No Mother, No Father

[Intro] Yeah, this is going out to those who grew up without a mother or a father I know what I mean? It's tough, but sometimes you got to hold your head up high You got to do what you got to do Let me talk about my life for a minute Yo pay attention [Verse 1] 14 years old, the grown man Had to hit the streets and get the cream at Murderpan Moms bounced on the fam Imagine this, now we're really in a jam, damn At this time, pops duke wasn't thinking Spent his time sniffing coke and drinking At one time for a seas this man will bleed But now I proceed to take the lead I got brothers and sisters to feed So Shug's coming, you best take heed Anyone could be a victim So like an attack dog, I ha ha ha stick 'em Some would think it's life to be cool Hanging out all night then get up and go to school Fools, this shit was stressing Everyday fucked up, but I still count my blessings No pops to tell me wrong from right No moms to fucking hold my hand at night They say I'm heading for trouble They say I'll end up doing life, maybe double, hmmm Suspensions mean nothing to me Call my crib if you want to, no daddy I'm 16 with my own caddie It's fucked up niggas stay mad at me With no father or mother Advice going one ear, then right out the other This shit hurt bad, heartfelt But you learn to play the hand you was dealt With no mother [Hook] No mother, no father Where will I go? No mother, no father What will I do? How will I grow? [Verse 2] 19 now, I had to get away I made moves and broke out to a land of GA Hooked up with moms out that way Told me that she loved me, so we played it day by day About a month went by And to no surprise, she woke up and told me goodbye My pops warned me of this move But I ain't running back home, I got to show and prove I caught a job at Lenox Mall Cause in the face of adversity, I stand tall I sold weed to make ends meat Cause I loved to live nice plus I loved to eat Parties every night, turned them out Hooked up with my man, Guru, at Morehouse Talk of dreams of being a rap star Formed a rap duo better known as Gang Starr Told my pops about my dreams out of town But like he did before, he shot this one down No father [Interlude] Yeah This shit is real Yeah, yeah [Hook] [Verse 3] 23, I broke back to Bosstown But when I came to town, crack came to town Nearly blew my ass down My pride and my dignity, nowhere to be found My life, the epitome of hardcore I was robbing everything from Burger Kings to liquor stores You want more? I was out of control Got bagged 8 to 10, with 3 to serve at [?] My life was no joke At about this time, pop duke caught a stroke My life and my dreams all went up in smoke Too damn strong to hang myself by a rope One day in my cell feeling blue I got a kite from my main man, Guru He told me what to do He said if you get your shit right, there's a chance for you Right then, it hit me like a metal pipe I'ma rock mics for the rest of my life No longer will my mind be cluttered I was able to make it without my father or my mother But I love them still And if they stay together, my life might not be ill But you got to do what you got to do And for the rest of my fam, this one's for you Yeah [Hook]