Lyrics

[Intro: Dave Chappelle] I spoke at my old high school And I told them kids straight up If you guys are serious about making it out of this ghetto... You gotta focus... You gotta stop blaming white people for your problems... And you've gotta learn how to rap... Or play basketball or something, nigga You're trapped! You are trapped Either do that or sell crack That's your only options That's the only way I've ever seen it work You gotta entertain these white people Gotta get to dancing [Verse 1: KXNG Crooked] I walked in the door, some nigga's on my left playin' Nintendo Somebody at the table rollin' indo The nigga in the blue rag's my kinfolk Hе cracked the Venеtian blinds with the tip of his pistol Starin' out the window 'Cause last night somebody stole the rims off his Benzo Not knowin' this nigga is a schizo Mean muggin' as I approach, I know the type of time he been on He said "I got something for you", then he put a grin on Handed me a drum machine, got it off a dope fiend Dopamine hit, me thinkin' of makin' dope and mean hits I was only fourteen He said "I'm givin' you this shit 'cause I want you to keep your nose clean" And anyway these perks come with the job I just gave Cuz some rocks, it wasn't a prob Now, go and rap, so you don't have to hustle and rob I sat on the porch for a hour touchin' buttons and knobs Could this be my winnin' lottery ticket? I was poverty stricken Tryin' to escape the life of flock'n and lick'n Late at night, beats bangin' Think my mama was trippin'? She wasn't She said "Do it son, you gotta be different 'Cause we live in a city full of bangers and crack cases" I tied a .38 'round my ankle with fat laces (Real talk) I was Neo, I fought in the rap Matrix (Real) Just to put a smile on my family's black faces [Chorus: KXNG Crooked] Rap music saved my life (Rap music) Got me feelin' more alive with every page I write (Rap music) Praying God walks with me all my days and nights (Rap music) If he didn't give me talent, would've paid the price (Rap music) [Verse 2: Joell Ortiz] I was sittin' in that circle with a bottle of Hennessy Skipping curfew, hold the blunt down, yo Here come Ms. Gertrude pushing a shoppin' cart Man, I can still smell her perfume Niggas I'm sittin' with won't even think twice to hurt you The Mac in that backpack'll hearse you The back and forth from them capsules is like a crack commercial I'm a math wiz with rap talent in the midst of all this madness How I keep that clean grade point average while being savage Ran deep before I ran in the D His Geo Prizm was the vehicle to saving my life He went to prison, know he probably wondered why I ain't write Or sneak a visit, no excuses, but my mind wasn't right But he forgive me once he touched down We buckled back down Hit them studios, fuck who we know We runnin' my town Letting music go work, spoke for itself What I wrote opened up wealth Just six years before I was broke Hoping I'd sell a couple bundles with the strap on my hip Before this shit was called trap and I was trapped in that shit Back up a bit to that Geo Prizm It would pull up honkin' a horn Scoop me from any block I was on "You got a song" was the words he would utter and I reply "Come on man, I'm nice as a mother" I owe this life to my brother Talent is just talent without the right support I saw the greatest hoopers die by the court The sweetest karaoke voices holding mic's up for sport The greatest artist's last sketch being outlined in chalk I wrote this verse on a treadmill, takin' a vibrant walk Just pushed it to incline since I dodged having to hike up north [Chorus: KXNG Crooked] Rap music saved my life (Rap music) Got me feelin' more alive with every page I write (Rap music) Praying God walks with me all my days and night (Rap music) If he didn't give me talent, would've paid the price (Rap music) Rap music saved my life (Rap music) Got me feelin' more alive with every page I write (Rap music) Praying God walks with me all my days and night (Rap music) If he didn't give me talent, would've paid the price (Rap music)