Before You Were Gone (feat. Venor, Imani & Marla)

Whatever happened to the good home cooked meals Every night, didn't matter how you felt Coming home from work, even if you felt ill You made sure that we ate, the love was so real And Tutu held us down for so long And the way you treated her was so wrong I can't stop there, nah, the list goes on I tried to talk, you rebel, what's going on Tried to say that you was lonely, same sad song None of our fathers was around, we was on our own Tutu and Ray tried to hide what was going on Crackhead mama, but you remained strong Then you lost us for about eight months Then you started thinking, dropped one bad habit Then you started drinking, I'm a mama's boy So, I had the fight the feeling, of losing my patience I graduated high school, I did it But you wasn't there to watch me walk, I'll never forget it You put your man before your kids, that's a foul way of living You ain't the same woman that raised me, your man made you different No, I don't get it, you said we couldn't love you like he could It's sounds like you addicted And I ain't tryna disrespect you mama Mama, I'm just venting, you changed and I'm missing The way, the way things used to be Said I'm missing, the way things used to be I just want to go back, I just want to go back I just want to go back to the way things used to be, used to be You and me, you and me, yeah Where would you be without Uncle D, Ray running the streets and Q working, and I'm in school tryna better me And Lil Khiyyah, got a mind of her own 'Cause her daddy ain't around and her grandmother gone, it's like I could only be her brother And there is no love stronger than the loving of a mother I promise myself that I would never be a sucker I thought things got better, then it got worse Tried dealing with the pain, can't deny it hurts Started praying every night, to see if that works But I know things take time before they happen first I'm tired of not being able to put it together I can't give, give up and be like whatever, it's not in me I'm a fighter, you'll see 'cause I'm a make things better Them, memories of what they used to be The way, the way things used to be Said I'm missing, the way things used to be I just want to go back, I just want to go back I just want to go back to the way things used to be, used to be You and me, you and me, yeah Just reminiscing, what it used to be Playing football, me, you, Ray and Quesse What are fights in the crib, when we was bugging out Pillows stinking, just things we used to joke about And I used to bump my head, to go to sleep Remember people thought something was wrong with me Ha, I'm as sane as can be I had rhythm since an infant If you ask me I want it all, just so I can make it better I mean damn, we all grew up together You were my mother and my friend, with the unbreakable bond That, that I thought wouldn't end I guess I had to think again, and just remember what it used to be Because it will never be what it was back then My little sister ran the streets, man, that shit destroyed me And I don't know where I would be, if you hadn't captured me The way, the way things used to be Said I'm missing, the way things used to be I just want to go back, I just want to go back I just want to go back to the way things used to be, used to be You and me, you and me, yeah