Charles Brown

(Helluva made this beat, baby) Pops and mama went to jail, CB stepped up to the plate We ain't even have his blood, but he still made sure we straight He was strict to the point I thought what he felt was hate Then I realized it was love, he tried to keep us out the way Him and granny had them old ways, you know they ain't play They ain't even like our friends, we had to sneak and hang with gang Only full-time father that I knew, he take the cake Shit was far from perfect, but he still was right there e'ry day I used to think the workin' man was suckers back in the day But they the ones that get to see they kids walk across the stage They the ones that die of old age and never hit that cage Rest in peace CB, I drop tears writin' on this page, nigga I just wanted you to know I was thinkin' about you, man You know I'll never forget about you up there Sure wish you could see this shit now, man, how your baby boy doin' This shit crazy Nah, for real though I love you, nigga Tried to move granny, but that's where she wanna stay I can't even blame her though, you know? Memories too great E'ry time I'm in the city, I go make sure that she straight Pop up unannounced and she drop tears when she see my face I just woke up on a jet and it hit me, "Man, I'm really on this motherfucker I could really own this motherfucker" Why they hate me? I don't even know them motherfuckers But I stay prepared and I ain't never scared, Bone Crusher Gunfights in the streets, I done heard them SIGs pop Knife fights in the joint, I done heard that skin pop Told my niggas, "No more goin' to jail, they givin' M's out" Lawyers paid, sit back, shut your mouth, it's gon' get figured out, my nigga It's so crazy 'cause it's like The way I came up was so motherfuckin' rough and like treacherous, you know? I ain't gon' sit here and say we was dirt poor 'cause my people were hustlers and shit But you know it's like, we was still in the slums though, like It was still fucked up, you feel me? Like Whatever you feel like a bad environment is, take that Put it in your head and just times that by ten Like, crib gettin' shot up, wearin' motherfuckin' your granddad clothes to school I remember, nigga, I went to school The kids was talkin' about me 'cause my shit was French Toast I'm like, "I'll never wear this shit again" So I got my grandad work pants, he had Dickies You cool if you wear some Dickies to that bitch though, you feel me? I'm grabbin' his pants soon as he got off work, take them bitches off I'm hidin' 'em from him, wearin' 'em to school Nigga, I'm talkin' 'bout I'm havin' a full-blown conversation with my pops while he choppin' up on a, on a plate Choppin' up crack on a plate, nigga Teachin' me like what's what, how much this cost, how much that cost, I'm 12 years old But he always told me though, like "I don't want you to get involved with this shit, man, go to school, stay in school Like, you gotta make the family name legit," you know? Now, I look up, I see my son playin' by the pool, chef in there makin' spicy tuna rolls and shit And I'm like, "How the fuck did it get to this, bro?" I ain't know what a spicy tuna was, nigga, I thought That bitch only-, you mash it up and make it a sandwich, you feel me? That's how we came up, but I'm just so grateful, I just thank God so much Nigga life really went from night to day No motherfuckin' cap, anybody that know me, they can vouch for this shit, man Everybody ain't here with me, but, shit, it is it what is it I wanna thank people that played major parts though, like in the upbringing, like I gotta thank Snuggles, gotta thank my auntie Tami I used to use they crib as getaways to get away from all the madness Bein' around them showed me what family was, how family suppose to be That's why I move how I do now with my family, like with the marriage, and Just bein' real close-knit with my family that I'm startin' 'Cause back in my crib growin' up, everybody was drunk as fuck, fightin' 24-7 Shit was just crazy, you know? Anybody out there goin' that's through some shit, man I just want you to know your situation can change, bro If it's tough right now, understand it's just a chapter in your life, like this ain't the whole book You writin' that motherfucker, so envision what you want it to be And keep goin'