Prince Akeem

"Prince Akeem"
Song by Mike Posner feat. Wiz Khalifa
from the album Keep Going
Recorded:	2019
Released:	August 6, 2019
Format:	Digital
Length:	3:50
Samples:	Billy Joel - Half A Mile Away
Writer:	Mike Posner, Mike Shinoda, Steve Thornton, Billy Joel, Cameron Thomaz, Lavell W. Crump, Cris Caswell, Adam Friedman
Producer:	Swiff D, David Banner, dwilly
Label:	Island Records, The Island Def Jam Music Group, Universal Music

"Prince Akeem" is a single by Mike Posner. David Banner and Mike Shinoda are credited as writers on the track.

Background

Mike Posner had been releasing music to commemorate milestones in his 3000-mile walk across America, which he started four months before. He released "Look What I've Become" when he crossed the state line between Missouri and Kansas, and "Prince Akeem" marks passing the midpoint of the country, from Kansas into Colorado.

Music Video

A music video for "Prince Akeem" was directed and edited by Logan Meis and released on August 5, 2019 featuring a shortened version of the song.

Versions

Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.

Title	Album	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
Prince Akeem (feat. Wiz Khalifa)	Prince Akeem	3:50	2019	August 6, 2019	Features vocals by Wiz Khalifa.

Personnel

• Mike Posner, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
• Chris Gehringer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel
• Jaycen Joshua, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
• MIKE SHINODA, ComposerLyricist
• Steve Thornton, ComposerLyricist
• BILLY JOEL, ComposerLyricist
• Wiz Khalifa, FeaturedArtist
• Cameron Thomaz, ComposerLyricist
• Swiff D, Producer, Programmer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
• David Banner, Producer
• Lavell W. Crump, ComposerLyricist
• Cris Caswell, ComposerLyricist
• Adam Friedman, ComposerLyricist
• dwilly, Producer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Additional Producer, Programmer, Recording Engineer, Drums & Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
• Jacob Richards, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
• Mike Seaberg, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
• DJ Riggins, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
• ℗ 2019 Island Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Lyrics

Album Version

David Banner, they
Good  mornin'
This  that alarm clock song
I made it for you to wake up to
Ah

You  know I came to rip the scene apart
My  whole life is a piece of art (Oh)
And this is just a brush stroke (Oh)
I  made it in the biz they said was cutthroat (Oh)
I'm gettin' where I wanna be, but honestly
I can't even tell if that's really where I wanna be
I'm not a commodity, I am on an odyssey
Used  to be a wannabe, now I'm what I wanted to be, woo
I'm an underdog, dawg, I'm Ralph Naderin'
Followin' my intuition now and that's a major win
I'm Taylor Swift mixed with Ruth Bader Gins'
Liberation is the flavor that I'm savorin', it's mmm
Fake breasts and makeup, they don't turn me on
Life is a game and, yes, the journey's long
Growing my beard was just like me puttin' my jersey on
Coach K saw the light in me early on

Oh you don't believe?
Mike Posner, boy, is he talented, I mean
That's from '08
Yeah, he's so talented
What up Nolan?
Jon, go get 'em, woo

We 'bout to take it to a new level
Even when I'm sad, I give 'em hell, I'm a Blue Devil
Her boyfriend wrote a book, I was unimpressed
I don't care about her man if it wasn't Hesse (Oh)
I might do Everest, you never know (Oh)
And change is like a metronome (Oh)
I never read The Untethered Soul (Oh)
I already got an untethered soul (Oh)
I wasted years tryna become better known (Oh)
Right when I gave that up is when I became better known (Oh)
Oh, this is that Michigan December flow
I got two lifetimes worth of ideas in my Evernote (Oh)
Old soul, Fender Rhodes (Oh)
Complimented outwardly now from my inner glow (Oh)
And since I've seen
I changed my look to see who really loves me
I'm Prince Akeem

See when I was comin' up
I was always one of them niggas who did what the fuck I want
Smokin' weed on TV wasn't even cool
Now that shit legal
So back then, from causin' trouble to right now
I'm a motherfuckin' businessman
Hahahaha

Uh, too rich to ever fit in
You wait in front, I get in
You talk too much, I listen
You blind, I got the vision
The day I worked for myself, that was the best decision
You livin' check-to-check, I check to see what checks I'm gettin'
You get no respect until respect is given
I live with no regret, you regret where you livin'
Still got the yellow car, we in the house chillin'
You think the air is on, I'm heir to the throne
So many diamonds, people stare when I put 'em on
But they don't walk up, my pockets thick like Ms. Parker
And I got the Benz parked, sparkin' up (Sparkin' up)
And I got a '64 that's hard as fuck (Hard as fuck)
But don't get in over your head
Supposed to be stackin' instead of spendin' most your bread (Bread)
Don't get in over your head
Supposed to be stackin' instead of spendin' most your bread (Bread)

It's just a half a mile away
Ooh, ooh, yeah
It's just a half a mile away
Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh

External Links

• Prince Akeem: YouTube
• Prince Akeem (Official Visualizer): YouTube