| Back in the day, growing up so much I couldn’t afford
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| I wanted more from this crazy world we’re living in
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| Ran through with my lights out
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| So don’t you criticize my lifestyle
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| Back in the day, growing up so much I couldn’t afford
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| I wanted more from this crazy world we’re living in
|
| Ran through with my lights out
|
| So don’t you criticize my lifestyle
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| Fourteen years old, babysitting when my phone rang
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| My partner on the other side, he talk about «let's go man»
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| We headed out to New York, shit’s a whole different domain
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| Put our rap shit on the fast track, get up out the slow lane
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| So we stole a whip from this chick and caught her name, and a cheque book
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| We should’ve been in classes reading textbooks
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| But we tired of being patient, sick of waiting for that next look
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| And my partner just got juvenile life over a left hook
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| So we riding down the 90 East headed for The Bronx, no turning back now
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| I’m nervous as fuck, but I can’t back down
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| Can’t let these older niggas view me like I’m a clown
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| Plus we all rap so this some shit that I can jot down
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| Four days later we in the mega of this rap shit
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| New York lights shining bright, never would’ve imagined what happened next
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| My partner got bagged for them bad cheques
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| His PM left our shit out on the step
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| I’m fucking stressed
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| Back in the day, growing up so much I couldn’t afford
|
| I wanted more from this crazy world we’re living in
|
| Ran through with my lights out
|
| So don’t you criticize my lifestyle
|
| Back in the day, growing up so much I couldn’t afford
|
| I wanted more from this crazy world we’re living in
|
| Ran through with my lights out
|
| So don’t you criticize my lifestyle
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| I’m at the pay phone calling mom’s collect, I hope she accept
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| I got myself into this mess, now I’m full of regret
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| I ain’t even tell her that I left
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| I know she stressed and upset
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| And get me this ticket back home but put her further in debt
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| I’m in the Grand Central Station pacing, waiting for the Greyhound
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| Mom’s couldn’t by a ticket to Spokane so I’m on my way down
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| To North Carolina where my aunt and uncle resign
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| They told me they sicken tired of me being a fucking liar
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| And how my mom’s a fighter, she raised three kids on her own
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| And if I think that I’m wrong, they ‘gon do this all alone
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| So they tore up the plane ticket that my auntie just bought me
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| This a defining moment birthing all the lessons they taught me
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| My uncle told me «stop fucking with those knuckleheads. |
| You a good kid but you
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| getting in trouble instead. |
| You should be focusing on your music if you really
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| want to do it. |
| I was a DJ back in my day. |
| You got to prove it
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| So take this bus ride for 11 days
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| Peanut butter, jelly, loaf of bread, but not a dollar to your name.»
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| Shit
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| I realized actions could inflict pain
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| Especially to those that love you
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| You know, the ones that put no one above you
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| The message is go for what you dream for
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| It’s risk first, reward
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| Even teachers once was student before
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| And you could have anything you reach for
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| Life’s a stranger ‘til you figure out what you ‘gon meet for
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| For real
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| Back in the day, growing up so much I couldn’t afford
|
| I wanted more from this crazy world we’re living in
|
| Ran through with my lights out
|
| So don’t you criticize my lifestyle
|
| Back in the day, growing up so much I couldn’t afford
|
| I wanted more from this crazy world we’re living in
|
| Ran through with my lights out
|
| So don’t you criticize my lifestyle
|
| Man recording this song is a trip
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| Thinking back to the situation and where I was thinking at the time
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| I was fucking trippin'
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| Just out here trying to get it, I don’t even know how or, what I was really
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| doing
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| I’ve already apologized but I’m sorry for that shit
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| Look at me now, living my dream
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| R.I.P. |
| to my uncle Curtis
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| He always believed it was possible
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| Showing me that tough love, you know?
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| Shit you be mad about then, but the man it made me now, I know it’s worth it |