Dedicated
Linkin Park Lyrics

I have a dream of a scene between the green hills
The singer dreams of a picturesque scene in nature.

Clouds pull away and the sunlight's revealed
The clouds move aside and the sun shines down.

People don't talk about keeping it real
There is an unspoken agreement to be authentic.

It's understood that they actually will
Everyone agrees to follow through on being real.

And intoxicated and stimulated MCs
MCs under the influence are affected by their surroundings.

Staring in the trees, paranoid, are gone in the breeze
The MCs, who were paranoid, have now disappeared.

Watch them flee, hip-hop heads
Other hip-hop fans watch as the MCs leave.

Take a walk with me and what you'll see
The artist invites the listener to see what they will.

Is a land where the sand's made of crushed up wax
The ground is made of wax sand.

And the sky beyond you is Krylon blue
The sky is a color similar to that of Krylon spray paint.

And everybody speaks in a dialect of rhyme
Everyone speaks using the rhyme style found in rap music.

And MCs have left materialism behind them
Rappers no longer concern themselves with material possessions.

Meanwhile, I just grip my mic
The singer holds onto his microphone.

And hope me and my team make it through alright
The singer hopes his group will succeed.

Because say what you will, and say what you might
Regardless of opinions, the singer remains hopeful.

But don't ignore who it's for at the end of the night
The intended audience should not be overlooked.

Because this is dedicated to the kids
The song is a tribute to a younger generation.

Dedicated to wherever music lives
Honoring the importance of music.

Dedicated to those tired of the same old same
Acknowledging listeners who desire something new.

And dedicated to the people advancin' the game
Recognizing those who push boundaries in music.

What's real, is the kids who know that something's wrong
The true reality is that many young people recognize societal issues.

What's real, is the kids who think they don't belong
The realness lies in individuals who feel out of place.

What's real, is the kids who have nowhere to run
The true reality is that some young people have no escape from their problems.

Who are hiding in the shadows, waiting for the sun
These individuals are waiting for a brighter future.

I've seen a lot of sh-, I've talked to a bum
The singer has experienced a lot and spoken with homeless people.

Out on Sunset Strip, he asked me, "How would you feel
During a conversation, the homeless man asked the singer how he would feel.

If everybody acted like you didn't exist?
The homeless man questions what it would feel like to be ignored.

You'd lose your grip, probably eventually flip"
The homeless man implies that it could lead to mental instability.

So let it be known, the only reason that we do this
The artist reveals the motivation behind their work.

So you can pick it up and just bang your head to it
The goal is to create music that people can enjoy and get lost in.

While MCs fight to see who can be the commonest
Other rappers argue over who is the most mainstream.

We float overhead like a space odyssey monolith
The artist likens their approach to that of the monolith in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Over seeing the game, over being part of the same old thing
The goal is to have a fresh perspective and break from the norm.

It's all gonna change in a hurricane of darkness and pain
The artist believes that change will come at a cost.

And acidic rain and promises you won't do it again
Change will bring hardship and the promise of not repeating past mistakes.

Pulling me close, the shadow is warm inside
The artist feels comforted when surrounded by shadows.

This is where I feel at home, this is my place to hide
Where there are shadows, the singer feels safe and secure.

What's real, everybody who doesn't feel safe
Those who feel unsafe are facing true reality.

What's real, everybody who knows they're out of place
Those who feel like they don't fit in are facing reality.

What's real, anybody with nowhere to run
The reality is that some people have no escape from their problems.

Who hides in the shadows waiting for the sun
These individuals are waiting for a brighter future.