In the Ghetto (Wake Up!) - J.Period, Black Thought, John Legend

Planet Earth was my place of birth

Born to be the SOLE controller of the universe

Besides the part of the map I hit first

Any a rhyme that I can adapt when it gets worst

The rough gets going, the going gets rough

When I start flowing, the mic might bust

The next state, I shake from the power I generate

People in Cali used to think it was earthquakes

'Cause times was hard on the Boulevard

So I vote God and never get scarred and gauled

But it seems like I’m locked in hell

Looking over the edge but the R never fell

A trip to slip 'cause my Nikes got grip

Stand on my own two feet and come equip

Any stage I’m seen on, I’M LIKE A PHENOM

I stand alone and need nothing to lean on

Going for self wit a long way to go

So much to say but I still flow slow

I come correct and I won’t look back

'Cause it ain’t where you’re from, it’s where

you’re at

Even the (ghetto)

I learn to relax in my room and escape from New York

And return through the womb of the world as a

thought

Thinking how hard it was to be born

BEING EQUIPPED wit no physical form

Millions OF CELLS wit one destination

To reach the best part, it’s life creation

9 months later, a job well done

Make way, 'cause here I come

Since I made it this far, I can’t stop now

There’s a will and a way and I got THE know-how

To be all I can be and more

And see all there is to see before

I’M Called and go back to the essence

It’s alot to learn so I study my lessons

I thought the ghetto was the worst that could

happen to me

I’m glad I listen when my father was rapping to me

'Cause back in the days, they lived in caves

ExileD from the original man, a straight way

Now that’s what I call hard times

I rather be here to exercise the mind

Then I take a thought around the world twice

From knowledge NEWBORN back to knowledge precise

Across the desert, that’s HOT AS THE ARABIAN

But they couldn’t cave me in 'cause I’m the Asian

REaching for the city OF Mecca, visit Medina

Visions of Neffertiti then I seen a

Mind keeps traveling, I’ll be back after I

Stop and think about the brothers and sisters in

Africa

Return the thought through the eye of a needle

For miles I thought and I just fought the people

Under the dark skies on a dark side

Not only there but right here’s an apartheid

So now is the time for us to react

Take a trip through the mind and when you get back

Understand you’re third eye seen all of that

It ain’t where you’re from, it’s where you’re at

Even the (ghetto)

Even the (ghetto)

No more props, I want property

In every borough, nobody’s stopping me

Because I’m thorough, rhymes are making real estate

for me to own

Wherever I bless a microphone

007 is back and relaxing

On POINT N' reactin' and ready for action

I’m so low key that you might not see me

Incognito and taking it easy

Quiet, it’s kept on a hush hush

In front of a crowd, I get loud, there’s a bumrush

Be calm, keep a low pro, and play the background

HOPIN' the wack rapper’LL put the mic back down

So rip it, break it in half, go head and slam it

'Cause when it’s time to build, I’m a mechanic

I’m bonding and mending, attaching and blending

So many solos, there is no ending

People in my neighborhood, they know I’m good

From London to Hollywood, wherever I stood

Footprints remain on stage ever since

As I walk the street, I leave fossils and dents

When I had sex, I left my name on necks

My trademark was left throughout the projects

I used to get rich when I played celo

When I rolled 4, 5, 6, they go we know

So I collect my cash then slide

I got my back, my gun’s on my side

It shouldn’t have to be like that

I guess it ain’t where you’re from, it’s where

you’re at

Even the (ghetto)

I’m from the (ghetto)

Word up, peace