[Intro]
"What we have to do is deal with it when these individuals are young enough, if you will, to be saved, not in a religious sense, but not to constitute what this country at times calls their throwaway children."
"We seem to be approaching an age of the gross." {burp}
"We all have this idea that we should move up a little bit from our parents' nation and each generation should do a little bit better."
[Verse 1]
Alright, come on, let's cut the bullsh**, enough
Let's get it started
Let's start addressing this issue and open it up
Let's take this sh** back to the basement
And we can discuss statements that's made on this tape
And its whole origin of the music that we all know and love
The music that we all enjoy
The music you accuse me of trying to destroy
Let's rewind it to '89 when I was a boy
On the east side of Detroit
Crossing 8 Mile into Warren, into hick territory
I'd like to share a story
This is my story, and can't nobody tell it for me
You have well-informed me
I am well aware that I don't belong here
You've made that perfectly clear
I get my a** kicked damn near everywhere
From Bel-Aire shopping center just for stopping in there
From the black side all the way to the white side
Okay, there's a bright side: a day that I might slide
You may call it a pa**, I call it haulin' my a**
Through that patch of gra** over them railroad tracks
Oh, them railroad tracks, them old railroad tracks
Them good old notorious so well-known tracks
[Hook]
So, let's go back
Follow the yellow brick road
As we go on another episode
Journey with me as I take you through
This nifty little place
I once used to call home sweet home
[Verse 2]
I roam the streets so much they call me a drifter
Sometimes I stick up a thumb just to hitchhike
Just to get picked up to get me a lift to 8 Mile and Van Dyke
And steal a goddamn bike from somebody's backyard
And drop it off at the park, that was the halfway mark
To meet Kim, had to walk
Back to her mama's on Chalmers after dark
To sneak me in the house when I'm kicked out my Mom's
That's about the time I first met Proof
With Goofy Gary on the steps at Osbourne
Handing out some flyers
He was doing some talent shows at Center Line High
I had told him to stop by and check this out sometime
He looked at me like I'm out my mind
Shook his head, like, "White boys don't know how to rhyme."
I spit out a line and rhymed "birthday" with "first place"
And we both had the same rhymes that sound alike
We was on the same sh**, that Big Daddy Kane sh**
With compound syllables sound combined
From that day we was down to ride
Somehow we knew we'd meet again somewhere down the line
[Hook]
So, let's go back
Follow the yellow brick road
As we go on another episode
Journey with me as I take you through
This nifty little place
I once used to call home sweet home
[Verse 3]
My first year in 9th grade, can't forget that day at school
It was cool 'til your man MC Shan came through
And said that Puma's the brand ‘cause the Klan makes Troops
It was rumors, but man, goddamn, they flew
Must've been true because, man, we done banned they shoes
I had the new ones, the Cool J, Ice Lamb, suede too
But we just threw them in the trash, like they yesterday's news
Guess who came through next?
X Clan debuted, Professor X (vanglorious)
Exists in a state of red, black and green, with a key, sissies!
Now with this being a new trend, we don't fit in
Crackas is out with Cactus albums, blackness is in
African symbols and medallions
Represent Black Power, and we ain't know what it meant
Me and my man Howard and bu*ta would go to the mall
With 'em all over our necks like we're showin 'em off
Not knowing at all, we was being laughed at
"You ain't even half black!
You ain't supposed to have that, homie, let me grab that!
And that Flavor Flav clock, we gon' have to snatch that!"
All I remember is meeting back at Manix's basement
Saying how we hate this
How racist but dope the X Clan's tape is
Which reminds me, back in '89, me and Kim broke up for the first time; she was tryna two-time me
And there was this black girl at our school
Who thought I was cool ‘cause I rapped
So she was kinda eyeing me
And oh the irony, guess what her name was?
Ain't even goin' say it, plus, the same color hair as hers
Was and blue contacts and a pair of jugs
The bombest goddamn girl in our whole school
If I could pull her, not only would I become more popular
But I would be able to piss Kim off at the same time
But it backfired, I was supposed to dump her
But she dumped me for this black guy
And that's the last I ever seen or heard
Or spoke to the "Oh Foolish Pride" girl
But I've heard people say they heard the tape
And it ain't that bad – but it was, I singled out a whole race
And for that I apologize, I was wrong
‘Cause no matter what color a girl is, she's still a ho
[Hook]
So, let's go back
Follow the yellow brick road
As we go on another episode
Journey with me as I take you through
This nifty little place
I once used to call home sweet home