Mary J. Blige

Released: October 21, 2016

Featuring: Kendrick Lamar

Songwriter: Bruce Springsteen Mary J. Blige Kendrick Lamar

[Verse 1: Mary J. Blige]
41 shots
And we'll take that ride
Across the bloody river
To the other side
41 shots
Cut through the night
You're kneeling over his body in the vestibule
Praying for his life

[Pre-Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
Is it a gun? Is it a knife?
Is it a wallet? This is your life
It ain't no secret
It ain't no secret
No secret, my friend, you can get killed just for living in
Your American skin

[Ad-Libs: Mary J. Blige & Kendrick Lamar]
Yeah
Oh yeah
Yeah
Oh-oh

[Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar]
If I die right before I wake
Cross my heart, then I seal my fate
Life in the dark of the heartless
Looking at the remedy for all this
Everyday they look at you a target
Falling victim, them and
Him and her then this one, insensitivity
Talk bad religion, skin identity
Lack rash decision made by yours
Pack facility with the urban boy
Gun admitted he bear arm
The entity, arm and leg and head made to destroy
80% of the victim was yours
Maybe I get to relive years of war
Look on the corner, we been here before
Look at the momma, you seen tears before?
Pain bright and early
Rain, sleet, hail, snow, worry
More storm barricade the city
Prosecution, unhung jury
These days murder keep 'em busy
Sweet blood flowed on the gurney
Yellow tape tied around the street
Colin Kaepernick was more than worthy
I could reverse the day, reverse the time
Reverse the block, reverse the gun, reverse the shot
Reverse the law, reverse the flaw
That made us all the versions of a danger flock
Reverse the love, reverse the hate
Reverse the hope, reverse the way we playing sin
Reverse the moment, so we can live again
Life and times of the American skin

[Chorus: Kendrick Lamar]
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
American skin

[Verse 3: Mary J. Blige]
41 shots
Lena gets her son ready for school
She says, "Now, on these streets, Charles
You got to understand the rules (41 shots)
If an officer stops you (41 shots)
Always be polite (41 shots)
And never ever run away
Promise momma you'll keep your hands in sight"

[Pre-Chorus: Mary J. Blige (Kendrick Lamar)]
Is it a gun? (What is it?) Is it a knife? (What is it?)
Is it a wallet? (What is it?) This is your life
It ain't no secret (It ain't no secret)
Sure ain't no secret (It ain't no secret)
No secret, my friend, you can get killed just for living in
You can get killed just for living in
You can get killed just for living in
Your American skin

[Outro: Kendrick Lamar & Mary J. Blige]
41 shots
You can get killed just for living in
41 shots
Your American skin
41 shots
Be careful out there, oh baby
41 shots
Listen to momma [?]
41 shots
Don't wanna take the ride
41 shots
Don't wanna, don't wanna, don't wanna, don't wanna take the ride
41 shots
Don't wanna take the ride
41 shots
[?] shots

Mary Jane Blige (b. Jan 11 1971) grew up in the projects of Yonkers, New York. A random decision to record a cover of “Caught Up in the Rapture” by Anita Baker in a pop-up recording booth at a mall led MJB to getting signed by Uptown Entertainment. After providing background vocals on Father MC’s hit single “I’ll Do 4 U” in 1990, a young intern at Uptown named Sean “Puffy” Combs ended up executive producing Mary’s 1992 debut album What’s The 411?. Fusing hip-hop beats with Mary’s soulful voice earned her the nickname “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul”.

She followed up her debut with a string of critically acclaimed albums, including 1994’s My Life and 1997’s Share My World, as well as hit singles such as “Not Gon' Cry,” “Family Affair,” “Be Without You,” and “Just Fine.”

She also collaborated with rappers on a number of tracks, including Jay-Z’s “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” Ghostface Killah’s “All That I Got is You,” Wyclef’s “911,” Common’s “Come Close,” and Method Man’s “I’ll Be There for You/All I Need to Get By,” which was a platinum hit and won the two of them a Grammy Award in 1996 for Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group.

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