Trip Lee Releases "Could've Been Me" After the Eric Garner and Michael Brown Verdicts (Listen Here)

By Timothy Yap Dec 05, 2014 07:07 AM EST

Christian hip hop rapper Trip Lee is not shy to speak up his mind. After the verdicts on Eric Garner and Michael Brown, Lee responds to the whole Ferguson unrest by releasing an emotionally moving song "Could've Been Me."

Commenting on the song, the rapper writes: " My heart is heavy. I know God is good, and that He's in control, but my heart is heavy."

"Last week after the events in Ferguson (and the responses to it on social media), I felt burdened to write a song. My goal wasn't to make any grand statements or declarations, but to express the way that everything made me feel. So I started writing, and this is what came out. The sentiment that echoed in my mind was: "It could've been me.""

"I had a whole post ready on how Christians should respond in times like these, but after the news about Eric Garner yesterday, I decided to wait and post that later. For now, I just want to say that I have a heavy heart. I'm not interested in debates or arguments right now. I just want the freedom to express my hurt."

"I'm hurting because that Eric Garner video is devastating to watch. When my wife and I first watched it months ago, we both cried. Life is a beautiful gift, and it's sobering to watch that life leave someone's body - especially when it's taken by other men. I thought, "Surely people can't get away with that. At least they'll have to answer for their actions at a trial.""

Here's the lyrics to "Could've Been Me:"

Verse 1:

Don't nobody wanna hear our pain
That's how I'm feeling when I'm flipping through them twitter comments, all I feel is rain
They telling me get over it's old
That stuff don't exist no more
But that don't ring true when I look in these streets
So it's real when I feel like it coulda been me

Hook:
Man can I tell you how I'm feeling right now
Ah they wanna know how I'm feeling right now
I feel like it coulda been me
I feel like it coulda been me
We all made in God's image you know
All our lives matter, our vision is broke
We feel pain cause we been here before
Who's innocent I don't know
But it coulda been me
I feel like it coulda been me

Verse 2:
I didn't know Mike Brown
I ain't know Trayvon
I didn't know Sean Bell
But I know they gone
I ain't know Oscar Grant or Tamir Rice
I didn't know Eric Garner
But I know they life
Is worth more than they saying on the tv screen
I hate I got a long list, you finna see me scream
Cause I feel like they don't see we kings
Made to rule like Him, they think we needy fiends
I wasn't there when they shot at the man
I can't solve cases, won't say that I can
But I do know life as a young black man
Guess I can't be mad that some don't understand
But maybe you would
If you looked at my life and you stood where I stood
Use my eyes to look at these streets
It's too real when I feel like it coulda been me

Hook:
Man can I tell you how I'm feeling right now
Ah they wanna know how I'm feeling right now
I feel like it coulda been me
I feel like it coulda been me

Verse 3:
Picture me as a teen
Picking out drinks in the store when I seen
The cashier looking at me, then he screams
Points at my hip and tells me I'm seen
But hold up, I ain't know that I was that scary
And I ain't know that I could shoot you with a blackberry
Very odd, that he saw me as a thug
When I'd never caught a case, never stole or bought drugs
Or how bout the time that I flew to a show
Full of joy, finna rap for a room full of folks
Outside then I find it's a gun in my face
Handcuffs on my hands, pat down at the waist
It's the same ol, same ol
I fit the description of a criminal that they know
They showed me picture, come on
Are you kidding? We don't look a like
Well the cops thought we did if you looking right
Every black man I know
Got stories like those, reaping what they ain't sow
When they assume you a thug from the jump
It don't matter if you strapped with a pump
Look I don't know if Mike Brown had his hands up
But I'm writing saying homie I'ma stand up
And I'ma tell you I feel I look in these streets
And say it's real when I feel like it coulda been me

Hook

Verse 4:
Skies feeling grey, eyes red
Black and white clash, clouds over head
How long till they heard what we said
How long till they hear what I said?
Shout out to all the good cops
Fighting bad guys, making good stops
I hate that on the hood blocks
In the end they might try to lump you in with all the crooks
I wanna say to all my young black men
I know it's feeling like we just can't win
But in your anger don't sin
Don't affirm what they thinking
Don't let nobody tell us we ain't got worth
Some will try to shut us down it will not work
I know it ain't fair, but we know that He cares
And one day he'll wipe away tears

Outro
Where's your hope at? Mine is in him
Where is your hope at? Mine is in him
We got work to do, but my hope is in him
They got work to do too, but my hope is in him