[Verse 1]

To be honest I have learned that it can pay to be dishonest

I told my bros I’d keep it real and I always kept that promise

I try to stay modest, but everybody’s novice in this contest

These haters wanna put metal in my mouth like an orthodontist

When I was growing up I believed that the world was a fair place

Then I learned that being good will get you stepped on like a staircase

I’m getting ahead of myself, I was tryna go home before I touched third base

But wait a second, why was I thinking about diamonds in the first place

That’s right I want rubies, the sapphires, I ain’t jokin, this ain’t satire

I thought if I could spit heat, then I’d catch fire

I show the demos to my bros, they know my shit is poppin like a flat tire

I figured if I could get a gig, it’d be sounding alright like I’m quagmire

But let me get back on topic, this is all about doing what you know is right

It’s unfair when rappers hire people, because they don’t know how to write

Look at the top five all time, dead or alive, they could be black or white

They didn’t know it but they were poets, they wrote their rhymes with graphite

[Hook]

I feel like I look at the world differently, the way it’s meant to be

Essentially we must unify, and we’ll make it there eventually

Potentially, we could live in a world where we love our enemies

That’s why I have empathy for the people locked up in penitentiaries

The world would be fine if all races could combine to redefine right and wrong

But it starts with the leaders, and the stars who sing your favorite song

They must set the example by being fair, and getting along

If we could stop being critical, and put down the pistols, we’ll be strong

I hate when I turn on the news and hear that the feds just killed another

Meanwhile, a few blocks down, the neighbors are tryna kill each other

That was somebody’s mother, their father, their sister, or their brother

I want to make it clear that no race is more important than the others

Nowadays if you snitch, you’ll go to sleep at night in a coffin

Cause ruthless cats catch rats and exterminate them often

Mind your own business, if you witnessed, then keep quiet or you’re finished

Watch what you’re saying, it could cause your lifespan to diminish

It’s a shame that our role models use their music to promote violence

Then when their fans start killing each other, most artists remain silent

Everyone in the industry needs to reevaluate their purpose

Because if you’re another liar and cheater then music’s just worthless

People ask me where I come from, I just wanna know where I’m going

I’ve seen drug dealers become millionaires so there is no way of knowing

So even if I don’t make it big, I know that I made my music the fair way

I write every verse in honor of the rap legends who are no longer here today

Hip Hop used to be an inspiration for the kids throughout the nation

It was something more than just rhyming, it was real communication

Now the game has changed so much from the days of it’s creation

I just wish I could knock the whole thing over, and start back at the foundation

Ghetto children going home with heavy pockets if they roll a seven

They've been convinced to sin, so they ignore the words of their reverend

Every kid at the courts wishes they could rock the Bred Elevens

Now I dream of having my own signature shoe before I jump to heaven

Words cannot explain how much the rap culture has affected me

Now I use these rhymes to piss off the people who disrespected me

Let me make it clear that I’m not rapping just to earn some checks

I spit my rhymes in an attempt to earn the genre some more respect

I don’t care about the money, I’m doing this for the love of the game

The older generation thinks it’s lame, they’ll never understand and it’s a shame

Hip Hop helped when I was down, so now I’m about to do the same

They’re gonna miss me when I’m gone, but most of all, they’ll be glad I came

[Hook]

I feel like I look at the world differently, the way it’s meant to be

Essentially we must unify, and we’ll make it there eventually

Potentially, we could live in a world where we love our enemies

That’s why I have empathy for the people locked up in penitentiaries

The world would be fine if all races could combine to redefine right and wrong

But it starts with the leaders, and the stars who sing your favorite song

They must set the example by being fair, and getting along

If we could stop being critical, and put down the pistols, we’ll be strong

I feel like I look at the world differently, the way it’s meant to be

Essentially we must unify, and we’ll make it there eventually

Potentially, we could live in a world where we love our enemies

That’s why I have empathy for the people locked up in penitentiaries

The world would be fine if all races could combine to redefine right and wrong

But it starts with the leaders, and the stars who sing your favorite song

They must set the example by being fair, and getting along

If we could stop being critical, and put down the pistols, we’ll be strong