Black Thought, Ledisi - American Heartbreak lyrics

Yeah, America the ugly
This country is deep to say the least
Ask from Louisville Kentucky
To LA to the East where the race been on
But recently I been makin' peace
With the fact that Black bodies are
Worth more if they’re deceased
Or trapped in a nine-by-twelve
Awaitin' our release
Not takin' it upon ourselves to
Break away and teach
The next new crop before they
Face the next few cops
’Cause a traffic stop at night
Alone could get you pop nina Simone said
"What's the matter with you? Rock?
Is it my Hip-Hop? Hey
What's the matter with 2Pac?"
We will finish the journey
From Mecca to pilgrimage
Build bridges over burial grounds
They filled with us
I grimaced upon a photo I found
A still image of a friend who
Said to lean on Him, like Bill Withers
I wish he was still with us
They issue moratoriums on the truth
And label us 'revisionist historians'
Changin' the point of origin
In all the events
Any prince with some kind of
Sense is all they're against
For generations, they ain't shown us that
The American modus operandi
The holders, control us, and try to fold us
But, yo, watch your body

Oh, America not gon’ bring me down today
Don’t wanna see another American heartbreak
Oh, you can't keep me down oh, America
Yeah, watch your body for me
I wasn’t built to breathe
I won't be another American heartbreak
My soul you won't take
You can't keep me down

The beast brand is strong
To each man, his own
For every Tameka Mallory in the
Cold hand o’ Jones get up like Jayla Rose so
They don't stand alone
Leaders understand the code
Pawns do what they suppose
In part, this heart of stone
Is for you to make it home
If I perish when you grown
I want you to take the throne
But when drivin', you a target
Don't be talkin' on the phone you a alien
You might as well be walkin' on the moon
When you walk into a room
Never shrink so you can fit in
Your beauty and your brilliance ain't
Built to keep it hidden your path
More like division of Richard Wright
Was written too long ago to give
Him too strong to be forbidden
So whether saint or sinner
Here's the tenor like Kamasi
I'm from the kinda posse
That's down with Ta-Nehisi
Clowns could try to box me
The hate can never stop me
I'm a product of American
Heartbreak but watch me
I'm still a problem, liftin' my wings
Despite the system that vilified the victim
I'm still alive and kickin'
I'ma striver, a survivor
A husband and a father from
The bloodline o' kings
I move different than ya, watch ya body

Oh, America not gon' bring me down today
Don't wanna see another American heartbreak
Oh, you can't keep me down oh, America
Yeah, watch your body for me
I wasn't built to breathe
I won't be another American heartbreak
My soul you won't take
You can't keep me down

Built to last strong
Nothin' gon' hold me down, no
Power, yeah, that Black power
That's how I keep holdin' on, yeah
I'm holdin' on (Holdin' on, yeah)
Holdin' on, yeah
I'm holdin', I'm holdin' strong
Holdin', holdin', I'm holdin' on
Can't nobody bring me down
I'm holdin' (Stronger)
'Cause, I've got that power
(I've got that Black power)
Yeah, yeah (Built to last)
I'm built to last, ooh my, my, my, my, my