[Chorus: Repeat 2X]
We came a long way up from fighting court cases
Running the streets dirty with guns on our waists
Tryna be a man feed a fam and build a basis
Treaded the sandhills, hip hop is my oasis
[Verse One]
It all began up in 100 dwight
When my uncle younganutt handed me my first mic
At 13 years old, I realized it was a road
And at the end I would win lots of pots of gold
Never lost the flame, never divorced the game
Everybody who know me know I paid the cost for fame
To be a billionaire, the god struggled for years
Some nights I shed tears when I said my prayers
Been shot at a lot of times for slinging nickels and dimes
On the road to the riches that was paved with crime
I was sought of caught in between the streets and a mic
Niggaz never touched the knuckles
Cause they knew I could fight
Red Hook was one projects easy to get killed in
My mother always told me stay from underneath them buildings
I scrambled all my life, finally I found my purpose
I'ma be a disciple to hip hop long as the earth twist
[Chorus]
[Verse Two]
My mother and Mrs. Irene had me, Klief, and Elliot sing
+Rappers Delight+ by the Sugarhill Gang, at her baby shower
Now I realize that's what gave me power
At 8 years old that was my first hip hop encounter
Then I went on playing keyboards with adam ellis
Only 12 but we could play whatever people tell us
In the halls of Red Hook, I was the king of the beat box
Back when me and Mr. Ice walked around singing rock box
He was the nicest emcee in the hook on Red Hook Day
When niggaz saw us behind the ropes they were shook
We feint to lace the mic and young always allowed us
Used to go from block to block to battle
And people would crowd us
On staircases with rah and sha the ganja would spark me
I was fiending to battle dougie fresh, buff and biz markie
Was always a ghetto star and highly respected
Lashawna always asked me when I'm gonna make a record
People seen something in me I didn't see in myself
Shit I was only having fun, niggaz loved how it felt
My 2 daughters denysha, yay-yay, my whole family
I dedicate this to y'all for believing in me
[Chorus]
[Verse Three]
I come from humble beginnings, a project apartment
7 kids on 2 beds, the rest on the carpet
My mother raised her brothers and sisters on welfare
As well as her own kids, and she didn't have any healthcare
Now we tryna get houses with cars in garages
Manage twa's, bubble hot tub massages
Laughing all the way to the bank with my goddess
Tryna put gold bars in the safe, platinum artist
No longer settling for the crumbs on the cake
No more embezzling or we running from jake
Shopping sprees copping threes rocking designer things
No more selling poppy seeds or hocking diamond rings
Celebration of life, everyday's like christmas
Taking my baby girls on trips, and fulfilling their gift list
Sending my ol' earth on vacation on the love boat
After a cruise around the world she comes home to a fur coat
Relax with black sand all up between her toes on beaches
Enjoying the breeze from palm trees, sipping crushed peaches
Shit, back in the days the only island niggaz been on was rikers
Doing pushups with them lifers!
[Chorus]