[Verse 1]
I wish A Tribe Called Quest would get back together
And record an album of twenty tracks or better
I wish society would stop trying to box me in
I wish me and Jasmine hadn't had to stop speakin'
I wish the hood on my car was fixed
I wish I had a deal, so I could get paid off the bars I spit
And the beats I make
I wish I had the money to buy everybody in the world a rib-eyed steak
I wish the government would quit tappin' phones in the ghetto
(Leave us alone) I wish my student loans were all settled
I wish they'd quit riggin' elections, the shit is depressin'
Bet your bottom dollar Bush wins again, no question
I wish AIDS didn't exist
I wish I didn't have flashbacks of my cousin slittin' his wrists
I wish there weren't so many single mothers and deadbeat dads
Yeah

[Verse 2]
I wish I had a one-way ticket to Kalamazoo, Michigan
I'm wishin' it were 1996 again
And De La Soul was playin' on the radio
(850 spins a week) I wish muh'fuckas wouldn't diss me when I speak
Yo, I wish that I could rhyme on beat
I wish I had some silk slippers for my mom's feet
I wish Baby Girl was still here, and Left Eye too
Jam Master Jay, with Biggie reppin' Bed-Stuy too
Freaky Tah, Big L, Big Pun and 2Pac
I wish that I could buy a new clock
'Cause we're runnin' out of time
And the way hip-hop sounds these days
It seems like we're runnin' out of rhymes
Yeah, I wish for a world with no hate
I wish we all had a soulmate
That'd be so great
I wish I didn't have to live alone

[Verse 3]
I wish cats would take down south MC's more seriously
I'm wishin' I were more advanced lyrically
I wish I was engaged to Miri Ben-Ari
And at our wedding she can even play some "Overnight Celebrity"
I wish Harold would just let it be
I wish the unemployment rate weren't so damn high
I wish politicians wouldn't tell no damn lies
I wish I'd never have to see a lonely old man cry
Yo, I'm wishin' that nobody ever coined the word "nigger"
I wish I were a few inches bigger
And I ain't talkin' 'bout my height
I wish for fried chicken, buttered corn, dirty rice and sauerkraut tonight
And on that note I wish we didn't have no stereotypes
I wish the dream killers would chill, take care of yo' life
I wish nobody was shunned for being different

[Verse 4]
I wish everybody could make it to church on Sunday
I wish Ms. McIntyre would see her son one day
I wish I could talk to God, face-to-face
Well...that wish'll probably come true one day
I wish every son could give their mom a kiss
At least twice a day
I wish we wouldn't through our life away
Over some material possessions
I wish I wasn't clowned for eating cereal for breakfast
I wish I had a genie to grant these damn wishes
I wish my critics wouldn't call me too ambitious
I'm wishin' my ass never got kicked out of school
I was a foolish muthafucka, livin' without rules
Yeah, I wish I made wiser choices
Fuck that, I wish we all did
So we can all live
Yo I've been wistful ever since I was a small kid