{x2}
All that I am
All that I know
All that I ever will be and though
Out of the mouth of a black man scorned
I see you laughing with swollen eyes
Life beat a mother when you're playing the losing side
But I, dream deferred
Vision's blurred
A hustle served
And anyone who would listen, respect is earned
A lesson's learned
How many sleepless night's have you
How many?
How many shift the state have you watched it turn it to fade away
While you use all tricks to backtrack
Try to be right and exact
But lack of paper will make a n***a act
Like a n***a, forget that he black
Moms is working two jobs
Pops is worshiping two gods
Yo hard times at the bar downtown
Wondering, what's on God's mind
Truth is born
From the soul of a black man sworn
To barren streets from the east, souls get raised
Diamonds reflect
Pimped out days where my uncle lays his game down
He's in the galaxy of game and never came down
He's from the same town
I mean planet as them, ya know
Donald Goines and Iceberg Slim
Had a precious angel sharpest in the stable
Blond wig, with a pierced naval
He branded her his angel
In disguise
Eating his pockets and feeding him lies
After a few broken arms and black guys
She wrote a book to make his favor rise
Then sold to a system where he'll never breathe again
Down to Earth just to leave again