I Can Lyrics

[Intro: Children's Choir]
I know I can
Be what I wanna be
If I work hard at it
I'll be where I wanna be
I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be (I'll be where I wanna be)


[Verse 1]
Be, b-boys and girls, listen up
You can be anything in the world, in God we trust
An architect, doctor, maybe an actress
But nothing comes easy, it takes much practice
Like, I met a woman who's becoming a star
She was very beautiful, leaving people in awe
Singing songs, Lena Horne, but the younger version
Hung with the wrong person, got her strung on that heroin
Cocaine, sniffing up drugs, all in her nose
Could've died, so young, now looks ugly and old
No fun 'cause now when she reaches for hugs, people hold they breath
'Cause she smells of corrosion and death
Watch the company you keep and the crowd you bring
'Cause they came to do drugs and you came to sing
So if you gonna be the best, I'ma tell you how
Put your hands in the air, and take the vow
[Chorus]
I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be (I'll be where I wanna be)
I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be (I'll be where I wanna be)
I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be (I'll be where I wanna be)

[Verse 2]
Be, b-boys and girls, listen again
This is for grown-looking girls who's only 10
The ones who watch videos and do what they see
As cute as can be, up in the club with fake ID
Careful, 'fore you meet a man with HIV

You can host the TV like Oprah Winfrey
Whatever you decide, be careful, some men be
Rapists, so act your age, don't pretend to be
Older than you are, give yourself time to grow

You thinking he can give you wealth, but so
Young boys, you can use a lot of help, you know
You thinking life's all about smoking weed and ice
You don't wanna be my age and can't read and write
Begging different women for a place to sleep at night
Smart boys turn to men and do whatever they wish
If you believe you can achieve, then say it like this
[Chorus]
I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be (I'll be where I wanna be)
I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (Be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be (I'll be where I wanna be)

[Outro]
Save the music, y'all
Save the music, y'all
Save the music, y'all
Save the music, y'all
Save the music


[Produced by Salaam Remi]

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About

Genius Annotation

Nas spits inspirational lyrics over a very prominent Beethoven sample. KIDS: You can do anything you want in life!

From Rolling Stone:

That was a groundbreaking period for me. That was my biggest radio record I ever had, and like ‘If I Ruled the World,’ it was used by tons of schools for their graduation. A song like that helped me because I have a daughter, and because I make so much music that when she was younger I didn’t want her to listen to, I owed her and other kids something, something real, something real that’s up their alley, to show that I cared, that I’m a human being, that I’m not just about giving you a tune about what happens in the ‘hood and all that every day. I’ve got to be a real human being, and that was one of my real human being records right there, for my daughter. So yeah, that’s one of the most important records I ever made.

Q&A

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Credits
Produced By
Background Vocals
Recording Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Assistant Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Performance Rights
Recorded At
Transcontinental Studios, Orlando, Fl & Right Track Recordings, New York, NY
Release Date
February 11, 2003
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