Verse 1: Now I ain't trying to be the greatest I used to hate hip-hop, yup Because the people around me hate it They tried to shade it Tried to fade it Make sure the whole town hate it Said those ignorant hood dwelling Marijuana smelling Have no message to deliver Besides make the godly shiver Yep ignorantly I agreed I took the seed And this garbage I used to feed To those younger than me Already infected with the greed That the rich white uptight Population preached all night Do not give to others Not even to unprivileged mothers Who's brothers beat her every day Because they were unhappy with their pay Despite her four year old child She needed more than the d** that are mild And soon went wild The lessons that my hypocritical elders Were not the lessons that my idols taught me no Hook: (lupe fiasco hook) Verse 2: Sittin' in my room Quietly listening to MF Doom If discovered I would meet my doom But the seed that hip hop planted me Was like a flower waiting to bloom I felt like the soon to be groom Who just met the love of his life And rejoiced by playing the fife
Except I rejoiced By listening to the life Of all the brothers who would give to the unprivileged mothers Who's brothers beat her every day Because they knew the way And know that everyone in the hood pay A price that couldn't be paid with money If a man is lucky enough to call a woman honey Then he would disappear like the funny Easter Bunny Except their ain't no comedy Because love in the hood is considered to be an anomaly Even a man who goes to church and listens to the homily Wouldn't normally Even show his love formally Hook: Verse 3: These lessons that I've learned Are more valuable than any paycheck earned As I became more embedded And began to feel like I was wedded I openly shredded all the lies That made knots like ties And soon enough all of the guys Began to despise Because my rise To becoming something wise Didn't include a girls thighs I longer needed their all seeing eyes I took off my shades I improved my grades And then I glided on my blades Until I was dead like Hades or aids Whatever made me King of the trades like what Hook: