I sit back and reflect, And put my feelings in check
I am a sea with no waves, See the horizon for days
Met with a steady gaze From the sun in the sky
As it sets me ablaze, overexposed to it's rays.

Outraged by injustice but too black to emote
Because the slightest sign of anger and its murder he wrote
A danger to society by societies lies, cuz in societies eyes,
Its stay calm or you’ll die.

But the fury of the world penetrates to the soul,
Without the choppy over current to respond to the toll,
That each casualty from the powers that be,
Keeps reminding me, its not safe to be free.

What is so called freedom when you’re free to oppress,
With your knee on my neck, or 20 shots to my chest,
What is speaking up, when you stifle my voice,
You give me no room to breathe, barely a whimper or noise

I’m falling, I can’t breathe. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
Somebody help me. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
Somebody help me. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.

It’s not safe to be black, tell me who has my back.
Pedigree and degrees do not stave off attack.
Just compete in the system, learn to play by their rules,
Is the lesson we learn, beyond the walls of our schools.

Every stare that would linger every time I’d lift a finger, is
A splinter that hindered the growth of my inner figure
Every cautious avoidance when I step into space.
Made me question my reality and also my place.

If you fear my every move or when I’m in my groove,
Do I keep doing me, or do I have something to prove?
To put your worries at ease, my people aren’t a disease,
To assault your cell of comfort or your bubble of ease,

And for far too long, as the times have shown,
No matter which way we demand, our approach is still wrong.
Whether we build our own, or we play along,
Your place in the world comes at the cost of our own.

I’m falling, I can’t breathe. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
Somebody help me. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
Somebody help me. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.

We all approach our final hour judgment at hand but black
souls are judged at the convenience of man.
No divine impartiality or blind objectivity
The fate of our soul decided with open hostility

Condemned here on earth, not deemed worthy of existence
But too hateful, selfish, or ignorant to bless our transcendence
We rise just to fall, and they don’t see us at all.
Like a shooting star that never gets a wish when it falls

I’m irate at the hate, and incensed at the nonsense.
And the feelings start to brew like several undertow currents.
But who gets swept up, in these feelings of turmoil,
If I only allow my internal soul to boil.

What’s hidden below, starts to surface above, to
Meet the African diaspora with feelings of love.
In defiance of those that shoved our suffering aside.
It’s time to let ride, this anger boiling inside.

I’m falling, I can’t breathe. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
Somebody help me. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
Somebody help me. I’m falling, I can’t breathe.
I’m falling, I can’t breathe.