Wha, Wha, Wha
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa

I'm a get a scholarship to King's College
I probably shouldn't brag, but dang, I amaze and astonish
The problem is I got a lot of brains but no polish
I gotta holler just to be heard
With every word, I drop knowledge
I'm a diamond in the rough, a shiny piece of coal
Tryna reach my goal my power of speech, unimpeachable
Only nineteen but my mind is older
These New York City streets get colder, I shoulder
Every burden, every disadvantage
I have learned to manage, I don't have a gun to brandish
I walk these streets famished
The plan is to fan this spark into a flamе
But damn, it's getting dark, so let me spеll out my name
I am the A-L-E-X-A-N-D-E-R we are meant to be

A colony that runs independently
Meanwhile, Britain keeps shittin on us endlessly
Essentially, they tax us relentlessly
Then King George turns around, runs a spendin' spree
He ain't ever gonna set his descendants free
So there will be a revolution in this century
Enter me, he says in parentheses
Don't be shocked when your history book mentions me
I will lay down my life if it sets us free
Eventually, you'll see my ascendancy

I am not throwin away my shot
I am not throwin away my shot
Hey yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwin away my shot

I am not throwin away my shot
I am not throwin away my shot
Hey yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwin away my shot

Take a Shot

Whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Yeah

Rise up

When you're living on your knees, you rise up
Tell your brother that he's gotta rise up
Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up
When are these colonies gonna rise up? (Whoa, whoa)
When are these colonies gonna rise up? (Whoa)
When are these colonies gonna rise up? (Whoa)

I know the action in the street is excitin
But Jesus, between all the bleedin n fightin
I've been readin n writin
We need to handle our financial situation
Are we a nation of states what's the state of our nation?
I'm past patiently waitin I'm passionately mashin' every expectation
Every action's an act of creation
I'm laughin' in the face of casualties and sorrow
For the first time, I'm thinkin' past tomorrow
When are these colonies gonna rise up?

And I am not throwin away my shot
I am not throwin away my shot
Hey yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwin away my shot

We're gonna rise up (time to take a shot)
I am not throwin away my shot
We're gonna rise up (time to take a shot)
I am not throwin away my shot
We're gonna, rise up, rise up
It's time to take a shot
Rise up, rise up
It's time to take a shot
Rise up, it's time to take a shot
Rise up, take a shot, shot, shot
It's time to take a shot, time to take a shot
And I am not throwin away my
Not throwin' away my shot