Chris Rock:

You know how I can tell Colin Powell can't be President? Whenever Colin Powell is on the news, white people give him the same compliments. Always the same compliments: 'How do you feel about Colin Powell?', 'He speaks so well! He's so well spoken. He speaks so well! I mean he really speaks so well!' He speaks so well! Like that's a compliment. 'He speaks so well' is not a compliment, okay? 'He speaks so well' is some shit you say about retarded people that can talk. What do you mean he speaks well? What? Did he have a stroke the other day? He's a fucking educated man! How the fuck did you expect him to sound, you dirty motherfucker? What are you talking about?!

Verse 1:
Vé: graduated with a Bachelors. Not your regular type of rapper.
Well versed in subject matter outside of clothes, hoes, swagger, rims, diamonds, hustler's rapture.
But I admit it makes me feel much "blacker."
To speak with broken English with no need to be distinguished.
I mean this, soon as I open my mouth they pay attention.
Not cuz I'm "deep", but because they wanna listen
to my speech pattern.
Not what you expected.
Proper grammar, you didn't have to correct it.
It was a rule, but they called me "the exception" - sorta like Paramore.
You can say I'm reppin the progression.
See, we ain't all ignorant and uneducated, we're taking baby steps man!

Chorus:
Yeah, it ain't hard to tell, brotha
Can't judge no book by its cover
I'm a different breed like no other,
but they say "he speaks so well"
One time for the educated reppin
Taking steps in the right direction
They used to call me "the exception"
cuz they say "he speaks so well"

Verse 2:
I used to write my raps, spittin lines that others would define as "black"
for the credibility, havin' these niggas feelin me.
I would literally throw the word 'nigga' in intentionally.
To somewhat hide the fact that I was well aware of white and black,
I tried to be prepared if they might attack with back handed compliments I'd get slap with.
Cuz often, we gauge someone's blackness by their level of education.
The fact is while it's not meant to be intentional, it speaks volumes cuz it's mostly subliminal.
So pivotal, overcritical, but the element of surprise is what makes it more pitiful.
Imagine if I described Joe Biden the same way -
you would be like, "Duh, Vé"

Chorus

Verse 3:
One time for intelligent black kids
Two times if you educated and mastered the english language, no ebonics.
Quite the opposite, but you get it in regardless.
Trying not to be a type in your stereo.
Something opposite than what you see in the videos.
See, we all ain't swagged out or got a criminal record even though the prisons are packed out.
But on the other hand, just cuz a man don't talk with an accent don't make him less black, man.
Whatever it means to be such...by today's standards, it doesn't mean much.
Is every nigga with dreads for the 'cause'?
Is every nigga with golds for the fall?
Naw, so don't get caught in appearance even though I may speak well when you hear this...

Chorus