Back in the Days

Uh, yeah, hey I remember being younger with bigger dreams A simple, clean, young teen never on the scene Hoping for better for all of his friends and family Content with what he had and never needed many things But that's in the past where it shall remain I'm getting older thinking back on all the finer things Just an adolescent with no passion for the cream Feet on a Persian carpet, thinking we had everything Fast forward, Mama struggling and my Pops too "Pick up the paper, we need paper, get a job too!" I fall through and peeped our fate while I walked through Thinking we ain't got shit, I saw the whole truth Picked up the paper, crossing shit off while I checked the Times Heading to class with head full of beats to pass the time Banging the pen against my desk, I'm bumping to the vibe Took a flick of the pen on pad and began to rhyme Wish I could've known then what I know now Wish I could've gone back and turned it all around Wish I was the man when I was a kid Wished for better things for all the lives we live Wish I never let a moment go to waste Wish I could've changed around my older ways Wish that I could live to see them better days Wish that I could live to see them better days I'm growing older and understanding my past more Thinking back on how my parents used to laugh more When business was good and they thought that we was past poor And never wondered how long this would last for Hardships and the pain Paying a fortune on tuition where they enlisting my name Telling me dearly I gotta make a name So in the future, when I'm older, I'll be set in my ways But damn, this ain't even what I'm drawn to Writing these lyrics in my bedroom, thinking what I'm gonna do How you out here visioning that you a King When you don't even got a fuckin' clue of how to make a pawn move? I gotta get it, but not just for me I'm using verses for exercise, I'm feeling fatigue Tryna prove that I've always been in another league When the game locking us down, so how the fuck we feeling free? Wish I could've known then what I know now Wish I could've gone back and turned it all around Wish I was the man when I was a kid Wished for better things for all the lives we live Wish I never let a moment go to waste Wish I could've changed around my older ways Wish that I could live to see them better days Wish that I could live to see them better days I'm rapping for all of my fallen peers For everyone who lived shorter in years Like my cousin Amir, who only ended up Living his last moment in fear, with a gun to his ear I broke down when they broke the news Seventeen, got me contemplating breaking rules I'm yelling, "God if this the type of shit you gonna do I just hope your help is noticed when I'm making moves" 'Cause I've been sick in the head Whether from my Dad reminiscing, living with dread Or my Mom's hopeful wish of when we seeing more bread Had me fucked up for two months Seeing my Grandfather in a hospital bed Had the cards dealt against me, I don't play with a bluff I just aim to make a change from nearly having it rough I know I gotta stay tough, so I can have my hand in everything Without even thinking that we ain't have enough Wish I could've known then what I know now Wish I could've gone back and turned it all around Wish I was the man when I was a kid Wished for better things for all the lives we live Wish I never let a moment go to waste Wish I could've changed around my older ways Wish that I could live to see them better days Wish that I could live to see them better days