Rise Up '18

RAISED IN THE GHETTO THE SLUMS, ITS AN EVERYDAY THING FOR THE DRAMA TO COME.
I'M FROM A PLACE WHERE CHANCES TO SUCCEED ARE SLIM TO NONE, GENERATIONAL POVERTY, MANY SOULS ARE NUMB.
WHEN THE METAL IS RUNG, MAYBE 1% FLINCH,
JUST ANOTHER LIVING 'ROUND THIS BITCH.
FEW MAKE IT OUT, 90% STAY GHOST, THE OTHER 10 WHO COME BACK, YO THAT MEANS THE MOST.
SYMBOL OF HOPE WHO ELSE GOT US BUT US, MUST BE BRAINWASHED THINKING THE WHITE HOUSE DOES.
YOU CAN EITHER DO THE BEST YOU CAN TO GET SCRAPS FROM THE GOVERNMENT OR FIND A WAY TO HUSTLE TO KEEP YO MONEY FLOW DOUBLING.
PUBLIC HOUSING BREEDS TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE, THOSE WHO GET TRAPPED OR RISE ABOVE THE EVIL.
1 LIFE NO SEQUEL, NOW YOU CAN YELL OUT FACTS
DON'T TAKE THIS HERE LIFE FOR GRANTED BEST TA LIVE IT TO THE MAX
BEFORE YOU'RE LAYIN' ON YOUR BACK SURROUNDED BY SOME PINE,
DO WHAT YOU CAN WHILE YOU GOT A CHANCE TO MAKE SURE FAMILY FINE
THE GHETTO IS A MAZE AND ITS HARD TO FIND A WAY OUT
JAIL OR CAREER, GOD FORBID YOU GET LAID OUT
AND STILL WHEN YOU MAKE IT OUT LIFE STILL AIN'T GONE BE THAT EASY
ALTHOUGH WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH NOW, IT'LL BE EASY PEASY.
GLADIATOR IN TRAINING I'M HOPING THAT YOU MAKE IT
YOU SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP HOPE YOU TAKE IT.
IF IT MAKES SENSE. JEOPARDIZING YOUR FREEDOM TO SEE THEM DOLLARS FOLD UP
IS PART OF THE SYSTEMS TRICKY WAY TO GIVE YOUR SOUL UP
WE IN A TIGHT POSITION, THE RULES OF OUR SURVIVAL DIFFERENT
KEEPING OUR FAITH IN GOD AND TRYING TO GET A PLATE OUT THE DEVILS KITCHEN
I'M HOPING YOU LISTEN, CUZ I DIDN'T ILL ADMIT IT
DON'T BREAK YO ANKLE FROM THE PIVOT YOU'LL BE SITTING ON THE BENCHES
WATCHING YO WHOLE TEAM GET IT, ON THE INJURED LIST YO NAME
YOU DID IT NO ONE TO BLAME
WHAT YOU WAS DOING AT FIRST, DIDN'T WORK, GOTTA RETRAIN
TO PLAY THE GAME, GOTTA REALIZE IT AIN'T A GAME
THIS IS SERIOUS, GOTTA LEARN TO PLAY THROUGH THE PAIN
THIS LIFE IS ABOUT SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST MAINTAIN
GET SOME SHIT ON YO BRAIN, GOTTA ENVISION WHAT YOU PLAN
IF YOU DON'T WORK THEN YOU DON'T EAT THAT IS SIMPLE AS PLAIN
DON'T BELIEVE EM WHEN THEY SAY SKIES THE LIMIT, RIP A HOLE UP IN IT
YOUR POTENTIAL'S INFINITE, YOUR ABILITIES LIMITLESS
IF YOU EVER FEEL DISCOURAGED THAT'S THE DEVIL TRYNNA MAKE YOU NERVOUS
SECOND GUESS YOUR PURPOSE, KEEP ON WORKIN CUZ YOU'RE WORTH IT
I WROTE THIS SO YOU CAN FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE
LIKE I ALWAYS TELL MY DAUGHTER, I WANT YOU TO BE BETTER THAN ME
BEFORE YOU SUCCEED YOU MIGHT FAIL A COUPLE TIMES BEFORE YOU GET IT
PART OF SUCCESS IS PERSISTENCE THEN YOU'LL RISE OUT THE TRENCHES
GOTTA PLAY YO POSITION CUZ THIS IS NOTHING LIKE CHECKERS
THIS IS A GAME OF CHESS, STAY ON THEY NECK TILL THEY RESPEK US
MAKE EM CATCH UP, BE A LEADER CUZ SYSTEMS TRYNNA BEAT US
TRY TO KEEP US DIVIDED CAUSE TOGETHER CAN THEY CAN DEFEAT US
THE SOCIAL ENGINEERING TO PUMP FEAR IN ALL THE YOUTH
SHOWIN' IMAGES OF SHIT THAT DON'T APPLY TO ME OR YOU
THEY KILLED OFF OUR BLACK LEADERS, THE ONES GOT LEFT THEY SHAME EM
BE CAREFUL WITH THE YOUNG MINDS IT'S UP TO US TO TRAIN EM
TO TAP INTO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, WE CAN MOLD THE FUTURE
WHERE WE WON'T HAVE TO WORRY POLICE AND IF THEY'LL SHOOT YA
BETTER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT DON'T HAVE FAITH IN NO PRESIDENT
THEY CARE NOT BOUT THE LOWER CLASS 45 TYPES OF EVIDENCE
WHAT IS MINIMUM WAGE WHEN YOU CAN'T MAKE A LIVING
WELFARE SYSTEMS BULLSHIT YOU CAN BARELY FEED YOUR CHILDREN
USE THE INTERNET FOR MORE THAN JUST THE SOCIAL MEDIA
DO SOME RESEARCH ON HOW TO START A BUSINESS LEGAL BUCKS
LIVING CHECK TO CHECK OR DAY TO DAY THAT'S NOT OUR DESTINY
I TRULY BELIEVE WE COME FROM A LINE OF KINGS AND QUEENS
BEING PRO-BLACK DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE ANTI-WHITE
TRYING TO UPLIFT OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IS AN UP-HILL FIGHT
WHY? OUR LIGHT HAS BEEN SO CONVOLUTED,
BY WHAT WE SEE ON TV AND THIS FORCE FEED MUSIC
THE AGENDA IS TO PERPETUATE THE GHETTO CYCLE
THEY DON'T WANT US TO UNITE OUR LIGHT IT'LL BE A LIGHT SHOW
THEY ARE THE UPPER GOVERNMENT MAKING RULES AND DECISIONS
DESCENDANTS FROM SLAVE OWNERS AND THOSE MASSACRED INDIANS