Since age of 9, this was design
Math sucked, but my literature was fine
Spelling test words, I would use in my lines
Had this whispering voice in the back of my mind
(Keep hope alive, keep hope alive)
Conscience saying don't let failure be your demise
I would not slack, even with all this pride
Wanna live dreams so bad, I slept with open eyes
Tortured by rhymes, should've been a cop (f*ck hip hop)
Should've been a dealer on the block (f*ck hip hop)
Went through the era of my life, thinking everything & anything I did, would've popped, but hip hop
From seeing depression to being profession, I speak what I see, on a beat in a session
MC's ain't a threat kid, I destroy, everything they see in they dreams, like they sleep in inception
A fucking problem, came up with problems, no sleep
I was kept up by sirens
Mothers crying, son's & brothers dying
In the middle of the wild, with the jungles lions
Pumping iron, cops would block patrol
Thugs outside with knots of rock N roll
Tough cuz I was popped, ain't got no dough
Rather work on art, with my Picasso flow
Now it's... Grind to get my skate on
Young man bout to blow like napalm
(Why you think I'm labeled fantastic for?)
Disappear for a stretch, do my thing & flame on
Been through the pain, been through the struggle
Burnt down the village, we came through the rubble
Keep all your money, cuz what I got more
Than what any man can afford, listed on Forbes
I ain't never backing off or backing down (Nah)
Haters talk behind my back I laugh it off (Yea)
Worked too hard to ever fall off, is you crazy?
Lesson learned, you'll never get far tryna play me
I ain't never backing off or backing down (Nah)
Haters talk behind my back I laugh it off (Yea)
Don't go to war, you better fall back I ain't playin
Don't get involved, the game is all mine, I'ma take it
I don't let setbacks over shadow progress
I don't wanna here no nonsense
Get knocked down, we get up ain't stopping
Can't move back, we advance, no options
You don't take a chance, you ain't ever gonna prosper
Lost too much to not go out and conquer
Tears for the dead, peers and my partners
Family and friends, gone and beyond us
Sanity slipped thru my hands by the alter
Gotta keep goin tho I'm feeling exhausted
I hold my grip more than once almost lost it
Sacrifice big, can't earn what it costed
I take my losses, count my blessings
Question the boss with my head to the heavens
Asked for a sign then seen a message
Hard headed youth still gonna learn a lesson
Back to the wall, still won't slack
Can't hold back, go full force to the max
I react like an animal under attack
To the sound of the thunder that's under the track
As I think and I wonder then come to the facts
Pain nd the hunger won't let me relax
All for my people so I don't sit back
Go all out till the death... that's that
You could bet that, stay calm, don't stress that
Climbed out the pit, no clue where my heads at
Struggle got tough, still didn't sweat that
Thought I had enough, no where to rest at
Got it, I'm on it, won't lose it, can't risk that
Gotta move on, learn from my missteps
Strayed so far, thought I'd never get back
Prodigal son has returned from the mishap
I ain't ever backing off or backing down (Nah)
Haters talk behind my back I laugh it off (Yea)
Worked too hard to ever fall off, is you crazy?
Lesson learned, you'll never get far tryna play me
I ain't ever backing off or backing down (Nah)
Haters talk behind my back I laugh it off (Yea)
Don't go to war, you better fall back I ain't playin
Don't get involved, the game is all mine, I'ma take it
I'mma take it
The game is all mine, I'ma take it
I'ma take it
I ain't never backing off or backing down (Nah)
Haters talk behind my back I laugh it off (Yea)
Worked too hard to ever fall off, is you crazy?
Lesson learned, you'll never get far tryna play me
I ain't never backing off or backing down (Nah)
Haters talk behind my back I laugh it off (Yea)
Don't go to war, you better fall back I ain't playin
Don't get involved, the game is all mine, I'ma take it
