Going Back to Brooklyn

Some of my favorite people of all time, are from Brooklyn

Jay-Z, Spike Lee, my Uncle Joel, Mel Brooks

The Beastie Boys, Lou Reed, ODB

Now - I'm not from Brooklyn but, this is my story

Once upon a time in the Bay, there was nothing left to say

So I had to get away

I'd been sittin all up in Duboce Park with Lamar on my mind

Like Alistair Grey, feeling strangely fine

Twenty-six years old, at a crossroads

Was it time for grad school, or time for more shows?

Time to rock my thesis, or write more songs?

Time to call it quits when I'd been doin this so long?

I couldn't decide, so I made an EP

with a rapper named K. Flay that opened for me

I helped her get discovered and on tour with #OH!3

I heard she got a deal, I read it in AP

I bought the Jay-Z book "Decoded" and I noticed something funny

You've got to grind and hustle if you want to make that money

I met a girl with purple hair, a Puget Sound grad

Fell head over heels, life wasn't that bad!

I'm going (going) back (back) to Brooklyn - DJ Premier!

I'm going (going) back (back) to Brooklyn - the RZA, the GZA!

I'm going (going) back (back) to Brooklyn - Woody Allen whattup?

I'm going (going) back (back) to Brooklyn - Jimmy Fallon yo you're killin it!

I went to Europe, with Zebrahead

Ed played rums on my set and it sounded so sick

Knew I had to get back in the game, stop sleepin on my craft

and bring that fire back quick

I made some comments in the press, that got some kids upset

on white rappers that were taken out of context

But Sage Francis had my back and I don't regret a thing I said

I was just bein honest

So I got lost and rode my bike around Lake Merritt

I found a safe routine, but yo I couldn't bare it

Every day was exactly the same like NIN

My upper playground hoodie, was starting to wear thin

That's a metaphor - the Bay was played out

My inspiration was gone like a cerebral drought

So I, got running, and moved back East

Built a studio in Greenpoint, and made a bunch of beats

Now I could be enlightened, or I could be in love

Or I could be confused, or I could be on drugs

Or this Buddha in my pocket, might just have been a sign

that everything was back on track and everything was fine

I'm going (going) back (back) to Brooklyn - Jerry Seinfeld you're paid

I'm going (going) back (back) to Brooklyn - Mike Tyson c'mon!

I'm going (going) back (back) to Brooklyn - Eddie Murphy, Charlie Murphy I see you

I'm going (going) back (back) to Brooklyn - Biggie, respect...