Code Switching

AS A BLACK KID YOU GOTTA LEARN THIS HANDY TRICK

OF SOCIAL SELF DEFENSE

YOU SWITCH UP YOUR SPEAK, AND GIVE YOUR MANNER A TWEAK

DEPENDING ON THE AUDIENCE

I’LL BE WILL SMITH WITTY, OR COOL LIKE DIDDY

OR AFFABLE AS YOU PLEASE

’CAUSE WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG AND BLACK, YOU DEVELOP A KNACK

FOR PUTTING THE WORLD AT EASE

IT’S CALLED CODE SWITCHING, AND I’M A MASTER OF THE DIAL

I’VE GOT A DIFFERENT ME FOR EVERY SITUATION

NO MATTER BLACK, WHITE, OLD OR YOUNG, I CAN TUNE IN TO YOUR TONGUE

AND NOBODY CAN TELL WHICH ONE’S THE REAL ME, YEAH

FOR THOSE TIMID WHITE SUBURBAN MOMS

I’M HUMBLE SACCHARINE SWEET

JUST A SKINNY KENAN THOMPSON

MA’AM NO NEED TO CROSS THE STREET

FOR OLDER BLACKS, I’LL DIAL IT BACK

PLAY THE RESPECTFUL GRANDSON ROLE

THEY DON’T CARE FOR RAP, OR HIPPY HOP-ITY CRAP

SO I’M WARM AS MOTOWN SOUL

AND I CAN CHARM THE OLD SCHOOL ITALIAN CATS

WITH A SMILE LIKE SAMMY DAVIS

BUT I ALWAYS KNOW THAT AS SOON AS I GO

THEY GO STRAIGHT BACK TO STONE COLD RACIST

CODE SWITCHING

GOT THE WHOLE WORLD ON MY DIAL

AND IT’S ANYBODY’S GUESS WHICH ONE IS ME!