I am from schlitz malt liquor bull, Golden, Champale, Wild Irish Rose, and Christian Brothers Brandy

From Atari, Nintendo 64, pickles with peppermint sticks and penny candy.

I am from Mr. Ed with the one leg who had a candy store with video games in his garage

I am from house parties in basements, you better play where you can hear me, and fathers getting out of dodge

I am from plastic covered couches getting stuck to legs in the summer time

I am from got to have a roof over my family’s head, even if I have to commit a crime

I am from mothers buying food with black and white labels

Families sitting down together at the dinner table

Collard greens and rhubarb growing from my grandmother’s back yard

I am from the wild wild hundreds on the south side of Chicago so you better be hard

I am from flirting with boys at West Pullman Park, and rushing home before it gets dark

I am from playing double Dutch, running bases, touch football, and Chinese jump rope

From sitting in bars at the age of 4 and people in the hallways shooting dope

I am from my grandmother Dorothy who raise us with love and care

And my grandfather Robert who was something like a poor millionaire

I am from, mayonnaise sandwich, government cheese, and red Kool-Aid  

From backgammon, checkers, dominos, twister, Bid whist, Spades

I am from scared to spend food stamps at the grocery store because somebody might see

I am from Saturday morning cartoons and school house rock on a black and white TV

I am from riding the bus all day on Sunday because I have a super transfer

I am from addressing my elders by saying yes ma’am and yes sir

I am from spending holidays with family and friends

From getting whooped with the leathers belt and promising to never do it again

I am from frying fish on Fridays and yo momma jokes

I am from Bud Billiken parade, Taste of Chicago, and weed smoke

I am from fried grits, cinnamon toast, and clean out the refrigerator soup

I am from Captain Crunch, Frosted Flakes, rice crispy, and Fruit Loops

I am from Slinkys, lite bright, easy bake ovens, and roller skates

I am from the commodores, earth wind and fire, parliament funkadelic, Phil Collins, and Billy Joel

I am from don’t ask me no questions just do as you are told

I am from you gonna sit at that table until all of your food is gone

I am from you better get yourself together because the show must go on

I am from U G L Y you ain’t got no alibi

Where men and big girls don’t cry

I am from combing my mother’s hair with sugar and Vaseline

From by the time I get home your room better be clean

Where I am from made me who I am and I wouldn’t change a thing

I am from catch a boy kiss a boy duck duck goose, and bike rides

I am from neighbors looking out for one another and black pride

I am from recorder players disguised as a huge piece of furniture in the living room

Sony Walkman, head to head handheld football game, and straw brooms  

I am from Saints and Sinners losers and winners pros and beginners