| Tell you who you are in the classroom
|
| Schoolbooks don’t tell you bout the kings and queens (That you come from)
|
| Just know knowledge is power
|
| The wealth’s in your mind but you gotta have heart
|
| And you gon' need it
|
| 'Cause the odds been against you from the start
|
| 'Cause your skin tone dark be smart like
|
| I learned and gained from my papa
|
| Wisdom he taught me bout wealth, he said
|
| If you gon' work for somebody, then you
|
| Might as well work for yourself. |
| It went
|
| Over my head as a youngin, 'cause it’s
|
| Some shit you don’t comprehend, if you
|
| Forget everything I tell you, promise
|
| That you’ll remember this
|
| Ain’t nobody gon' give you nothin
|
| You gotta take that shit
|
| Ain’t nobody finna give you nothin
|
| You gotta take that shit
|
| Take it
|
| Look
|
| Um, Take me back to the one room shack
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| The house on Sack
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| Where it all originated
|
| The entrepreneurship that you demonstrated
|
| I listened to you every time that you was ventilating
|
| Even though you thought I wasn’t
|
| Bob Marley tellin us to get up stand up
|
| You taught me to stand up and be counted
|
| But how you gon' be counted if you don’t have your hand up
|
| Hand full of green hair grease that you keep in your fro
|
| I got the same soft hair I know I got it from you
|
| I love mom but her side of the family just seem to have nappy roots
|
| But the blacker the berry, sweeter the juice
|
| You told me about the struggle when you were young
|
| West Oakland Projects and mayonnaise sandwiches
|
| How the Black Panthers taught y’all about self defense
|
| Being black is beautiful but come with its challenges
|
| Told me bout your time at Coca-Cola
|
| You were stressed out dealin with them racists
|
| Which led to you beatin ass in the basement
|
| You were never one to avoid confrontation
|
| I probably get it from you
|
| But the same roll led to a business of your own
|
| Before cell phones you were runnin out the home
|
| You was givin me the skills that I wouldn’t understand 'till I’m grown
|
| Now I understand everything you were on
|
| Don’t understand my siblings
|
| And how they don’t come around
|
| 'Specially with your illness
|
| I think that shit’s selfish
|
| Why they act like children
|
| You act like you don’t hurt but I know you got feelins
|
| I love that you’re a realist
|
| And never have you sugar coated anything
|
| You been honest with the tongue of a guillotine
|
| Know that everything you taught still lives in me
|
| And every move I make is a result of all the energy you put in
|
| I learned and gained from my papa (I love you forever)
|
| Wisdom he taught me bout self, he said
|
| Heaven is a state of mind, that’s why
|
| People be livin in Hell. |
| It went
|
| Over my head as a youngin, 'cause it’s
|
| Some shit you don’t comprehend, he said
|
| If you forget everything that I told you
|
| Promise you’ll remember this, like
|
| Ain’t nobody gon' give you nothin
|
| You gotta take that shit
|
| Ain’t nobody finna give you nothin
|
| You gotta take that shit
|
| Take it |