History Repeats

[Intro] I’ve joked. I’ve smoked. But I can’t laugh this one off. Not when I see the signs again. Not when I hear her voice. [Verse 1] I grew up where the neighbors didn’t match my skin Where the food smelled different and the schools felt thin But I learned love in four languages Heard prayers with four gods And it made my voice rich Not flawed We’d trade tapes, share breaks, talk pain and wins Before the culture got sold and split by spins Now I see lines drawn that we swore we erased Now I see fear get cheered in a proud man’s face [Chorus] History repeats if you don’t pay mind My great-great-grandma said “they smiled before they signed” She saw neighbors go missing and no one ask And I see the same silence creeping back This ain’t about sides, this is about souls About the flags you wave and the lies you hold She said “truth dies when good men sleep” Now I stay up, cause I know history repeats [Verse 2] She told me stories with a hand that shook Of names scratched out and books they took Said, “One day you’re human, next day you’re not” And no one speaks till the bodies rot I think of that when they ban a book Or cage a child, then tell me not to look Some of y’all more mad at my tone Than the fact that a kid got murdered alone I don’t care what side you claim If you see hate and look away — you the same I lost friends over this But I gained a spine And I ain’t ever been prouder to draw this line [Chorus] History repeats if you don’t pay mind My great-great-grandma said “they smiled before they signed” She saw neighbors go missing and no one ask And I see the same silence creeping back This ain’t about sides, this is about souls About the flags you wave and the lies you hold She said “truth dies when good men sleep” Now I stay up, cause I know history repeats [verse 3] They say stay in your lane — I say widen the road Cause silence got us here, and it’s time we unload They fed us fear in golden plates Told us love was a threat and truth was fake Now I see kids with more hate than hope And leaders who smile while they tighten the rope They ban what they fear, they erase what they lack And the ones with power won’t ever look back So I speak for the ones they ignore on purpose The ones they call worthless, the ones under curses I rap for my grandma, for the pages they burn And I swear on her name — I won’t wait my turn [Chorus] History repeats if you don’t pay mind My great-great-grandma said “they smiled before they signed” She saw neighbors go missing and no one ask And I see the same silence creeping back This ain’t about sides, this is about souls About the flags you wave and the lies you hold She said “truth dies when good men sleep” Now I stay up, cause I know history repeats [Bridge] She said: “They laughed at us before they locked us in. They burned books before they burned bodies. And by the time they called it wrong… it was already too late.” I won’t be late. [Final Chorus] History repeats if you let it slide Don’t wait for the screams to pick a side She said “truth dies when good men sleep” So I stay loud. And I don’t retreat. And I don’t retreat.