[00:21.24]Now most of us could waste a whole lifetime
[00:22.62]
[00:23.27]Doing shit we don't believe in
[00:24.60]So I'm retrieving words
[00:25.87]Of gold to expose my soul on the sheets
[00:27.78]Combined with the beat of song  complete
[00:29.58]
[00:30.17]To compete Nah
[00:31.03]Cause most of you won't understand it
[00:33.07]Taking this existance for granted
[00:34.63]Never going after what you really want
[00:36.68]Cause you ain't got the heart
[00:38.06]So your life never starts to have meaning
[00:39.81]Fiending for something to fill that void
[00:41.94]Annoyed with the surroundings you picked
[00:43.67]Cause they don't seem to fit your person
[00:45.43]Rehearsing what they said would make you happy
[00:47.24]Until you realized one day  Damn they trapped me
[00:49.96]But who are they anyway  To tell you how to live
[00:52.56]A college degree  then a career
[00:54.17]The only decent way to raise kids
[00:55.87]But I disagree  see I wasn't put here to make a living
[00:59.16]My living makes me  so even if it takes me a lifetime
[01:02.00]I'm write rhymes that I feel
[01:03.98]Some shit for when I'm fired
[01:05.12]That shit for when I'm chill
[01:06.52]And even if I never make that ticket to a meal
[01:09.11]I'll still be a success
[01:10.32]Cause my purpose will have been filled
[01:11.84]
[01:32.37]It came to me like a vision
[01:33.96]The decision was all mine  combined with the fact
[01:36.52]The lack of points on my GPA
[01:38.06]Made a college hard to find
[01:39.34]Walk a line into this world  of the so-called real
[01:41.78]Never backed by a deal
[01:43.43]So there was no desire to appeal
[01:44.95]To the masses of those
[01:46.24]Who seemed closed captioned
[01:47.22]To the fractions of light
[01:48.56]That glimmer in the dimmer night
[01:50.02]Sight obscured  by this bullshit
[01:51.72]We must endure
[01:52.76]Pure thought caught before it can become manifest
[01:54.22]
[01:55.39]Leaving us obsessed
[01:56.01]
[01:56.54]With these objects that bring temporary joy
[01:58.94]Decoys in the game just like these b-boys and fame
[02:01.97]To get you to stop focus on the art
[02:03.88]And start focusing upon making the charts
[02:06.38]Not to start pointing fingers
[02:07.97]Cause I had the benefit of learning from others mistakes
[02:10.59]Those who helped make hip-hop what it is today
[02:12.96]To go through the shit and cause me to say
[02:15.28]What the f**k is the music business anyway
[02:16.67]
[02:17.50]Paradox coca-cola commercials advertising dreadlocks
[02:19.01]
[02:20.16]Government officials trying
[02:21.63]To communicate with us through hip-hop
[02:23.34]Which should only serve as a demonstration
[02:25.83]That our generation holds control of this nation
[02:28.32]But the creation of Hip-Hop Temples won't help
[02:29.87]
[02:30.46]If the music don't stay up to par
[02:32.32]So many rap superstars supernova
[02:33.45]
[02:34.25]And just burn out
[02:35.15]Get addicted to the cash then the label turn them out
[02:37.89]
[02:53.34]I hadn't picked up the a in days  just been amazed
[02:55.88]On how many motherf**kers
[02:56.58]
[02:57.10]Actually think that this rhyming is a phase
[02:59.04]Ain't ate a decent meal in days
[03:00.57]So I guess that this dispels the rumors
[03:02.37]That this rhyme shit pays
[03:03.71]Nowadays  it seems MC means anybody
[03:06.07]On the block who can make words rhyme
[03:08.06]But I remember a time when I rapped
[03:09.84]And no one noticed me
[03:10.99]And now fools is blowing up
[03:12.25]Off some third grade poetry
[03:13.33]And it's a damn shame
[03:14.41]That we let the game get so low
[03:16.50]Where it's the dumbest
[03:17.55]Motherf**kers representing hip-hop
[03:18.11]
[03:19.04]Wherever you go
[03:19.84]And these fools take pride in being ignorant
[03:21.84]Not to say that I'm innocent;
[03:23.36]Cause I buy these fools records too
[03:25.40]So the label can get paid and bring out
[03:27.35]Another ignorant crew
[03:28.36]And I know too many heads
[03:29.82]Trying to get college degrees
[03:31.28]So how long  will we tolerate remedial MC's
[03:33.65]So please  realize
[03:35.39]If something doesn't evolve or advance  it dies
[03:37.82]You listen to the shit out now
[03:39.36]And tell me where the future lies bitch