender head, my genes on swole
Yea, yea, yea, yeaaaaaaah
