"G.O.D. (Gaining One's Definition)" lyrics - COMMON

[Intro: Common]
After bein' 25 you know just trying to survive in the world
About to have a little boy or baby girl. Who knows?
Anyway just when you start gettin' that little age and experience to you start thinking about stuff, trying to make the right moves
So bust it out this is what I was thinkin' check it

[Verse 1: Common]
Yo the education of the Lon chicka Lonnie Lynn
Began, began with time
Being my bloodline is one with the divine
In time brother, you will discover the light
Some say that God is Black and the devil's White
Well, the devil is wrong and God is what's right
I fight, with myself in the ring of doubt and fear
The rain ain't gone, but I can still see clear
As a child, given religion with no answer to why
Just told believe in Jesus 'cause for me he did die
Curiosity killed the catechism
Understanding and wisdom became the rhythm that I played to
And became a slave to master self
A rich man is one with knowledge, happiness and his health
My mind had dealt with the books of Zen, Tao the lessons
Qur'an and the Bible, to me they all vital
And got truth within 'em, gotta read them boys
You just can't skim 'em, different branches of belief
But one root that stem 'em, but people of the venom try to trim 'em
And use religion as an emblem
When it should be a natural way of life
Who am I or they to say to whom you pray ain't right
That's who got you doing right and got you this far
Whether you say "in Jesus name" or "Hum do Allah"
Long as you know it's a bein' that's supreme to you
You let that show towards others in the things you do
'Cause when the trumpets blowin', 24 elders surround the throne
Only 144,000 gon' get home
Only 144,000 gon' get home
Only 144,000 gon' get it, baby

[Hook: Cee-Lo]
I've lived and I've learned
I have taken and I've earned
I have laughed, I've cried
I have failed and I have tried
Sunshine, pouring rain
Found joy through all my pain
I just wanna be happy with being me

[Verse 2: Cee-Lo]
Let me voice my concern
So many of my fellow brothers have given themselves a title that their actions didn't earn
Our ignorance is in the same breath as our innocence
Subconciously, seeking to find an impressionable mind to convince
I've finally come to the realization why Black people in the worse place
'Cause it's hard to correct yourself when you don't know who you are in the first place
So I try to find the clue in you
But evidently, White folks know more Black history than we do
Why're we being lied to? I ain't know our history was purposely hidden
Damn, something in me wanna know who I am
So I began my search, my journey started in church
It gave my heartache relief when I started to understand belief
Hustlin' was like a gift spent my share of time in the streets
Taught me survival from this evil I'm just gonna have to deal with
And I felt like a fool when I tried to learn it in school
It almost seemed like a rehearsal when the only science and math are universal
Takin' elder advice, read the Bible, the Koran
Searched scrolls from the Hebrew Israelites
Hold on, this ain't right, Jesus wasn't White
Some leads were granted with insight
And it's all in the plan, but it took me some time to overstand
He still created with the imperfection of man
So, with following I disagree
By no means have I forgotten or forgiven what's been done to me but
I do know the Devil ain't no White man, the Devil's a spiritual mind
That's color blind, there's evil White folk and evil niggas
You gon surely find there's no positivity without negativity
But one side you gonna have to choose
Any chance to speak I refuse to misuse
So how can you call yourself God when you let a worldly possession
Become an obsession and the way you write your rhymes and can't follow your lesson
If a seed's sown, you make sure it's known, you make sure it's grown
If you God, then save your own, don't mentally enslave your own
If you God, then save your own, don't mentally enslave your own
If you God, then save your own, don't mentally enslave your own

[Hook:]
I've lived and I've learned
I have taken and I've earned
I have laughed, I've cried
I have failed and I have tried
Sunshine, pouring rain
Found joy through all my pain
I just wanna be happy with being me