From the Soul - Square One

Pushin' a whip, cell vibratin' my hip

With a fifth o that good shit wettin' my lips

Got five more spots that I got to hit

I flip broccoli, knowin' that I got to quit

Ouiet is kept, don’t wanna get my mom upset

If she only knew her son was a ten year vet

No regrets for chillin' at the high school sets

Sellin' to kids that hadn’t reached eighteen yet

They say you reap what you sew, but these streets I know

For sho', is mo' betta than an eight to fo'

Either way I go I still gotta make that dough

So my hustle right now is to make phat shows

Bros, hoes and family, watchin’em grow

Photos of little niggas at ten years old

When we had fun time never went by slow

Now l’m over thirty and still tryin' to roll

Paul C., to whom all praise is due

And Allah for makin' me stay with you

Bumped heads many times but we made it through

Ass whippings with a switch till my shit was blue

Who knew I’d ever be the man I grew in to?

Pops' attitude mixed with my Moms' mental

Their parental advice highly influential

My potential has peaked, now I speak through my pencil

I walk a thin line between purgatory and hell

My broken English, locked in allegories of jail

Heard the wiseman’s pain in further stories to teil

You know the ghetto-fabulous, street-glories that failed

On the park bench with sixty-four squares to link

Just rolled something, whatever was there to drink

Few of us did seek an atmosphere to think

How to stick white folks for their share of mink!

Foster-Kids shooting hoops and dice in fubu garments

Rocking them Air Force Ones to loose farmers

Smooth karma’s, brothers boost armour

We had to live in a two bedroom-appartment

A snot-nose grows with his wings lo spread

My old man, I never listened to a thing he said

Lt’s hust sad to watch Mama sling in the bread …

While l’m ducking swings towards my head!

Run but can’t hide, escaping denial

These streets of Babylon have never shaped a smile

I am what I am and couldn’t change my style

Pay attention and ya hear Iman tape the trial …

To excel until my blood turns blue

Have you ever felt the pain when slugs burn through?

By any means, until my blood turns blue

Have you ever felt the pain …?