[Hook] Mama gave birth but she really never had me Mama gave birth but she really never had me [Verse 1] The creator blew breath Beat the pill, skipped abortion I have battled thru d**h Six months first words, 32 steps Told Moms I'm done playing, ref gave me two techs I'm Gone She was looking at me weird Like you been here before I said fatherf**er yea Nobody got that joke, until a year or two later I was writing on paper People was scared Y'all don't see I wasn't born I was hatched, I's created, I was built, I was formed I was sculpted I was molded I was crafted I was carved I was generated made, from the image of a God Now the standard has been lifted And the cheers are going up I was sent to raise the bar Walking in cheers everybody yells Sha So you I'm not the norm Y'all don't get it Y'all been warned look [Hook 4X] [Verse 2] School didn't help My parents gave an effort But I swear I was raised by Melle Mel's message And a Public Enemy that had Flavor and a professor And a crew that rocked Adidas with a rapping future reverend A radio toting emcee that was confessing How he needed love and was bold enough to address it A DJ that ran for president with a legend By his side Monotone and wise infusing lessons In my bloodstream when I came up My daddy wasn't there but Big Daddy Kane was Queen Latifah, Fresh Prince, royalty I witnessed I was learning how to act before I even paid attention Craig G's verses, G Rap's wordplay Pun spit it perfect Masta Ace and my brother Lord Digga Can't thank that man enough for teaching me to pen a scripture Peeping Dana Dane, Slick Rick stories Grand Puba, man you would see me flowing as a shorty I was Bumping Naughty, and Tribe when I was young Just watching and dreaming of joining The Native Tongues Black Sheep was different GZA provoked thought Snoop gave a nucca style By 96 I was caught I clowned around when I hung around with the underground But when my hood was crazy violent I was holding on to weapons, I was on the corner dwelling by the dumpster one night I heard Brenda's baby crying I watched Bishop turn into Lucky before he died And I ain't hold it all inside.. I let it out studied Ten crack commandments, Friend or Foe, illmatic Nas made his memory lane so graphic that we shared a project window where he was seeing the static It was just like mine in my mind Dope addicts It was Ice Cube's solos, KRS cover with the burner in the photo Looking like Malcolm sh** when Busta went dolo I was so inspired Saw that Roc-a-Fella logo Then I got hired My mob was deep My rhymes was shallow It started coming from the soul When I got into battles And right now I'm afraid ‘cause these rappers are babbling So I'm looking at the future it's baffling I don't know sh** is missing That Wu Tang look NWA essence or a Nate Dogg hook Or Gangstarr's purity Can't you see it? Yo the game's looking old I'm a brand new being I was spawned, I was merged from the clouds perspiration And the sun hit my mother with light from the constellations And it took one day to bring you this here creation So I got the Lord beat I'm telling you Don't sleep on me [Hook]