Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles (applause) Lin-Manuel Miranda: I'm thrilled the White House called me tonight because I'm actually working on a hip-hop album. It's a concept album about the life of someone I think embodies hip-hop Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton. (laughter) You laugh, but it's true! He was born a penniless orphan in St. Croix of illegitimate birth, became George Washington's right-hand man, became Treasury Secretary, caught beef with every other founding father. And all in the strength of his writing, I think he embodies the world's ability to make a difference. So I'm going to be doing the first song from that tonight. I'm accompanied by Tony and Grammy music director Alex Lacamoire. (applause) Anything you need to know -- I'll be playing Vice President Aaron Burr. And snap along if you like. ♪♪(piano playing)♪♪ How does a bastard orphan son of a whore and a Scotsman dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Caribbean, my providence impoverished in squalor grow up to be a hero and a scholar? The ten dollar founding father without a father got a lot farther by working a lot harder by being a lot smarter by being a self-starter By 14, they had placed him in charge of a trade and charter And everyday, while slaves were being slaughtered or carted away across the waves our Hamilton kept his guard up Inside, he was longing for something to be a part of The brother was ready to beg, steal, borrow, or barter Then a hurricane came and devastation reigned And our man saw his future drip, dripping down the drain Put a pencil to his temple, connected it to his brain And he wrote his first refrain, a testament to his pain When the word got around, they said, this kid is insane, man, took up a collection just to send him to the mainland Get your education Don't forget from whence you came And the world is going to know your name What's your name, man? Alexander Hamilton (laughter) His name is Alexander Hamilton And there's a million things he hasn't done But just you wait, just you wait When he was ten, his father split Full of it. Debt ridden. Two years later see Alex and his mother bedridden Half dead sitting in their own sick the scent thick And Alex got better but his mother went quick Moved in with a cousin the cousin committed suicide Left him with nothing but ruined pride Something new inside a voice saying, Alex, you got to fend for yourself He started retreating and reading every treat that's on the shelf There would have been nothing left to do for someone lest astute He would have been dead and destitute without a cent of restitution Starting working, clerking for his late mother's landlord Trading sugarcane and rum and all the things he can't afford Skinned for every book he can get his hands on Planning for the future, see him now as he stands on the bow of a ship headed for a new land In New York you can be a new man The ship is in the harbor now see if you can spot him Another immigrant coming up from the bottom His enemies destroyed his rep, America, forgot him And me I'm the damn fool that shot him Alexander Hamilton (laughter) We were waiting in the weeds for you You could never back down you always had to speak your mind But Alexander Hamilton we could never take your deeds from you In our cowardice and our shame, we will try to destroy your name The world will never be the same Alexander! Yeah, I'm the damn genius that shot him (applause) Thank you. (applause)
B2 US WhiteHouse hamilton alexander alex father miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda Performs at the White House Poetry Jam: (8 of 8) 49 6 Steven Tom posted on 2016/05/05 More Share Save Report Video vocabulary