MUSIC FOR SALE

Verse 1
Switch my slang like channels on cable,
At home, I’m holding it down, stable but playful.
At work, I weave words so well—White-collar, black tie,
Shifting shape so subtly, you might never catch my sly side.

I’m bilingual in vibes, tributes to tribes I ride with,
My mother’s table talk is calm comfort I confide in.
In the boardroom, I hold down my boldness and tone it down,
Speak so clean, so they see me as “worthy” enough to keep around.
Dishing different diction in diverse domains
That’s how I dodge disdain—my daily refrain.

Pre-Chorus
I’m not a chameleon by choice, but I color my voice,
When acceptance is currency, code-switch'in the invoice.
In a world of closed doors, I slip keys through the cracks,
Hoping to keep my identity intact.

Chorus
“Two tongues, two worlds, still one me,
Speaking their language so they leave me be."
I bend my voice just to stay in check,
A necessary evil till we learn respect."

Verse 2
Camouflage my cadence, a shield and a sword,
Every syllable’s a cipher, every dialect’s a door.
Blend in or stand out? It’s survival at stake,
fluent in façades, ‘cause the cost is too great."
Venom can be protection, or proof that I’m observant,
Taught to tailor my tone, keep my presence less urgent.**
**Speak soft, seem safe—let them think I’m refined,
But sharpen my slang when I’m back with my kind."
I see you side-eye me when you code-switch, too—
But we’re both guilty of shape-shifting for a seat at the table too.

Bridge
“Balance on this borderline, bridging both sides,”
Better blend in or break, that’s the blueprint—who decides?
Say I’m “two-faced,” but truly I’m torn,
Trying to twist oppression’s key so acceptance is born.

Chorus
“Two tongues, two worlds, still one me,
Speaking their language so they leave me be."
I bend my voice just to stay in check,
A necessary evil till we learn respect."


Outro
One voice for the motherland, one for the marketplace,
Until they embrace each other, I live in a fractured space.
So I’ll code-switch cautiously, fluid in my flow,
Waiting for the day when my dual voices can go—