Afro Angel

You don't have to sell your soul and throw away your pride
Told him it's either them drugs or us either them thugs or us

Then all the pressure from her mom, she stepped to Russ
Flexin' on every guy that walk by but don't start pal
Afro Angel, born against the world
You don't have to sell your soul and throw away your pride
In all the wrong places, outside your radio stations
'Cuz if the gun came from the whiz, Cowardly Lion, got heart now
Bobby's a deer in a headlights, pump, drop it or I'll shoot
Lil Bobby got a gun now, age fifteen

You'll do anythin' for Omar or Phil, bring you to me
That ain't happenin', I guess he wasn't that strong
You don't have to sell your soul and throw away your pride
Never forget that you are loved, you know that you are loved

You on the prowl now, downtown, searchin' for love
Afro Angel, sent from Heaven above
Back in high school, Tamika was the sweetest, the bomb
As all your girlfriends gettin' jealous, damn she landed the bomb
Afro Angel, born against the world
Afro Angel, sent from Heaven above
Knocked up by some thug named Russ in the drug game
But to go from dollar 50 gees a week to dollar 30 gees a year
He came back the next week and the whole family was gone
Then like a sign from the sky, the baby cried

Feathers of my wings paralyzed by the distance of my mind

Then like a sniper, cleanin' his rifle, Bobby disobeys his commands
Hot to death, though in tenth grade a teenage mom
She said, "Yeah", he said, "In that case would you please be my wife?"
It was the last person she expected to be
Wrapped so deliciously within my own joy and misery
"Down with me? Period, through life's stress and strife"
You don't have to sell your soul and throw away your pride
Rage inside, pride, been denied respect
Like an angel sings, I love y'all more than anything
Well, needless to say, Russ was a little perturbed

But had the cutest kid you ever seen
And like a clumsy chef she spilled the beans on where they had gone
Then in a fury put the pressure on her girlfriend Shawn
And say God, bear me witness, no doubt, lovin' ya dear

Or start lovin' your girl
Hold out my hand as an invitation into my hotel
Frozen by the potential of me, an Afro Angel
Never forget that you are loved, you know that you are loved
Out on the town, reckless abandon he's been bullied before
Let's pull it on a stranger, ahh, fun for the crew
Could of sworn Bobby's blood formed the shape of an angel's wings

Today, he is in your town, puttin' it down
Willing to trade your spirit for some crass, whack wage
Surprised when he realized, damn dude got one too
Somethin' small, somethin' simple as a pass back stage
Puttin' a bug in my boy's ear, your 'S' is for free
Upstate Schenectady, Tamika answered the door
And then me, hypnotized by the devil as well
Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh

Here I stand before you, the color of the night
Afro Angel, sent from Heaven above
But now he straps, and no more, attitude high
The ultimatum, either continue bein' a thug in the world
No need to RSVP, place your hand in my palm
And I pray the Lord my soul to keep
They just stared, he said, "Do you love me for me?

Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh
Hopin' he with new hit single, is tryin' to mingle

Destined to spend his life inside a cage it seems
But now I lay me, down to creep
One shot rings out then only the stranger stands
Afro Angel, born against the world

He can't take it though he gotta earn it but he ain't learned that yet
Afro Angel off your pedestal from perchin' above
You know you are loved, yeah

You in the car with your friends, followin' my limo around
Afro Angel, sent from Heaven above
Yo, they straight moved away, without as little as a word

You can do without the cars, vacations, and jewelry?"
But for what?
Smile's upside down now, games ain't so cute
Afro Angel, born against the world
Never forget that you are loved, you know that you are loved