When Life Shows Up - E-40, Dr. Cornel West, Mike Marshall

What kind of human beings are we really?

What has gone into the shaping and molding of who we are

Both as persons as well as communities and traditions?

The inescapability of traditions

For me the greatest tradition is spiritual fortitude in the modern world,

which is the black musical tradition

There’s never been a tradition on such intimate terms of catastrophe and still

able to generate such unbelievable forms of creativity, compassion,

and fortitude

When it was my aisle turn to get up and view the casket

Couldn’t hold my tears back, it was automatic

When the reverend started preaching, it was sad

After the funeral, I hugged his mom and dad

Paid for the memorial, 7000 dollars cash

Only time we get together is when somebody pass

The story of many people I narrate

Hella hate divide and conquer, separate

When I was born, momma didn’t feed any baby food to this infant

She fed me collard greens, dressing, candied yams, and fried chicken

In the trenches, we trippin', got trials and tribulations

Renovation, they forcing us out, gentrification

Living in the Bay, it’s expensive, it’s hard to bargain

2500 a month to rent a 1 bedroom apartment

Cancer don’t care how old you are or who you are (no, no, no)

Live your life every day like it’s no tomorrow (yeah, yeah, yeah)

Health can be your best friend or worst enemy, could be ruthless

Lou Gehrig’s Disease, leukemia, and lupus

No Medi-Cal insurance so we self-medicate

Eat tomatoes 'cause it helps protect the prostate

Some of my potnas vegan, some just watch the way they eat

Substitute ground turkey for ground beef, no red meat

It’s mainey outchea, it’s murkish and it’s sick

Everybody outchea carry and pack a pogo stick

Life for us it’s just different 'round here (It's different)

Yeah, life is much different 'round here (Uh)

But we don’t give up

In God we trust

When life shows up around here (Shows up)

Sometimes it’s unfair around here (It's unfair)

But we still rise up (Uh)

Every day somebody fighting for they life

Every second it’s a body put on ice

Maggots, flies, vultures, parasites

Tag on they toe without a price

In the middle of the slums rockin' crumbs

Secondhand smoke all in our lungs

Weikel’s, Smart & Final, Target

You liable to find me up in Chavez Supermarket

The homie’s kids and his nephews tryna rap

Say that’s the only way to get up out the trap

Gettin' on somethin' they only content

I tell them they can be an astronaut or an accountant

Can’t wait to get papered up with designer belt on my pants

Do the money dance with the money phone in my hand

Loved ones in a situation and need some cash?

Send it through Square Cash, they’ll get it fast

When I finally catch a break, it’s voodoo

Every time I catch a break, it fall through

Life is against me, the devil’s on me

He shady, he janky, he ain’t my homie

Temptation is vicious, you gotta watch all these bitches

They’ll line you up with no clippers, do anything for they niggas

Life is an assignment, it’s a test

Repent, thank God, and confess

Oh, life for us it’s just different 'round here (It's different)

Yeah, life is much different 'round here (What you say?)

But we don’t (we don’t) give up (give up)

In God we trust

When life shows up around here (whoa)

Sometimes it’s unfair around here (It's unfair)

But we still rise up (look here)

Life for us it’s just different 'round here (It's different)

Yeah life is much different 'round here (it's so different round here)

But we don’t give up (it's so different round here)

In God we trust

When life shows up around here (when life shows up)

Sometimes it’s unfair around here (life shows up)

But we still rise up (well…)

'Cause I’m a Jesus loving free Black man

But I was in deep solidarity and remain so

With the focus on those poor, precious, priceless children

Even today, one out of two black and brown children live in poverty