Doesn’t seem like it was that long ago
My two best friends were Link and Mario
Just trying to save the princess but now I must confess
I really didn’t know what I would do once I passed the test
The women I knew they were all too strong
Never had to have a man to help them get along
Cuz my momma got me everything I want and need
And when they told her she can’t she said “What and see”
I’ma raise me a man he ain’t gonna be the same
And when he gets older you gonna remember his name
Ain’t for the fame, but for the way he played his game
No fakin’, no fears, no lies, no shame
So when the sun is shining you know he’s the one to blame
And when he moves the world around him is changed
And when you see the chip on my shoulder that’s a little too big
It’s because my momma set the bar and I’ma make her proud of her kid (yo)

Now lemme say a few words for all the women I’ve forsaken
Cuz they the ones who built me up even when their hearts were breakin’
You see they knew exactly what I was
Just an immature idiot trying to spread my love
But they saw a diamond in the rough that needed one hell of a buff
So they put in the work even when push came to shove
But I won’t say I’m sorry because they already know I am
They met me when I was a boy, and they left me as a man
Thought I was big pimpin’ but really I was just trippin’
And now I thank God everyday for all the ladies who called me out for slippin’
You gotta be grateful for every moment, even the bad
Cuz every moment is a lesson, every lesson is a chance
To change yourself for the better, better than you were in the past
And the women from my past built one hell of a man
So when you see the chip on my shoulder that’s a little too big
It’s cuz the ladies who loved me are going to be proud that they did (yo)


Now when ya’ll are looking towards the future
I can see you getting bright eyed about super computers
But I’ll tell you our communities will be in shambles
If we continue to listen to these old men babble
About “it’s a man’s world, girl get in the kitchen”
This ain’t the 50s no more and all the roles are flippin’
Don’t know about you but I’m gonna be part of the symptom
For the change for the girls, for the ladies, for the women
I got neices with dreams they want to achieve
And it’ll be harder for them if there ain’t no one to believe
That they can be anything that they want to be
No matter what the hell they got down between their knees
So I’m gonna build them up one compliment at a time
You’d be impressed what they can do with an empowered mind
And when you see the chip on their shoulder that’s a little too big
It’s because I told them their potential is infinite (yo)


Chorus
Give it up (HEY!) Give it up (HEY!) Give it up for the ladies
Give it up (HEY!) Give it up (HEY!) Give it up for the girls