[Intro: Kanye West & The Three Degrees]
(Breaking up) We can make it better
(Breaking up) We can make it better
(Breaking up) We can make it better
(Breaking up) We can make it

[Verse 1: Kanye West]
Somebody told me Deltas brown-skinned, AKAs light-skinned
And they supposed to be bougie, so they got white friends
First day of school, I'ma take you sight seein'
Show you what we do on weekends for excitement
She said, "I know what you about to say, like your hypeman"
Last year, a n***a hit her, and now she only date white men
And if a n***a even wave at her, it's frightenin', but

[Chorus: Kanye West, Tony Williams & The Three Degrees]
(Breaking up) We can make it better (Better we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it better
(Better we can make it on up, we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it better (Better we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it

[Verse 2: Talib Kweli]
The night fallin' over Brooklyn where they murder for change
The converter remains faithful to the drug dealer priestess
He inserts the word in they vein, you heard of the name
Kweli the truth like I'm comin' out the mouths of babes
One foot in and one foot out the grave
N***as want they reparations
How you calculate the amount to be paid?
You try to imagine America without the slaves (The slaves)
[Chorus: Kanye West & Talib Kweli, Tony Williams, Q-Tip & The Three Degrees]
(Breaking up) We can make it better (Better we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it better
(Better we can make it on up, we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it better (Better we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it (Good looks, Ye!)

[Verse 3: Q-Tip]
Her tenement, yo, is rat infested
Her heart is like a gold bullion because she went and protested
'Cause her best friend's man got popped
He was sixteen years old, the cop thought his phone was a Glock
In the hood it's an everyday happenin'
In front of the precinct, she chews out the captain
She yells out, "Why y'all do this to black men?" C'mon
Uh

[Chorus: Kanye West, Talib Kweli & Q-Tip, Tony Williams & The Three Degrees]
(Breaking up) We can make it better (Better we can, yeah)
(Breaking up) We can make it better
(Better we can make it on up, we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it better (Better we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it

[Verse 4: Common]
I think of eighty-seven ways to make better days
Whether crime or rhyme, I heard the rebel pays
On the scene, tryin' to get green like everglades
The music, ridin' it good like Escalades
In the ghetto infested by shade and drama
And n***as wit' thangs ain't afraid of karma
I'm thinkin' big like Lil Wayne and Tha Carters's that-
[Chorus: Kanye West, Talib Kweli, Q-Tip & Common, Tony Williams & The Three Degrees]
(Breaking up) We can make it better (Better we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it better
(Better we can make it on up, we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it better (Better we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it

[Verse 5: Rhymefest]
C'mon, look
Tell people the truth, but never give 'em your true thoughts
Terrorism on blacks, they poison our Newports
Patriot Act in effect, make it hard to breathe now
Johnnie Cochran dead, who gonna get us "Us free" now?
Clinton ain't in office, who gon' give us shit free now?
Who gon' make it better for the thugs in the penal?
Who gon' make it good for old folks that's senile?
Oh, it's G.O.O.D. Music, yeah, dawg, I see now

[Chorus: Kanye West, Talib Kweli, Q-Tip & Common, Tony Williams & The Three Degrees]
We can make it better (better we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it better
(Better we can make it on up, we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it better (Better we can)
(Breaking up) We can make it

[Outro: The Three Degrees]
Breaking up, it's so very hard
Breaking up, it's so very hard
Breaking up, it's so very hard
Breaking up