i come from a ,strong house built on shaky ground
where the cops quick to shake u down
cause u fit the profile if your face is brown
and u dress like the n*ggas that you hang around
they'll take u down
to the station
try to get a statement
by tellin you all about the time that you facin
but some get complacent
start cooperatin
and i aint sayin dont snitch, shit im just sayin
that karmas a bitch, and the playas keep playin
and everyday n*ggas lose their space'n
just get replaced
cause the game dont stop
like the hands on a clock
and you can get clapped...
just like that
at the drop of a hat
or better yet the drop of a dime
or dropped over eyein the wrong dime's behind
cause its a fine line between life and dyin
its sorta like the curb
it separates the street from the side walk
and i was a nerd who stayed in beef cause how i talk
smart chick, with a smart mouth
never start shit
but it followed me, when i stepped out the house
and i tried to keep my hands clean
i was into hoopin
hoodlums told me doo the damn thing
the good kid in the hood, ya girl went the book route
tried to play the corners but i never made it higher than a look out
i told them peeps when the cops was comin
and in return them peeps they looked out for a youngen
i went to the corner store, never paid for nothin
stopped gettin jumped by shanika and her cousins
and i loved it
the hood taught me valuable lessons
how anything you pick up in a fight is a weapon
or a shield
and dont be scared to take a punch
to keep your lunch
cause in a day, them scars will heal
and if you pass the test
then you will get respect
but if you back down, then you gonna get messed with
so when they knocked me down i would come up swingin
not soft just because i had a good upbringing
see moms and pops taught me not to be a slave
that the system was corrupt but still get good grades
got word from the teachers, that i was a problem
but did their own research
and wouldnt let em medicate
pops worked for the city we wasn't on medicaid
moms real gritty stayed schemin on ways of gettin paid
they tucked me in with a hug and kiss
from my pops i got patience, my mother gave me stubbornness
streets gave courage and the fam gave encouragement
between the two i got a double dose of nourishment
double dose of knowledge
from street scholars and college
product of it all so all i acknowledge
the diamond in the rough that got polished...