(Intro)
It's crazy, ya know? Sometimes I just sit here and reminisce..wondering where the years have gone. Just looking back on my life and lessons learned. Sometimes it feels like I'm not even supposed to be here right now. Like I should be dead or in jail. But I'm still here. And I'm thankful...for everything this Carolina life has shown me. I ain't done yet though..let's go!
(Chorus)
Lookin back on how these years made me
Coming up in Carolina. She's forever my lady
I tell my people now that we on. In this industry
It's '91 to infinity and beyond
From the Queen City to the 9 Dime
Home of the best, I'm guessin next that the world is mine
I really hope that I ain't leavin too soon
Every night of my life, I've been admiring the same moon
(Verse 1)
See it was back in '96
Had my first kiss in kindergarten
And I've been chasing waterfalls ever since
Wrote a poem for my teacher on some "roses are red"
She called me mannish. That went over my head
I wasn't trippin. I was livin every day like the first of summer
Outside in any weather. I thought it'd last forever
Playin with my cousins and them. My mama watched us race bikes
She was hustlin then, them late nights
I never realized we were up in the hood cuz I was five
Mama watched me like a hawk in the sky
I gotta give it up cuz I know for a woman it ain't EASY tryna raise a man
I understand. I got a plan, mama. On how to make a couple grand, mama
Couple pages per day. I'm nice with the wordplay
Gotta match you in the work put in. In terms of mothers, you a perfect 10
I'll hustle til you never have to work again
(Chorus)
(Verse 2)
See it was back in '02
Middle school I was dressin old school. Little dude tryna pose cool
Those were funny days. I was goin through my chubby phase
Had my pants saggin with the struggle braids
But effervescent adolescent I was
Though it was tough tryna impress girls around the thugs
Tryna get attention, that's when I rebelled
Skippin cla** to get detention, like goin to jail cell
I remember all my boys playin basketball and
I was sittin writin raps and drawin
Hated the monotony. People shoot hoops every day
I was droppin new j**els every page
And they used to tease him
Every day he would say that he'd make it but they didn't believe him
I ain't mad though, cuz I don't know if I believed myself
I prayed to God cuz I needed help
Now
(Chorus)
(Verse 3)
See it was back in '09
I was just a college boy
The freedom sweeter than an Almond Joy
That's when I met my boy Steve
And we both figured
We had to come together in the name of something bigger
We dropped the Validation. It was the foundation
Tru Muzzik is the movement. This is OUR nation
Realist Undergrads....now we payin rent...
Staring at the same moon...as I plan my ascent...
Realist Undergrads...now we payin rent....
Rest in Peace, Deena....