Mmm here we go again with Tayo…
Intro (spoken, soft piano & pads)
A black man’s apology…
Dear Black woman…
Verse 1
Dear Black woman, let me take this time,
Stand still in the truth, no ego, no pride.
I owe you words that I swallowed too long,
Called you out your name when you carried me strong.
You stretched your arms—Ethiopian grace,
Held up nations while I ran from my face.
I fed the world lies, that gangster disguise,
Sex rhymes and bravado, but fear in my eyes.
I wasn’t ethical with my deepest emotions,
Played hard when my soul was broken and frozen.
Truth is—I’m not what I pretended to be,
Just a man in a costume, afraid to be free.
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Pre-Chorus
I see now the tears that dried on your face,
While my heart learned pain at a slower pace.
I was loud in the streets, silent at home,
And you carried the weight alone.
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Chorus
So I apologize… Black woman, I do
For the nights you were strong when I never came through.
I apologize… from the depths of my soul
For choosing the streets over watching us grow.
You’re my superwoman, always have been
I should’ve been standing right there as your man.
So I apologize… if these words ring true
Please find it in your heart—
This apology’s for you.
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Verse 2
I apologize for the heat of the block,
For holding a .45 instead of a clock.
For chasing fast money, no steady 9 to 5,
While you kept us breathing, kept hope alive.
I left you the burden to raise our child,
While I acted younger than the baby we smiled at.
Running wild, thinking foolish was strength,
Never knowing love was the real defense.
You nurtured, you prayed, you kept us intact,
While I disappeared, no calls, no tracks.
And it amazes me now, looking back,
How you kept the family tight through the cracks.
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Pre-Chorus 2
Lord knows you were heaven-sent,
While I was locked in my own intent.
I see the crown I never gave,
To the queen who made a way.
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Chorus
So I apologize… Black woman, I do
For the scars that came from my point of view.
I apologize… for not standing tall
For loving my pride more than loving us all.
You’re my superwoman, I cherish you still
Even broken, my heart knows what’s real.
So I apologize… if forgiveness is hard
I’m owning my flaws, laying down my guard.
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Bridge (spoken / sung, stripped beat)
Please…
Please, Black woman…
Find it in your heart to forgive
This warped street pride,
This boy learning how to be a man.
I stayed on the outside
When I should’ve been right by your side.
And I’m saying it now—no mask, no lies.
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Final Chorus (full harmony)
I apologize… with nothing to hide
For not being man enough when you needed my side.
I apologize… not just in this song
But in how I live, how I love, moving on.
Black woman, I love you, I honor your name
You carried the fire while I fed the flame.
So I apologize… from my knees, from my heart
This is a new beginning—
Not just words, but a start.
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Outro (fade)
A black man’s apology…
Dear Black woman…
I see you now.
Tayo… mmm… Tayo