I Remember

I remember them dark days, back in my small days When I used to cut class and chill in the hallways Remember back in 96, when I thought I was popped Hit the block with my shirt off, with a bandana round my top Barely remember pops, that nigga never came home He left me and big sister and my mama on our own I remember cold winters, heating up old dinners I remember hand washing my clothes in dish liquid I remember mama told me the streets nothing but evil Filled up with what's illegal, dirty and crooked people She told me that we ain't equal to them whites Though we got the same rights, they still got a better chance at life Cause we born in the struggle, raised around trouble When they judge us, they gon' charge us with double because our color Man, I remember seeing dope on the stove Remember betting on dice rolls at nine years old Yesterday is what it felt like When I used to be doing bad in the class Come home and my mama mad Used to stay being accused of breaking all of the rules Like I had a point to prove, so they threw me out of school I remember food stamps before they was on the card Eating ramen noodles fresh out the pack in the front yard It's still hard, ain't nothing changed I got older and I got smarter But I'm still under that water from the hurricanes I never had nothing, but I don't jack nothing Cause God made it to where I'ma see this rap money And haters act funny, cause they know I'ma get it 89 born with it, flow hot warm lyrics Where I been, what I seen, they ain't got a clue 15 years of living, man, I thought I was through But God got a gift, he told me hold the grip And never slip, just let them keep hating, running they lips Feel like I'm fighting the world and everybody in it Like everybody against me, everybody an enemy They won't see me in the grave or locked up in a cage But I'm just out here trying to get paid I'm just trying to stack my ends, I really don't need friends They the main ones who robbed you, even if they your kin I got family in the pen, so I ain't taking that route Cause I know once you in the system, ain't no way to get out