Black Superhero Songtext
von Robert Glasper

Yeah (up in the sky)
(It′s a bird, it's a plane)
Hmm, sound like some superhero shit (up in the sky)
Some Black superhero shit
(Up in the sky) hmm, damn
Oh yeah

Every block, every hood, every city, every ghetto (up in the sky)
Need a Black superhero (it′s a bird)
Every block, every hood, every city, every ghetto (it's a plane)
Need a Black superhero

You need a nigga roll like me
Military mind stated and I keep a gun and a degree
You can label me a Huey P
Made a martyr outta Martin, outta Malcolm, outta Medgar
I refuse to let these dirty devils make my Gullah beggar
Fuck a hero see, oh, I will go make heed, oh, for my people
Give me liberty or death, that is my credo, not my ego
Dressed in a tuxedo, enter party, alter ego


Killed your need of it, gazebo did it for the people
Love what motivated, I did not do it for hatred
But I truly hate the devil, I cannot debate or fake it
I was asked a question and I asked about it hard
If I was facing death, then I could ask one thing of God
I would ask for every nigga to be free here and abroad
And to be rightfully celebrated as a child of God
And to be rightfully celebrated as a child of God (as a child of God)

Every block, every hood, every city, every ghetto (it's a plane)
Need a Black superhero
Every block, every hood, every city, every ghetto (up in the sky)
Need a Black superhero

Our own kind took Nip′ from us
Money still read, "In God we trust"
Truthfully we envy, so why we so envious?
And why our own kind envy us?
Pac said it′s hard, but we gotta keep our head up
Goin' even though we know we fed up

Uh, it′s hella tension 'cause we ain′t careful where we all pay attention
I need all my real soldiers on the front line
Fighting for the right shit just one time
So unstoppable together at the same time, with the same mind
Yeah, we wanna be high and always above what's beneath us, so

Every block, every hood, every city, every ghetto (it′s a bird, it's a plane)
Need a Black superhero (it's a bird, it′s a plane)
Every block, every hood, every city, every ghetto (it′s a bird, it's a plane)
Need a Black superhero


I′m talking bulletproof kinda suit
Reflect the struggle that they put us through, with a shrimp
To fight the power like Chaldea do, with the insight to be equal
Know the sky need it, a voice that finds reason
To multiply people in the streets full of calls
Marching on Washington might as well be walking through walls
Type of superhero show up with ain't no one to call
That′ll shield you from them shields that been killing us all

High beam for eye to peep, the villains and the door
Power of resolution 'fore a war was even started
The knowledge to build and grow where they live
And take care of the kids and the older folk
The queens ′cause they need it most
Politic with the kings, a body cannot a grow
True PTSD, 'cause mental health ain't a joke
Feed the hungry, and though, everyone would know everywhere we go

Every block, every hood, every city, every ghetto (it′s a bird, it′s a plane)
Need a Black superhero
Every block, every hood, every city, every ghetto (up in the sky)
Need a Black superhero

Some take one of us to save us, some take love and a lot of trust
We just took it, have faith and know that
Long as you got mine, I got your back, I know
It's gon′ take one of us to save us, some take love and a lot of trust
We just took it, have faith and know that
Long as you got mine, I got your back, I know (know that)

Every block, every hood, every city, every ghetto (it's a plane)
Need a Black superhero (need a Black superhero)

You know, just, just the idea of how Black men
In this culture and society get framed
And how everything possible is actually designed
To actually diminish what your true power is, right?
And so, when you speak about the superhero-ness of our communities
Every ghetto, every block, every street corner
Really, all of those men are God
They′re just living in a reality that tears them down
And makes them feels as though they're not what they actually are
′Cause they know it when they look in the mirror

The female take on it
You know, and on some levels, it's a little more heartbreaking, right?
Because, like, we've created this reality that walks away from us being clear
Of all the fact that the Black woman is actually the goddess on this planet (absolutely)
The mitochondrial information that′s read was to create every type of man
That exists on this planet is derivative of hers (absolutely)

Right? So, we actually have to sit there figuring out
Which being on this planet actually constitutes God?
And that term, if we′re framing it in that way
The actual living God on this planet
The only direction you can point in is the direction of the Black woman
Firstly like, us as an extension of her, but firstly her, right?
Because none of it exists without her