Nas - I Can lyrics

I know I can be what I wanna be
If I work hard at it
I'll be where I wanna be
I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be
(I'll be where I wanna be)

Be, b-boys and girls, listen up
You can be anything in the world
In God we trust
An architect, doctor, maybe an actress
But nothing comes easy
It takes much practice
Like, I met a woman who's becoming a star
She was very beautiful, leaving people in awe
Singing songs, Lena Horne
But the younger version
Hung with the wrong person
Got her strung on that heroin
Cocaine, sniffing up drugs, all in her nose
Could've died, so young
Now looks ugly and old
No fun 'cause now when she reaches for hugs
People hold they breath
'Cause she smells of corrosion and death
Watch the company you keep and
The crowd you bring
'Cause they came to do drugs
And you came to sing
So if you gonna be the best
I'ma tell you how
Put your hands in the air, and take the vow

I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be
(I'll be where I wanna be)
I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be
(I'll be where I wanna be)

Be, b-boys and girls, listen again
This is for grown-looking girls who's only 10
The ones who watch videos and
Do what they see as cute as can be
Up in the club with fake ID
Careful, 'fore you meet a man with HIV
You can host the TV like Oprah Winfrey
Whatever you decide, be careful, some men be
Rapists, so act your age, don't pretend to be
Older than you are
Give yourself time to grow
You thinking he can give you wealth, but so
Young boys, you can use a lot of help
You know you thinking life's all about
Smoking weed and ice
You don't wanna be my age
And can't read and write
Begging different women for a place
To sleep at night smart boys turn to men and
Do whatever they wish
If you believe you can achieve
Then say it like this

I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be
(I'll be where I wanna be)
I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be
(I'll be where I wanna be)

Be, be-fore we came to this country
We were kings and queens, never porch monkeys
There was empires in Africa called Kush
Timbuktu, where every race came to get books
To learn from black teachers
Who taught Greeks and Romans
Asian Arabs and gave them gold, when
Gold was converted to money it all changed
Money then became empowerment for Europeans
The Persian military invaded
They heard about the gold, the teachings
And everything sacred
Africa was almost robbed naked
Slavery was money
So they began making slave ships
Egypt was the place that
Alexander the Great went
He was so shocked at the
Mountains with black faces
Shot up they nose to impose what basically
Still goes on today, you see?
If the truth is told, the youth can grow
They learn to survive until they gain control
Nobody says you have to be gangstas, hoes
Read more, learn more, change the globe
Ghetto children, do your thing
Hold your head up, little man, you're a king
Young princess
When you get your wedding ring
Your man will sing, "She's my Queeeeeen"

I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be
(I'll be where I wanna be)
I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be
(I'll be where I wanna be)

Save the music, y'all save the music, y'all
Save the music, y'all save the music, y'all
Save the music