[Introduction] In the face of the system, we're forced to abide A world that's built on oppression, where our excellence is denied We strive for greatness, but it seems like a losing game Where every step forward is met with resistance and shame [Verse 1] We wake up before dawn, to beat the clock and rise above The struggles of yesterday, we put them in our past, we move But still we face the same roadblocks, the same glass ceilings that won't break It's a never-ending fight, for every inch we take [Pre-Chorus] We're running on fumes, but still we push ahead Our determination burning bright, like a fire in our heads We know it's not fair, that we have to work twice as hard But we won't give up, no, we'll rise above the guard [Chorus] Working twice as hard, getting half as far We're chasing shadows of equality, but they keep erasing the bar It's a cycle that repeats, a vicious game we play But still we hold on tight, to our dreams, our hope, our way [Verse 2] From slave ships to sharecropping, from Jim Crow to today The system's designed to keep us down, in every single way We're forced to conform, to fit into their mold But we won't be held back, no, we'll break the chains that hold [Pre-Chorus] We're running on fumes, but still we push ahead Our determination burning bright, like a fire in our heads We know it's not fair, that we have to work twice as hard But we won't give up, no, we'll rise above the guard [Chorus x2] Working twice as hard, getting half as far We're chasing shadows of equality, but they keep erasing the bar It's a cycle that repeats, a vicious game we play But still we hold on tight, to our dreams, our hope, our way [Bridge 1] We are the sons and daughters of Africa's rich soil Our ancestors paved the way, through trials and through toil Their blood and sweat and tears, they gave us this fight And we won't give up now, no, we'll rise above the night [Chorus x2] Working twice as hard, getting half as far We're chasing shadows of equality, but they keep erasing the bar It's a cycle that repeats, a vicious game we play But still we hold on tight, to our dreams, our hope, our way [Bridge 2] We'll rise up, we'll shine bright, we'll light the way For those who come behind us, and all the ones who've strayed We'll break the cycle, we'll shatter the chains And in the end, we'll rise above the pain. [Chorus x2] Working twice as hard, getting half as far We're chasing shadows of equality, but they keep erasing the bar It's a cycle that repeats, a vicious game we play But still we hold on tight, to our dreams, our hope, our way