[Intro: J. Cole]. Yeah caged bird. Something like a caged bird. Caged bird. Yeah look. [Verse 1: J. Cole]. You ain't a man till you stop chasing your friends my nigga. Think for yourself make your own plans my nigga. I'll be lying if I said I ain't understand my nigga. Cause who you gon' follow when the leaders all get swallowed. By reefer clouds and bottles. In and out of county jail. This is hell see the young black males in packed cells. With they heads down. And they fists clenched tight. Thinking "I could bust a hole through this wall. And bitch I just might". It's just like the caged bird I sing a song. Hoping they open up these bars and send a nigga home. I cry when I'm alone. I'm wondering why would God send me here. Knowing that they hate us. Knowing that they make us feel like we evil so we kill our people. Without a second thought in every lesson taught by Ogs. We full of real nigga wisdom so we proceed. Like real niggas who been stripped of our humanity. I see the judge's eyes I know that he ain't understanding me. [Hook: J. Cole]. A caged bird (Yeah a caged bird). (Let this little caged bird sing) Caged bird. Yeah caged bird. Freedom's just an illusion that's my conclusion. And if it ain't then how my niggas keep on losin' theirs?. This goes out to childhood friends that's doin' years. Prison tats on they backs like souvenirs. We wish that you was here. A mother's tear spilled on this page. A brother's tear spilled on this page. How many days left?. And can you find peace when you released. Still filled up wit' rage. Back on the streets just to peep that you still in the cage. [Verse 2: Omen]. Well it's the oratory vet. Turned down king slash poet laureate. Used to paint a picture with a story of neglect. I could've been a shorty drinking 40s on the steps. With a shorty on my lap. With a shorty on the way coming shortly to protect. I could've been a dealer in the party with the X. But I'm hardly in the mix and I partially confess. I definitely got a couple parts in me that I regret. Is the cup half-empty or is it half-full?. I fill mine up with Hennessy then get back to him. I'm just a jazz musician trapped in a rap form. You think you standing for something you on a trap door. Well it's the Mr. Introspective. I'm a dreamers dream a sort of an inception. I never fiend for the scene but I dreamed of the things. That a Mercedes brings like slow sex with fast women. Drinking cognac I'm past grinning. A sexy dress fat ass in it. But still hit it till I'm half-winded. Cause niggas tell me I'm the shit. Well I be hitting all these dimes. See I'm caged by the visions of the blind. I started as a king. Turned to a slave. Put us in our chains. We was forced to entertain. Thinking bout the present day I'm living off the stage. Wonder if a nigga ever get up out this cage. As I sing. [Hook: J. Cole]. A caged bird (Yeah a caged bird). (Let this little caged bird sing) Caged bird. Yeah caged bird. Freedom's just an illusion that's my conclusion. And if it ain't then how my niggas keep on losin' theirs?. This goes out to childhood friends that's doin' years. Prison tats on they backs like souvenirs. We wish that you was here. A mother's tear spilled on this page. A brother's tear spilled on this page. How many days left?. And can you find peace when you released. Still filled up wit' rage. Back on the streets just to peep that you still in the cage