I was born in 1985, South Georgia, what a time to be alive
My town was black majority
Didn’t see them folks an awful lot, cuz “our kind” had carved us out a spot
Thank God the word come from DC

That schoolbus picked us up each day right down at the end of my driveway
Hauled us across the town to school
Sat side by side and made some friends, my fellow young Americans
That’s when I understood this very simple rule

It don’t come natural, it don’t come straight
You gotta teach it, you gotta learn how to hate
It don’t come natural, it don’t come straight
You gotta learn how to hate

Didn’t have a clue when I was three what kind of man I’d have to be
To keep my name out of their mouths
I danced and sang and paid no mind to being tough, just being kind
Boy, straighten up cuz this here’s the South
So go on and glue that mask on til it fits, til your self reflection makes you sick
Until one day you buy the act
Then you take all of that shame and fear and you call some other kid a queer
And all your life you can’t take it back

It don’t come natural, it don’t come straight
You gotta teach it, you gotta learn how to hate
It don’t come natural, it don’t come straight
You gotta learn how to hate