Dreaming In Color - Brother Ali

I don’t beg nobody pardon to be confident

I’m just saying my shit didn’t exist until I did it

I’m the one that’s suffered for the politics that I done spit

I ain’t quit, I hit every continent and bodied it

School of hard knocks equipped and I ain’t get a scholarship

Bet I had it poppin' since hip hop was on that power fist

Then when y’all got counterfeit, I switched and did the opposite

Now I’m on some outsider shit, ain’t that about a bitch

I ain’t never lied about what my skin is, it’s obvious

I’m just so obsessed with bringin power to the powerless

I insist;

I would never operate on cowardice

Rather chop my wrist than be afraid to take this kind of risk

Every single line I ever spit, I put it on my kids

On my blood, on my tears

All that pain, all them fears

All them shows, all them years

I was chose for this here

Maybe I’m a dreamer that’s exactly what my problem is

But when I do dream, believe I see it all too clear

You can keep your money, I just wanted y’all to hear

And remember… ugh…

Thank heaven for blessin me with a heavy flow

Twelve years old, I was already hella professional

Let it go, follow the regular road, hell no

Listen close to my own/ heart like a stethoscope

Wrote myself an episode/ set it and lettin 'em fold

Turned over every stone/ better than ever before

And every sentence I wrote/ shot it direct for your throat

Made every effort to blow/ you best be ready to go

???

never get the doe/ should’ve known

Didn’t piss and moan/ bit my lip, when out and built my own

Hit the road and did the globe/ so many times I’ve lost count

Time that I done been at home/ and didn’t recognize my house

Doctor said I shouldn’t perform/ I just tuned 'em all out

Temperature 104/ rhyme 'til I fall out

I destroyed my vocal chords/ I’mma stand tall and shout

Never let it go/ until they know what I’m bout

I give it all and ain’t never runnin out

If you listen close I’ll teach you what this love’s about

Just remember…

Y’all know I… Got that mic

On a mic/ all my life/ drop it like

Glowing out my eyes at night

Come on now what’s right is right

Always say it’s darkest right before the dawn

Come on write/ Till I reach my highest height

I’ll not go out without a fight

Bear witness I gets it in/ tear them bitches limb from limb

Carry this through thick and thin and just jump in and sink or swim

Ain’t nobody realer than/ realest always recognize

Best believe the slouchers that doubt me just keep me energized

They hold me in cages but my soul is only strengthened

My whole vocation, I rose to those occasions

Growing short of patience/ my ultimate motivation

And no I don’t expect no open invitation

But you gon' have to go bed just knowing that you’re hating

You’re ignoring greatness;

that’s no exaggeration

Allow me to stretch your imagination

Any way you look at it this shit is amazing

Remember.who we are.