Shine All Gold

You're stupid to think the world's small enough to heal all of us

That's what the teacher say, go to the preacher, pray

But you gotta pay, gotta fight you a cheaper way

Look into myself, try to find me a deeper way

Chase my dreams, create, made me me today

As I prosper, no defense, they watch us

So I'm still obnoxious when I'm in their binoculars

A nigga just wanna be free

I was in the same hood and nobody rescued me my nigga

Could've plead and believed and self achieved

Nothing with greed, just be yourself

Realize that your strength is locked inside

It's the thing that you feel when you open your eyes

Them feelings alive, go ahead homie and fly

Someday you'll get high, leaving your mark in the sky

But till then I got this, fuck your hypothesis

New York blocks is where I built my conscious up

But my ganja tryna live life prosperous

Since a toddler had a dream and I followed it

Dodging them hollow tips, throw some shots, they missed

Had to stay optimistic But her pharmacist

Kept me on cloud 9 when the hard times would hit

All time high, first time I hit fronto kid

By Eighteen, had the mind of a king

Gotta learn from mistakes, what it takes to lead

But of course had a taste of the evil seed

So I could truly see what I was meant to be

Who would know much later I would be much greater

Every parent, teacher, conference, told my mom I was a failure

Cos they couldn't see the prophet in disguise as a player

Rise on them haters and defied all the labels

Swear to keep it G till I'm at the crossroads

And the grim reaper creep tryna banish my soul

Used to sin every week, had to let the pain go

Gotta practice what your preach, but I ain't an angel

Mobbed in the streets, what the blue rag know

Know no power in a piece, but I took the gang road

But despite all the demons tryna bring me down low

I just rise like a phoenix and I shine all gold

Flatbush was my stomping ground

Mother wanted to keep me out

Tried to put me on a different route

Sent me to school to smarter crowds

Problem is when my school was done

Would come home to my neighborhood

Learn the ways of the hood I'm from

But in my books, I was a gifted one

My conduct, it was fucked up

I was the class clown since I started up

Getting good grades, but that's not enough

Had a 99, but my behavior sucked

High school, a nigga found drugs

Prescription pills, not the good stuff

Xanax next when I'm waking up

Percocet just to keep me up

Nose candy was a favorite

8-ball for only two of us

Popping X was another one

Until we found out the shit was cut

Ain't it funny when you think about it

My mother thought that these schools were bound to

Keep a nigga on the straight and narrow

Instead they filled me up with problems

But in the same breathe, I wouldn't change shit

Because the pain is what made me become great

Everything that I go through, because faith

It was hard but it caused me to change shit

Addiction lead to depression

And in depression, you're taught some lessons

If you listen, they keep on pushing

And the solution cause evolution

Obstacles come inside of your path

And make you switch up and step on the gas

If you look back inside of your path

You find direction, it's like your own map