| My live has been like
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| One long journey, filled with a lot of ups, and definitely a lot of downs
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| Check it
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| I dedicate this here, to my grandfather
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| Who passed away earlier this year,
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| At his funeral I ran threw a whole box of tissues
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| My tears are dry, but I still miss you
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| And I promise that I’ll never forget you
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| These last six bars just made it official
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| Yeah I know he can hear me,
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| Even though he don’t speak English, he can understand clearly,
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| What his grandson is trying to express
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| (sigh) It’s tough, but I’m trying my best
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| I remember as a kid just runnin' with him,
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| Every year I would spend a whole summer with him,
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| Visit him in the projects,
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| And he knew I was intrigued by them shiny objects
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| Cuttin' a Rolex out of magazine ad Told me when I grow up, I could buy one for
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| my dad,
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| So much energy like me quite clever,
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| These are memories I will treasure forever,
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| Every now and then I still shed a tear
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| Walking through Chinatown I feel his spirit in the air
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| For your legacy I go harder
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| Tell my kid that your great grandfather was a great grandfather, |
| But let me walk you to the timeline Take you back to my pops and moms grind
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| They both immigrated to this country as teenagers,
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| You know, typical American dream chasers,
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| Immigrating blew up like disco,
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| Heads were movin' from New York and to Frisco,
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| My pops said, «NY, let’s go,»
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| This was in the 70's when he used to rock a 'fro,
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| Bell bottoms, pimp hat with the tilted brim,
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| I’ve seen pictures and I still don’t think it’s him,
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| Fast forward to '82
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| That’s when he met my moms, got married, and had a baby too
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| That baby’s who? |
| That baby’s me, Jin Au-Yeung,
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| My moms was wild young,
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| Only eighteen a senior in high school,
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| When I was eighteen, that was my school,
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| NMB, I’m a Charger for life,
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| I put that on every single bar that I write
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| Picture a young couple, tryin' to get on track
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| What are the options, a restaurant, a laundry mat?
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| So they went with plan A,
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| From that point on, I was at the restaurant every damn day
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| But I was only twelve, I just wanted to play
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| When my friends would come, I’d give the food away, |
| I know that’s bad for business,
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| So I apologize now if it still makes a difference
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| I guess deep down, I just hated the fact I felt trapped,
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| And that was my way of getting you back
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| I can’t go back in time and I hate it But I can’t tell you your hard work is
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| appreciated
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| See to the customer, that’s just a plate of rice
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| But to my family, that shit could save a life
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| And this is more than Chinese food It’s a life story of a Chinese dude
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| And I ain’t come here to tell you what to eat,
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| It’s just food for thought over a beat
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| Nah, I ain’t here to tell you what to eat
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| It’s just food for thought over a beat |