N.F.L. Lyrics by Raheem DeVaughn & Bee Boy$oul (feat. Vandell Andrew & The CrossRhodes)
Born into this world a free agent
Single mother, nineteen-year-old, forsaken (No)
By my daddy, a man with no patience (Nah)
Traded for adoption towards my greatness (Yeah)
Picked up by a white team
Little privilege (Yes), I was still a black boy
With black boy visions
Sports was natural, defensive end, pointer position
In my mind I’m wondering
If my dad did this
I pushed through to become the true me
4.0 GPA, basketball, MVP
Got recruiters wanting pieces of me
Pieces of they team
A free agent, barely nineteen
Headed to Nevada to further pursue my dream
Quarterback, even earned a degree
Learned more about me
And the ones before me
The shame and the glory
Some American dreams
Our horror story (My skin is black)
My skin is black
They just see N.F.L. (N.F.L.)
They just see N.F.L. (N.F.L.)
They just see N.F.L. (N.F.L.)
My skin is black
They just see N.F.L.
They just see N.F.L. (They just see)
They just see N.F.L. (Oh, Lord, why, why)
Fast forward to 2011
NFL debut, October 2nd
New lessons of what it’s like to work for an owner
Navigating through the field
No longer the corners
Managers and endorsements
Meals and great courses
Adopted to a system
Of corporates and sportsmen
Meanwhile from Ferguson to Portsmouth
Cops are killing in great proportions
It was never my intention (Nah)
To draw self attention (Nah)
But draw more attention to the murders aforementioned (Yes)
I never flaunted no hoes
Never stabbed a person at the Superbowl
Or knocked my lady out cold (Nah)
Never got busted for trees
Never took money under the table for greed
But somehow
I’m now the villian of the league
‘Cause I took a knee for victims who look like you and me
My skin is black
They just see N.F.L. (They just see)
They just see N.F.L.
They just see N.F.L. (But my skin)
My skin is black
They just see N.F.L. (N.F.L.)
They just see N.F.L. (N.F.L.)
They just see N.F.L. (Oh, why, why, when I walk off the field)
My skin is black
They just see N.F.L. (Skin is black)
They just see N.F.L. (Ain’t invite you to be me, no)
They just see N.F.L. (My skin is black, when the police)
(Dare pull me over) My skin is black
They just see N.F.L. (My skin is black)
They just see N.F.L. (Oh, they just see N.F.L.)
They just see N.F.L. (Oh, and it’s plain to see)
I can’t believe
When they see me (Only see)
They just see a n**** for life (They just see my skin)
They just see a n**** for life (Oh, ho)
They just see a n**** for life (They just see my skin)
I can’t believe
When they see me (Oh-oh, oh, oh-oh, oh)
They just see a n**** for life (They just see a n**** for life)
They just see a n**** for life (They just see a n**** for life)
They just see a n**** for life (Hey-eh, N.F.L.)
Uh
Hey (N.F.L.)
N.F.L. (N.F.L.)
Oh, why
Why, why
Oh-oh, N.F.L.