I am not throwin' away my shot
I am not throwin' away my shot
Ayo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwin' away my shot
I'ma get a scholarship to King's College
I probably shouldn't brag, but dang, I amaze and astonish
The problem is I got a lot of brains, but no polish
I gotta holler just to be heard
With every word I drop knowledge
I'm a diamond in the rough, a shiny piece of coal
Tryna reach my goal, my power of speech, unimpeachable
Only 19, but my mind is older
These New York City streets get colder, I shoulder
Every burden, every disadvantage I have learned to manage
I don't have a gun to brandish, I walk these streets famished (whoo)
The plan is to fan this spark into a flame
But d*mn, it's getting dark, so let me spell out the name
I am the A-L-E-X-A-N-D-E-R
We are meant to be
A colony that runs independently
Meanwhile, Britain keeps sh*ttin' on us endlessly
Essentially, they tax us relentlessly
Then King George turns around, runs a spendin' spree
He ain't ever gonna set his descendants free
So there will be a revolution in this century
Enter me (he says in parentheses)
Don't be shocked when your history book mentions me
I will lay down my life if it sets us free
Eventually, you'll see my ascendancy
And I am not throwin' away my shot (my shot)
I am not throwin' away my shot (shot)
Ayo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwin' away my shot
I am not throwin' away my shot
I am not throwin' away my shot
Hey, yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwin' away my shot
It's time to take a shot
I dream of life without a monarchy
The unrest in France will lead to on-archy
On-archy? How you say? How you - oh, anarchy!
When I fight, I make the other side panicky with my shot
Yo, I'm a tailor's apprentice
And I got y'all knuckleheads in loco parentis
I'm joining the rebellion 'cause I know it's my chance to socially advance
Instead of sewin' some pants (whoo)
I'm gonna take a shot
But we'll never be truly free
Until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me (that's right)
You and I, do or die (whoo!)
Wait till I sally in on a stallion with the first black battalion
Have another shot
Geniuses, lower your voices
You keep out of trouble and you double your choices
I'm with you, but the situation is fraught
You've got to be carefully taught
If you talk, you're gonna get shot
But check what we got
Mr. Lafayette, hard rock like Lancelot
I think your pants look hot, Laurens, I like you a lot
Let's hatch a plot blacker than the kettle callin' the pot
What are the odds the gods would put us all in one spot?
Poppin' a squat on conventional wisdom, like it or not
A bunch of revolutionary manumission abolitionists
Give me a position, show me where the ammunition is
Oh, am I talkin' too loud?
Sometimes I get overexcited, shoot off at the mouth
I never had a group of friends before
I promise that I'll make y'all proud
Let's get this guy in front of a