Tryna rain, tryna rain on the thunder / Tell the storm I’m new / I’mma walk and march on the regular / Painting white flags blue / Lord forgive me, I’ve been running / Running blind in truth / I’ma rain, I’ma rain on this bitter love / Tell the sweet I’m new

I’m telling these tears, “Go and fall away, fall away” / May the last one burn into flames

Freedom! Freedom! I can’t move / Freedom, cut me loose! / Freedom! Freedom! Where are you? / ’Cause I need freedom too! / I break chains all by myself / Won’t let my freedom rot in hell / Hey! I’ma keep running / ’Cause a winner don’t quit on themselves

I’ma wade, I’ma wave through the waters / Tell the tide “Don’t move” / I’ma riot, I’ma riot through your borders / Call me bulletproof / Lord forgive me, I’ve been runnin’ / Runnin’ blind in truth / I’ma wade, I’ma wave through your shallow love / Tell the deep I’m new

I’m telling these tears, “Go and fall away, fall away” / May the last one burn into flames

Freedom! Freedom! I Can’t move / Freedom, cut me loose! / Freedom! Freedom! Where are you? / ’Cause I need freedom too! / I break chains all by myself / Won’t let my freedom rot in hell / Hey! I’ma keep running / ’Cause a winner don’t quit on themselves

Ten Hail Mary’s, I meditate for practice / Channel 9 News tell me I’m movin’ backwards / Eight blocks left, death is around the corner / Seven misleadin’ statements ’bout my persona / Six headlights wavin’ in my direction / Five-O askin’ me what’s in my possession / Yeah, I keep runnin’, jump in the aqueducts / Fire hydrants and hazardous / Smoke alarms on the back of us / But mama, don’t cry for me, ride for me / Try for me, live for me / Breathe for me, sing for me / Honestly guidin’ me / I could be more than I gotta be / Stole from me, lied to me, nation hypocrisy / Code on me, drive on me / Wicked, my spirit inspired me / Like yeah, open correctional gates in higher desert / Yeah, open our mind as we cast away oppression / Yeah, open the streets and watch our beliefs / And when they carve my name inside the concrete / I pray it forever reads

Freedom! Freedom! I can’t move / Freedom, cut me loose! / Freedom! Freedom! Where are you? / ’Cause I need freedom too! / I break chains all by myself / Won’t let my freedom rot in hell / Hey! I’ma keep running / ’Cause a winner don’t quit on themselves

What you want from me? / Is it truth you seek? Oh Father, can you hear me? / What you want from me? / Is it truth you seek? Oh Father, can you hear me? / Hear me out

“I had my ups and downs, but I always find the inner strength to pull myself up. I was served lemons, but I made lemonade” (Hattie White)

[By Beyoncé Knowles – Jonny Coffer – Carla Marie Williams – Dean McIntosh – Kendrick Lamar – Frank Tirado – Alan Lomax – John Lomax Sr. © Parkwood / Columbia, 2016]