"God forgive me for my brash delivery, but  I remember vividly what these streets did to me."

And I can't do nothin' with those tired "sorry for your loss excuses."

There's nothing to be gained, if we don't break the chains

of stigma, we figured would not remain

In this day and age where we do not see race, bullsh*t!

Take a walk in my shoes, 23 sunny years of Chicago blues.

My cousin Ricky made the news, 2 shots to the head

And once he was dead, his whole life was reduced to a gangbanging feud.

Not knowing he was my hero, label him another nigga wiling to pull the trigga

If the situation was reversed.

No money for a hurse, mama begging for money just to lay him in the dirt.

And for what it's worth, in 23 years I bare witness to tears that my mama shed.

Shopping social agencies for bread, to lay to rest

7 brothers, her only sister and her husband.

All victims of gunshots, slung rocks and booze-

but who is this original to?

 

Lost dreams a hereditary concurrence, no medical insurance.
Self medicating dope in the vains, just to cope with the pain...                                

Grandma's drunk cries offered up in vain.

Crafted the perfect set of cirucumstances,

teaching children to drink mistaken cultural like tribal dances.

Rival gangs, as natural as sexual advances from a young girl 13

Entering into womanhood way too early! Way too misled...

Singing, "face down a** up, I was getting some..getting, getting some head."

But, how am I to intervene- when that little girl is me?

Now knowing the lies that pop culture paves is just not worth the weight

of feeding hungry mouths.

So after all those days you took care of yo mama 'nem betta then the medicine

You still got time to be a child.

 

See, picture a group of elitists that has no regard for you and no regard for me

Planning our future.

Taping our sutures with the worst public education money can buy!

Why you think they cut the bus service yet penalize yall for coming late?

Why you think they cut the breakfast program got yall too hungry to concentrate?

From where does the phrase, "talking white" originate?

Who convinced you that if it looks like me or you, then it needed to be saved?

By white peoples, white Jesus and the products they create-

Got you craving to assimilate

Who taught you black skin, black hair to hate?

Light skinned men, pretty eyed women to date?

Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs was the way to determine ya worth?

Who poisoned you? Set you on this self destructive path at birth.

 

Again for what it's worth, I'm just like you.

Yes, I'm considered to be functioning

but it's a rather simple choice to maintain my sanity

Considering the realization of everything I was predstined to be.

Or let me put it plain,

A week before Thanksgiving Chicago Police searching for answers for extended family.

4 shot to death and 1 swiss cheese'd

All with imprints on my heart they leave!

So bare with me.

It's Christmas time, 63rd and Cottage going to see my aunti...

Victim last seen exiting the barbershop with a fresh fade,

Gunned down...Yes! Laid to rest right in front of me.

As my adrenaline was pumping, I never thought once about running...

Immediately, the bus creeps up a bunch of smiling faces

And I'm like it hasn't even been 60 seconds,

I need a minute to replay this.

It's a drive you faithless travesty,

To see another tasteless tragedy,

So angry? Maybe!

 

Still. I never claim to have had a hard life.

The fist fights and dinnerless nights,

are some of the best/funniest memories I have in life.

So fists down please 'cause the black power intuition will not come to fruition by sympathy,

Rather empathy we seek.

So when I tell you the truth about oppression and white supremacy,

don't be surprised if you say, "damn that's me", or, "I do those things."

I'm only searching for understanding...

Repremanding of the idea that racism means there used to be...Slavery.

Instead of a mental condition intended to

prevent melinated babies from success

as it's intended.

 

See if you only knew what I know,

That out the cement we grow.

And only a handful of us blossom-

That's why I go as hard as possible,

no handouts it's not logical.

To just sit back, it's impossible...

You see my drive is unstoppable,

when it comes to feeding my fam,

when it comes to seeing the land

reppin' the map other than

Homicides, schools closing, crooked cops...

My 15 seconds is up, but the love will never stop.