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1. |
Do What You Love
04:08
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I'm ageless
Because I've made this
Decision
That the only true wisdom
I've ever acquired
Is to do what I love and I've always desired
To make music for a living
To take thoughts and feelings that I'm given
And translate them
With fate's pen
I lose a little in the translation
I choose to live tall in this grand nation
By that I mean I have a big heart
That's how I choose to have my gigs start
Even when my life is hit hard
And I don't feel the least bit smart
I'll stay positive
Because I have lots to give
And I get lots of love
From my friends when they hug
chorus:
Let the sunshine in
And the fun times win
I love my grin
When I look like a big goof
Appearing aloof
Because I love myself
And passing that love onto everyone else
As long as their intentions are good
I love my friends and I know that I should
Because they're always by my side when I need them
Thank you Jared for making this weekend
The best birthday possible
The good times were unstoppable
Because we overcame all the obstacles
Of the so called free world
Forgetting about the drama caused my stupid girls
And idiotic boys
Who treat women as toys
We overcame the need to pay bills
So we could make real
Quality time in our friendship
And that's a real gift
It allowed us to do what we love to do
Hanging out with friends and just being cool
And for the first time ever I watched the inauguration
I could feel restoration
Of pride spread wide in our nation
We truly have a leader who loves what he does
And does what he loves
Throughout my life I've been doing the same
I don't care about being a household name
And I'll never claim
To have the strongest game
Or the smoothest flow
Because I love to feel the groove just flow
As the truth lets go
And it loves me
So I see within and I'll never feel ugly
Need someone to hold, just step on up and hug me
And I'll try to calm your fears
As I whisper in your ear
chorus:
Doing what you love may seem out of reach
As dreams are not teached
In the rhetoric of lesson plans
That's why we need to lend a hand
If you love to sing
Just do your thing
Step up, grab the mic
Forget about the stage fright
And the strange lights
If you sing because you love it, then the audience will know
And it's obvious you'll grow
As you take deep breaths
And make each step
Just a little bit smaller than the one before
Until you can step up and knock right on the door
Get your foot in as soon as the door opens
Don't waste moments
Hoping it never closes
Let them see the love in your eyes
And they'll know you're not a lie
Just do your thing because there is no try
No matter what you love, just go out and do it
Don't let other people screw with
Your plans and your dreams
Or your hands as they seem
Like they're losing the strength to hang on
Just do what you love and they'll always stay strong
Chorus:
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2. |
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Chorus: Playing a Little Basketball, Basketball X4
Playing a little basketball one day
When around the way
I met a kid named BJ
He said Hey
Wanna play
I said today's
The day
To play
So I shot the three
Missed it then grabbed the re-
Bound
Threw it down
Never heard the sound
Of the clock violating
'Cause I was perpetrating
Penetrating
With my drives
I came to win not just to survive
BJ told me to kick a rap so
I start off with turn on the stereo
Kick up the bass
Then I shot in his face
Jumper was smooth as lace
And Discovery schoolyard was the place
But BJ was good too
Made a couple threes and a couple twos
So it was tied when I had to leave
Before I left I retrieved
His number to play
Some day
Again
Before I left I jumped and grabbed the tin
Of the rim
Hung for a second
Then left and
Said later B
That was the beginning of the multicultural team
Chorus:
I got home from school the next day
And decided to ring up BJ
To go play
Some ball
In no time at all
We became the best pair of ballers in the school
It was cool
As we watched our opponents drool
Over the tools
That we used
As we abused
Fools
On the court
Me and my cohort
Made the games short
So we decided to play with the college men
That's when
I picked up the nickname Baby Bird
Because people heard
That I played like Larry Bird
Taking people to school was easy
It pleased me
To see
Me and BJ make threes
Our opponents fell to their knees
And begged us please
Don't do this to me
They'd flee
When they saw me and the B
Because his moves were quicker than Bruce Lee see
Those days were easy
I dunk so quickly
You could not see me
And I'd get free
On the break and pull up for three
People gave me
High fives because we
Always won easily
Then we'd go home take a shower and go to sleep
And we'd do that seven days a week
Chorus:
But today the game is different
You have to be more than just physically gifted
You gotta eat, gotta drink
Gotta think
The game
Otherwise no one will know your name
And they'll think you're lame
Gotta have court vision
And envision
What's going to happen
Next
Have to pass every test
Every possession's a war
Never knowing what's in store
Sometimes you have to score
Sometimes you have to pass
Sometimes you go fast
And sometimes you slow down
Sometimes you pull up and sometimes you throw down
Gotta play hard to win
Gotta play smart to win
So begin
To work on your game and work on your mind
Work on your jays and work on your dimes
And when you're done just chill to my rhymes
I'm done for today but tomorrow's another day that I'll be
Chorus:
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3. |
Chillin' at the Papa
03:00
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chorus: I am just chillin' at the Papa
Chillin' at the Papa with Michelle
She's making my day go so well
Even when I feel like I'm in Hell
I am in Heaven
From 11-7
Or sometimes 8, 9 or 10
Then again
It could be worse
I could spend all day listening to Matt curse
I've got cardboard cuts on my hands from folding boxes
Anton's spending the day chasing foxes
And scammers
And the
People who aren't where they're supposed to be
Saying "I'm sorry
My roomate was on the phone."
Or maybe they weren't even home
Calling from their cell phone
Waiting on the metro
Hoping they get home
Before we go
On the deliv
And I relive
Every moment as I give
Them the benefit of the doubt
When they say that they were never out
Of their room
So I zoom
Zoom, zoom, zoom
Back to their dorm
Faster than the norm
Even though I can't stay warm
Because there's a winter storm
chorus:
It's not a tumor
It's my humor
That keeps me going
Oh and
Michelle
And all the others around me
Who helped me overcome the adversity
...
Michelle
MacCracken said they didn't order
And my last tip was 2 quarters
On a $150 order
Complain, complain, that's all we do
That's ok 'cause you would too
If you were lazy like me
That's ok 'cause you'll always be
The reason
That I'm believing
That I can make it
'Cause I can take it
Give me the phone and I'll break it
Oh wait, that's someone else's job
Who's kind of odd
Hey Lindsay, turn off the water
Angela's got a beautiful daughter
Oops, I mean son
Ummmmmmm
I'm just trying to rhyme
Is that a crime
No, but cashing a bad check is
And so is
A DUI
My oh my
As I start to think about the things I'm bringing up
I better just shut up
Chorus:
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4. |
Extra
03:17
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I woke up today feeling a little rough
Getting out of bed was a little too tough
Dragging my way through a mundane routine
So lame no dreams
Just another day to make the means
No power
In my shower
Or the hour
That followed
Just some more time that I borrowed
Which is why I went into work
Feeling like a jerk
Until I heard a whisper
Over my right shoulder
The words that I heard
Made me feel bolder
I heard one friend say to another
That I looked a little extra tall today
And it took me all the way
From dial up to broadband
I looked down at my strong hands
And felt like
I could lift the world to new heights
And do right
Simply because someone saw in me
Something in that moment that I did not see
Until I looked through their eyes
And it took me by surprise
Because I'm already confident and self-assured
But I was still lifted up by selfless words
When they repeated them to me this is what I heard
Chorus: You look extra today, extra tall, extra smart, extra talented, extra sexy, extra amazing!
I went to sleep and dreamt of being a superhero
More untouchable than Deniro
But I wasn't a criminal
Simply invincible
Laser beams couldn't shoot me down
I kept flying around
Following the flight path of a bird
And I know it sounds absurd
But it's all from the words that I heard
And if self-esteem
Can manifest itself so powerfully in my dreams
Then it seems
That I should pass it onto you
It's up to you to believe that it's true
Then we all
Can have it all
And it can be so magical
So when you need to brighten up your day
Just look at yourself in the mirror and say
Chorus:
You are the reason why I sing
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5. |
Love, Funk and Soul
02:23
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Chorus: This isn't sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll
It's just love, funk and soul
I don't care if you drink or not
Until you think I'm hot
I'm coming everyday giving it all I've got
Waking up, driven by love
Everyday, yes, now I'm giving enough
It's not about living it up
It's about staying grounded
And hopefully leaving this place better than I found it
It's not about drinking 'til I'm plastered
Making everything go faster and faster
It's about staying sober
Taking it slower
Breathing it in
Feeling the grin
Chillin' with friends
And I'll do it again
It's not about spending my money, it's about earning my time
And learning to find
All the simply joys
Instead of being annoyed
By the little things
I won't let them give me brittle wings
Instead I'll soar with the strength of an eagle
And I choose to be full
Spreading love to my people
chorus:
Right now
I'll spend the night out
But I'll remember that tomorrow matters too
And I won't let the sorrow splatter through
As I follow after you
I'm not a wham, bam thank you ma'am
One night stand
I won't hit it and quit it
Because I believe in commmitment
We've been together for 2 decades now
And I still feel like I'm getting this down
Because it's building me up
Filling my cup
With the water I need
Loving the air that I breathe
And for this reason I believe
chorus:
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6. |
U Inspire Me
05:16
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You inspire me to be the best that I've ever been
You inspire me
You inspire me
My heart thumps and I grieve
I love and I believe
That part of you will live forever in me
The only way for me to be free
Is in the passionate pursuit of my dreams
There have been times where it's been too much
And there was once where I even gave up
And it was the worst decision that I've ever made
Now every single gig that I play
Is precious
So I let them make me breathless
Because I don't need to breathe
And I don't need to eat
I don't need shelter
From the helter skelter
I just need to experience the moment
Frozen
In Time
From Morris Day to the darkest night
I'm going to party for my right to fight
Because you made an incision
And cut out the part of my brain that does the bitching
I don't know
Who does know
But where I go
I take you with me
So let's go crazy
Because I'd rather die doing what I love than live my life without it
So I can't quit
Ever again
Even if it takes forever to win
I'll keep playing for eternity
Because you inspire me
Fame
This isn't a game
The doves are crying over you
But they're flying over too
As the sky rains purple
And biplanes circle
Timelessly
So you can check the rhyme the with me
I haven't forgotten what I've heard
Because I cleaned out my ears and just checked the word
I'll remember the time
Forever in my mind
You did what you loved to do
And even if you didn't, I would still love you
But since you did
I have known since I was a kid
That I want to live
The way that you lived
With a strong work ethic and an ever stronger love
With longer hugs
I was never insecure
Because your love is pure
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7. |
Prime Time Players
04:38
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8. |
Open Mic
03:45
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Chorus: This is my open mic
And I'm hopin' tonight
That when I show you my light
You'll understand what I write
This is me
Showing you my heart with my words
I don't know where to start, but you may have heard
That there's a stage and it's open to all
I don't know how many of you are hoping I'll fall
But, even if I fall all the way down
To the ground
And cut my face
On the broken shards of my empty plate
I'm still thankful I've ate
And I have much respect
For anyone who gets through the open mic check
Because the first verse
I dispersed
In person
Made me so nervous
That I couldn't breathe through my dry mouth
As my eyes dried out
And gave me a headache
But I knew I still didn't make
A mistake
When I opened the gate
And changed my fate
So now when I wake
I'm really awake
Never baked
Never fried or burned out
Thankful for what I've learned now
No how matter how many times I've been turned down
I've had to learn how
To get past endless rejections
Achieving stupendous reflections
Through horrendous dejections
By mal intended inflections
To gain tremendous acceptions
Chorus:
This might be the first time that you hear this
And it may not be the clearest
Even if you get near this
You may miss some lyrics
And for you this is just a moment
I don't own it
I'm just hoping to rent
Maybe open some vents
So my words can circulate
I don't know if you heard this late
Or if you're even listening
Sometimes I hear people whispering
And it's louder
Than the crowd or
My monitors
At home or on a tour
I'm just rubbing together two sticks in a rain storm
Trying to stay warm
So I can light some fires
Going from inspired to inspiring
As I admire the fire rings
And overcome the trials to acquire the finer things
Hoping these moments will aggregate
Until my fate
is living my dreams
While feeling the screams
Drown out the whispers
Growing more than whiskers
Sleeping in my vehicle
So I can see it all
Sometimes I don't sleep at all
I stay up for days
Thinking of ways
To bring in my gaze
As I sing in a daze
And I'm confident
That my music is good enough
And my skin is tough
But walking up
Three steps
Still requires deep breaths
As I perform for strangers
Sometimes I have to overcome their anger
Until they feel closer than neighbors
I've overcome a lot of hatred
As I've made this
To the love that I'm feeling now
And that love is much more valuable than money
And I love that some of you love me
Which is what I'm focused on
And why I don't write hopeless songs
Because when hope is gone
So am I
Chorus:
I've had some magical times
Better than classical rhymes
And I don't need validation from the masses
Waiting for it's like watching molasses
Pass us
By
I don't need to be half as fly
As the guy
Eating pie
In the sky
I just want my feet in the dirt
As I sleep in the earth
I know what the love of people is worth
Because I can't do it alone
I only have two hands and a microphone
Sometimes I try to call out but there's no dial tone
So I need you to hear me and share me with friends
I don't have the ends
To make millions of ears bend
So click share and hit send
So when I ride off to the sunset
I know I'm not done yet
I'll keep riding through the night
Guided by your light
Chorus: ...
When I show you my life, you'll understand what I write.
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9. |
Time To Make It Happen
03:04
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My voice is my wisdom
My choices, decisions
Actions and lack of
Have brought me to see what's wrong with my life
So it's time to make it write
Time to make it happen
Time to fill my life with my music and my rapping
My apartment's a mess
And I'm feeling the stress
Of being behind on bills
And I've lost my will
For a moment
As my mind is roaming
All over the universe
As my thoughts disperse
To everywhere except where they belong
Time to relocate what makes me strong
Time to face the facts and relax
chorus: Time to make it right, time to make it happen
Time to fill my life with my music and my rapping
I'm 21, just ten years later
Time to flip the switch on the fader
I won't give into the dark side like Vader
I refuse to feel envy
Or jealousy
Because I'm doing well you see
I've been through more than one or two of these
So I'll make the most of my opportunities
Because I have a job that's great because of my potential
To make my growth exponential
And be so influential
Letting others learn from what I've done
Creating what I've become
I have to accept
That there's much beyond my control
But I won't let anger devour my soul
I won't let it be
That fear controls my destiny
Instead I choose extacy
By accepting me
I will work hard for what I love
And I know that will be enough
Even if everything else crumbles to dust
I won't stumble from lust
Instead I'll double my trust
And love all I was
As I embrace change
And erase chains
From the picture
And switch hurt
To pleasure
And treasure
Everything I've created
Knowing that I've made it
chorus: My life is filled with my music and my rapping
My heart is filled with true love and passion
My ears are filled with echoes from my laughing
I will always make it right when I make it happen
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10. |
No Ego
03:04
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It doesn't matter if I'm a better emcee
Than Little Wayne
Or Young Geezy
MC Freeman
Or Young MC
Eminem
Or friends of them
That's not what music is about for me
It's undoubtedly
About expression and growth
Exchanging aggression for hope
And the lessons are dope
Because my friends so close
I'm not going to talk trash about anyone
I'd rather have you send me love
chorus: I make music with no ego, I make music for me to grow
Music has saved my life
And gave my nights
Much more moonlight
And make things right
When everything seems wrong
Whether I'm singing along
Or writing my own
It can heighten the zone
Or lighten the tone
When it's night the dome
Or bright in my home
I can see it all in a different spectrum
When I feel the rhythm of the kick drum
I'm riding the waves of the bass
As it plays in the space
I feel brave in this place
When I heard an unpredictable riff
Accompanied by a lyrical gift
It's not about what I do for music
It's about what it does for me
That's why I choose to use it
Once I've paid my dues it comes for free
chorus:
I live my life with no ego
It's the only way for me to grow
I mean, come on, I'm 31 years old and delivering pizzas
Still asking if it's MasterCard or Visa
How am I going to judge someone who dropped out of school
I did the same thing so it would make me a fool
Any gifts I have are just gifts
I might get lucky and create a funky riff
But I'm staying away from the junkie's spliff
But I won't judge the junkie
And feel the weight of the monkey
That fact
Would put on my back
I won't attack
And I'll rarely defend
I won't pretend
To be something I'm not
I won't judge myself when I'm caught
Making a mistake
Just waiting to break
I'll simply live for love and dreams
Some that seem
Impossible
But I still won't stop at all
Thank you for listening with no ego
So we grow
chorus: I live my life with no ego, I live my life so I can grow
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11. |
Wonder
03:15
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I believe we all wonder if we designed our own destiny
And our lives turned out differently
Who would we be
Would we live happily
Ever after
With a life full of laughter
Would every moment be as blissful as ignorance
If we all maintained our innocence
chorus: I believe we all wonder, and it'll be a wonder when we all believe in each other
We all have something that we've been through
And I believe in you
I believe you'll climb out of debt
Even if you can't see how yet
You'll do fantastic
After your lapse in a scholastic program
There'll be no collapse of your synaptic codes and
You can still walk with your peers
And the tears that you cry
Will tell you why
Every moment was worth it
No matter how much you were hurting
While working
And paying your own bills
Harvesting the seeds that you've sown will
Reap it's own rewards
And they'll all be yours
I believe you'll make it on Broadway
And when you hear the song play
You'll dance to your own steps
Because you have what it takes
To learn from your mistakes
And when you fall all you need is a friendly hand
To help you stand
chorus:
I believe we all wonder
If we'll be taken under
By the stress and the pressure
Will it get you
Down
Are you the best around
Or just the next in town
Either way, don't go running for the exit now
Don't worry about getting found
By anyone but you
When you see the view
Of your own inner beauty
It'll be the most amazing thing you'll ever see
Now imagine
That expanding
Until the entire planet
Is standing
Hand in
Hand and
Helping each other grow
It'll start off slow
But soon you'll feel the flow
Of energy ride through you in waves
And we'll all be brave
Because we won't be alone
Together we'll have grown
And after you let the hope in
There'll be a moment
When a friend needs you the most
And you'll be a rock instead of a ghost
Because a helping hand lifted you to higher ground
This is the love that I have found
And if only you believed like I believe, in miracles
And could hear it all
We could fly like a shooting star
And take pride in who we are
chorus:
I believe we'll find the answers
To beat cancer
In my lifetime
So that when our kids will write rhymes
They won't be about the unnecessary pain
Caused in vain
We can take away from the strain
Caused by fame
And judging eyes
Who love the lies
I'm not telling you how to live
I just want to give
Words of encouragement
And see what happens from the words I've sent
Have you really heard them yet
I believe in you
And I believe it's true
That we can call do what we love to do
We just need a little love and a lot of help
I believe in you, I hope you believe in yourself
chorus:
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12. |
With Love We Find Hope
02:53
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Chorus: Such a touchy remote
With love we find hope
Richer than c notes
As our dreams float
On the wings of our spirit
We can all feel it
And we can all hear it
In all of our lyrics
With such a touchy remote, who's really in control?
It doesn't really matter because we have soul
And we will all roll
As we just play ball
And we will stay tall
Because as we fall
We'll pick each other up and dust each other off
We'll show each other love and give another hug
We'll get punched in the face, but won't waste another shrug
And we'll climb mountains from the holes that we've dug
You won't keep us down, we found another way
And we will all say there's love here today
chorus:
It's humanity at its finest hour
Forget the insanity of mindless power
You can take away our homes and drain all our banks
And we'll just say thanks
For the chance to show strengths
We will go lengths
Like our forefathers
You can take away our food and take away our water
And we'll still have love for our sons and daughters
Because we have passion that burns so much hotter
Than anything you can throw at us
You can show us trust
And then take it away
And we will still say
There's love here today, there's still love here today
This is our song. We are truly strong...so let's all sing along. This is our song.
chorus:
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13. |
A Little About Me
03:24
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In case you're a little late getting to know me
Let me show the
Window to my soul
So we can take a stroll
We'll occasionally stall
To knock down some more walls
I used to be ridiculed
By some kids in school
Which probably makes me like you
But they never got me down no matter how hard they tried to
Because I liked being a nerd
It wasn't until I started seeing with words
That I heard
That being smart was dumb
And blazing skunk was fun
By those standards I'm a bore
I don't need to get high to soar
If I had grown to be a man
In Japan
I'd likely be an otaku
But I decided to stop to
See things from every perspective
And stayed reflective
So I could see through the mirror
To get a clearer
Image of the universe
And took the time to rehearse
Before getting on stage
Let my heart feel the words before flowing from the pen to the page
Now I use the Yen to make change
So I say Arrigato Gozaimasu
So we can look forward not behind us
Through the power of song
I know we belong
chorus: This is a little about me
No one has touched my life as much as my mother
And yes, I will always love her
Even though she died half my life ago
Which caused the tears to flow
She'll always be my hero
She's why I worked full time while taking 20 hours of classes
Without the outcome being disastrous
Like her I can work hard and still give love
And I know that will always be enough
That's why I've smiled through many of the tough
Times during my journey
Doing what I could to earn the
Money to continue
And was rocking empty venues
Not ordering from the menu
Because I could only afford peanut butter and bread
Having no money caused me no dread, instead
I loved everyday even when my bed
Was the passenger seat of my car at a rest stop
I was thinking nothing but blessed thoughts
And I don't believe in growing old
And don't care what I've been told
Listening to old school hip-hop
Thinking about what makes me hit stop
Versus hit rewind
To replay the verses in my mind
Rehearsing as I find
When cursing in a rhyme
Increases my retention
By piquing my attention
Instead of hurting my ears
I work in my fears
So they don't come true
As I run through
What drives me
And keeps my speed at 90
Chorus:
I care too much about other people
To be driven by the root of all evil
I keep an open mind
And I hope in time
My flows and rhymes
Will show you my
Heart and soul
As my art extols
Benefits
I hope you're getting it
I'd love to bridge the gap from first to last
But first perhaps
I should concentrate
On making differences in small ways
Being a good friend on all days
Listening to my friends' problems
Even if I have no clue how to solve them
Taking risks as I put myself all in
Because I'll definitely lose if I don't try
And I won't die
Without living for right now
As I put the mic down
I still have my life to live
So I'll earn my right to give
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14. |
We're All Superheroes
02:49
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I have reoccurring dreams of taking flight
In the night
Overcoming the plight
Of many enemies
And the places that they're sending me
Mainly I just fly
And I
Am usually invincible
I don't even wince at all
I use my powers to help those in need
With my deep seeded confidence
Instead of sitting on a fence
I'll knock it down
So when I'm found
We can travel on common ground
And if I need to, I'll elevate you
Put you on my shoulder so you can fly along
I don't need to try some wrong
To know that I'm living right
I've been given sight
That can only be achieved through the mind
As I seem to find
Myself learning the secrets to my powers
So I can make them ours
For my dreams to come true
My friends have to live them too
I want to teach the world to fly
All on the same level so no one seems to high
Or low
You know
That we're all superheroes
chorus: We're all superheroes
Superheroes have unique abilities and skills
Wills
To be the best in the worst situation
That they're facing
Overcoming horrific circumstances
Still willing to take chances
Even if the odds are long
They're at their strongest
When they're fighting for their loved ones
That's where their strength comes from
Even if their powers have different origins
From the sun to oxygen
And all the toxins in
A spider bite
The higher might
Is derived from the same place
When our hearts race
We're at our best
And we're truly blessed
Nothing can stop us, even through the pain
I'd do anything for you and I know you'd do the same
If I were the one who needed to be rescued
Yes you'd
Risk your world for me
So we can see
The beauty in this world and its humanity
All the flaws and imperfections
As we pause at intersections
Doing our best when
All we have are questions
Are we destined
Or do we control our own fate
Sometimes we just have to wait
But when you're uncertain, I'll be there for you
Because you are my superhero too
Chorus:
|
||||
15. |
I Don't Need
03:13
|
|||
|
I don't need an entourage
To build a big mirage
That says I'm the king of the gods
I don't want anyone to think I'm the best
The thing is I'm blessed
Because I have something that completes me
Getting here wasn't easy
But it was worth every scar
The wounds have pumped blood into the heart of my guitar
I don't care if I'm a star
Because I already shine
What I've created is mine
And debt collectors can't take it from me
Because I am free
chorus: I Don't Need. I just want to invent.
I don't need a hundred cars or a tiger in my basement
I don't really want to be famous
In some ways I prefer to be nameless
But I'll never shun a fan who reaches out a hand
Whether in thanks or in need
Or to help me succeed
If you've really listened, then you know who I am
You've heard me grow as a man
And I know that I can
Be successful my way
As I play
The strings of my life
And I sing with my might
Truth is what I bring when I write
And I ring in the night
As images fling out of sight
I recall memories as I kid
Of the things that I did
And some things that I said
Sometimes I'd think with my head
Other times I assumed I knew it all
My ego grew too tall
As I shot up 8 inches in 3 months
It seems I grew up all at once
But it was just physical
I couldn't fit it all
Together until it all fell apart
And I had to restart
Some pieces I left behind
Others, I still have to find
And that's something I'll do in time
But I'm not in a rush
I want to enjoy the touch
And remember the hush
The silence because no one was there
Some moments weren't fair
Or at least that's how it seemed
But the sleepless nights made me appreciate dreams
chorus:
I don't need to be on a boat
Or ski while I gloat
I just want to see what I wrote
And understand that I've created
I don't want to be hated
But it really doesn't hurt me
It isn't worth the
Energy to feed the hate
Until it destroys what I create
I just want to see fate
Take me to the island
As it holds my hand
I want to breathe deep and appreciate the oxygen
Blown in by forgotten wind
There's no way I'll be stopping then
Because my life will be a dream
Better than any dramatic scene
With panaromic sunsets
And perfect songs we haven't sung yet
Played harmonically by a supersonic drumset
While the rhythm of life
Makes it all alright
And when I get there I'll heave eternal bliss
From my journal's kiss
And I'll earn all this
By not being greedy
I'd love for my music to feed me
But if I ever sell a million CDs
I'll give the excess to the needy
And thank you all because you freed me
chorus:
Uhh yeah, that's right
|
||||
16. |
Weightlifting Jam
02:14
|
|||
|
Chorus: It's the weightlifting jam, weightlifting jam, weightlifting jam, yeah the weightlifting jam X2
Lifting in the weightroom with Lamont
Giving it all I got
Doing pull ups
And sit ups
Push ups
Then I get up
To do a little back work out
Give out a shout
As I push the weight out
Away from me
Doing some 70s
On each arm with some dumbbells for my chest
Trying to make me stronger on the bench press
Hmm... what's next
Maybe do some bis
Or some tris
So I can hypnotize
Or mesmerize
Some of my old classmates
Or teammates
And my old high school coach
I felt like a roach
Getting minutes like they were crumbs
No who feels dumb
Used to call me limited
When I was really gifted
With the ball in my hands
Now I'm the man
Chorus: X2
Time to get back to lifting
Shifting
My weight
As I anticipate
Doing some squats
To help me with my dunk shot
Giving Lamont
A spot
Yelling you got
It
Once he gets in the gym
You can't stop him
Get him in the gym and watch him go to work
Bench press or clean and jerk
We don't mess around
Sometimes we clown
But we always get down
To business
And witness
Our strength increasing
Never ceasing
To improve
Our moves
On the court
And when we get on a mission we don't abort
Never call Lamont short
Because he's tall in heart and strong as ox
Like I said when he starts he doesn't stop
Chorus: X2
Sit down on the shoulder press
Looking in the mirror and I'm impressed
By the work that I've done
Glad I've finished what I've begun
I flex and smile
For a little while
A second or two
Then I'm through
Admiring
Time to get back to the lifting
Zone
To tone
And build mass to muscle
I always hussle
When I lift
Time to shift
Back to my legs
So I can do some leg raises
Some calf raises
Some lunges
Some crunches
Some leg lifts and some curls
Not doing this to impress the girls
But to improve my game, my health, and my life
Trying to be fast as stealth and sharp as a knife
Chorus:
|
||||
17. |
Wisdom In My Writing
00:31
|
|||
|
The wisdom in my writing says that rhythm is inviting
Listen it's dividing, no it isn't, it's combining
Whispers as I'm trying
To kiss her while I'm flying
Bring me back from my dream
I want to go back to that scene
Relive the beauty and the pain
She wasn't just a cutie with a brain
I loved her unconditionally
But it wasn't up to me
So I had to let it be
I gave her a piece of my heart and she let it go
A love like that is something I will never know
With another soul
So I embrace the beauty of getting old
The wisdom in my writing says that rhythm is inviting
So my heart beats on
|
||||
18. |
Time
03:25
|
|||
|
It's that time again
Time to question everything
Breaking myself into a thousand piece puzzle
Not just the fat and the muscle
The blood, sweat, bone and tears
But the fears
Insecurities
Impurities
The things that worry me
And the big questions, like will anyone ever marry me
The why, why not
And everything I've got
Everything that wants to rule my world
As the plan is unfurled
And ripped to shreds
The secrets lying in my bed
Thrown in for bad measure
Mixed with false treasures
It's time to examine it all
As I fall
Into autumn
Rebuilding from the bottom
Looking at every piece before adding it or discarding
The easy and the hard things
Feeling it all 'til it's all overwhelming
Feeding until I don't know if I'm hungry
Thinking about those who love me
And those that said no
Most I let go
And breathed a sigh of relief
Make the breath deep
Then fight with the grief
I won't spite the belief
That my life won't be brief
I won't deny I believe
That I'll live to be 90 at least
Devouring a fat feast
To wrestle with this bad beast
There are things I question
Without exception
The failures and successes
The nos and yesses
The knows and guesses
The setbacks and lessons
Living free or destined
Past perfection
'Til I'm onto the next sin
I was never really a freshman
Because I lost my mom at 15 and started college less than a year later
Which made my fears greater
I didn't feel accepted at the university
Where no one had heard of me
Living with my grandma and working at the bookstore
Being younger than everyone else made it hurt more
And so did the fact that I would've gone to college for free
If my mom had completed her PhD
And survived the cancer
I would've found very different answers
But I won't go down the road of what if
Somehow I never even smoked one spliff
And didn't drink until I was 22
Because what I knew
For sure
Was that drugs and alcohol would never be the cure
It wasn't really about staying pure
Well, maybe a little bit
Part of me is still a little kid
Not touching drugs because my dad
Told me they were bad
But as an adult, I've made my own decisions
With the wisdom
That I have to do what's right for me
That's why I'm writing this tonight you see
Part of it's therapy
But it's mainly about fully examining me
Denying or affirming
What keeps my fire burning
Because forever I am learning
Or at least for the rest of life
And it makes for a long night
Where I'm definitely not alright
But I keep going
So I can keep growing
I take a look at my dreams
And what pursuing them really means
Part of me will always be pissed off
That I couldn't get this off
The ground
Trying to make a living from my sound
But I couldn't do it
I couldn't even make a profit off my music
And I'm trying not to lose it
Thinking about all I've lost already
And I'm not so steady
Licking my dry lips while my hands are sweaty
My face is flushed
As my thoughts cascade in a rush
A waterfall of emotion
As I leave the flood gates open
To let hope in
I have to face my doubts
To make me proud
I have to break me down
And look at the role love has played
Rejected in so many ways
I still think I'll be accepted one of these days
And not by someone old enough to be my mom
Shortly after she was gone
I was 16, and this woman was 39
And our lives intertwined
Because I liked her 15 year old daughter
But I crossed that bridge over seriously troubled waters
Then I met my soulmate
But before I could ask her out on a date
Her ex lied to me and stole her back
Causing a two year heart attack
I truly loved her
I believe she'd be the mother
Of our wonderful children
But again
That what if road is closed
And I suppose
It's for the better
Our story was a book long love letter
That no one ever got to read
And that wound occasionally still bleeds
But that scar is a part of me
One that I couldn't change if I wanted to
When I see it in the mirror, I say I love you
Then I question my philosophies
And if they're honestly
Holding me back or lifting me up
Am I giving too much
Am I taking enough
Am I making it tougher
Than it has to be
I reflect on family
And how much it matters
Even if they're scattered
Thousands of miles apart
They're always in my heart
Do I take too many risks and are they the right ones
Do I sacrifice tonight to make my life fun
Am I making the wrong turns
Thinking about the long term
And not focusing enough on this moment
Not knowing
If it's safe
Somethings I have to take on faith
Because hope is what makes freedom so valuable
No matter how you fall
|
||||
19. |
Birthday Song
05:03
|
|||
|
If it's your birthday, then happy birthday. Happy birthday to you-ou!
All of the lyrics in this song were freestyled.
|
||||
20. |
Go With The Flow
02:54
|
|||
|
Chorus: Gotta go with the flow because I know when I'm low that it's time for me to take control of the show
It's that time again
Rhyming and
I'm loving it
Taking all the pressure from the world and I'm shoving it
Back where it belongs
So I'm flowing on
And going strong
Showing wrong
Where it can stick its ugly head
Even if I don't know what he said
I'm not going back to bed
I'm done sleeping
But I'm still dreaming
Because being is believing
And I'm retrieving
And receiving
Everything that I need
No matter how much I bleed
It's not about the greed
It's about the freedom
So we can see some
Brighter days
And light the haze
With the fighter's ways
Overcoming all the problems
As we're solving them
Collectively
As we share in the lessons we
All had to learn
As we get burned
Sometimes we admire
The fire
As we aspire
To use our own to shine
The power is mine
The power is yours
The hour is sure
To bring us back to ourselves to overcome
So we run
And connect it to the pass
And we're collecting it fast
As we step on the gas
So we can get passed the past
And amass the mass
Critical
Surpass the spiritual
Level in our lyrical
Expression
I get the impression
We can do anything
When we sing
In harmony
With love is what you're arming me
So our troubles can all fall harmlessly
To the ground that surrounds us
Changing from a mountain to ground dust
As the sounds bust
All the frustrations away
So now we're loving today
chorus:
In this verse
I can tell you that it gets worse
Before it gets better
I don't care about the cheddar
So long as I have the bread
To keep fed
While still being hungry
I know there are a few who truly love me
That's what I'm using as my guide
Even when my future hides
Behind the darkness of right now
With the lights out
And the time's up
No more water in my cup
So I'm creating my own
As I strengthen the stone
Turning it into an everlasting elixir
A mixture of life
It's pure tonight
And surely right
Filling it up from the well
Because that's how we're doing
Nothing can ruin
This moment of hope
Because the show is so dope
No more walking over the rope
Because I've gained my balance to walk the line
All is kind
Flawless time
|
||||
21. |
I Can Feel The Love
02:57
|
|||
|
I will overcome this writer's block
As I fight this clock
And fit time into the tightest spot
Mine is not
The story that you normally hear
Time to open our hearts with warm and free ears
I won't give you a cold shoulder
As I grow older
I just have to let the ice melt
And tell you how I've felt
And use my passion
To make all this happen
For almost 20 years I've been rapping
It never matters
If I'm a better batter
When the record shatters
So long as I have respect for the game
When I step to the plate what people expect from my name
Is that I'll have left how I came
I was taking a swing with a glimmer in my eye
So it shimmers up so high
That's why the fire never simmers on the side
It always burns full steam
So you'll dream
As strongly as I do
And I'm true
When I tell you
That the way
I play
Makes me feel the love
I can feel the love
I can feel the love
Tour time
Time to lay it all on the line
And see if I can make a living off my mind
And my rhymes
See if time
Is kind
Or if I have to rewind
To find
My glory days
So I can ignore the ways
I've made mistakes in the past
And make this last
Sleeping in my car
I don't care if I'm a star
I'm just doing what I love
And that's more than enough
To overcome the rising odds
And see their eyes and nods
Watching the sparkle grow into a fire light
They can see that my desire's right
So they spare what they can
With their loving hands
I'm on tour and I can feel the love
Sometimes I feel like I'm living the life of a Jedi without the abilities
Silly me
Time to see
If I can move objects with my mind
To find
The strength to lift the ship from the dirt
So we can remove the sith from the earth
I'm back in my hometown
And what I know now
Is that everything has slowed down
I'm back with friends
So it begins again
Feeling the record spin and then
Feeling my heart beat
Lighting the way down the dark street
Letting my memories guide my way
There's no way they'll die today
I'm so happy that I might stay
Until my passion brings me back for more
Eventually I'll be back on tour
But I'm home now and I can feel the love
...
From my hometown I can feel the love
|
||||
22. |
Starting Over
03:25
|
|||
|
Chorus: We all have to start over sometime, somewhere. Once there, how do we know where to go?
Today another friend has moved on
And it makes me think about all who've gone
Some I haven't heard from since
One or two I should have kissed
Some I've forgotten and some I really miss
The most recent
Left for good reason
She's going out to experience life
And it's turned today into a serious night
And I'm alone, cleaning my apartment
Wondering what's going to start next
Because this is another beginning
And I'm listening
To the future, but my ear sight's a little cloudy
Fear might make me drowsy
This clear night shapes the town we
Found each other in
And I'm wondering
As I stare at the silhouette
If it's too early to hit the pillow yet
But I won't give into the gravity
Of depravity
I will gladly see
That I have to be
Going forward
Until those no more words
Then I can just feel
What I know is real
chorus:
I've moved on many times myself
And seen the struggle in someone else
They wish me luck, but hate saying goodbye
Could I
Be the good guy
By leaving my friends
Not knowing if I'd see them again
Was I being selfish
With my well wish
I had to follow my heart and dreams
And they both got ripped apart at the seems
I couldn't see through the gleam
Reflecting off my tears
Rejecting all the fears
And expecting all the years
Ahead of me
To be the best I'd see
As the future filled with my present with hope
I wonder how those in my past will cope
Leaving without a rope
Or a safety net
It made me sweat
But it had not made me crazy yet
Because I was too excited
To hide it
I had to try it
I had to take the leap
That would make me weap
Whether tears of joy, or tears of sorrow
I couldn't know until tomorrow
Had become yesterday
So I could feel blessed today
Until my friend went away
While I get to stay
And start over again
As I go for the win
I know that I'll spin
The wheel of fate many more times
As I feel the weight send towards mine
So I breathe deep
And try to keep
My balance
Knowing that it shall hinge
On more than a stripped rusted screw
Building upon what I knew
And overcoming what I don't
I won't
Stop starting
To matter how hard things
Seem to be
My tears will always reflect the gleam in me
chorus:
|
||||
23. |
Wonder Years
02:21
|
|||
|
There’s a certain odd empty feeling
It has me reeling
Breathing
Heavy, taking in the deep
Going past the shallow
Onto tomorrow
To be fulfilled like it was yesterday
When all I had to do was play
There were no sad truths to get in the way
There wasn’t hope; I didn’t need it
I already lived like I was dreaming
Coming home from school Was so cool
Hanging out with my best friend in the backyard
Before I drove a black car
Or even knew how to
I didn’t need cell phones to find you
The world was small enough that home was never far
I sometimes miss knowing exactly where you are
My street was my universe
I didn’t know what it was like to hurt
And I never cursed
I also didn’t realize how blessed I was
I already had the best of love
We already had the best of us
Now there’s a restless buzz
Reverberating in the cave of my chest
I gave it my best
Without even trying
I had no use for lying
There were no egg shells to walk on
Just solid ground so we could talk on
And on
And it was never all gone
We had an endless supply
You and I
No need to cry
Because we had it all
Standing tall
Shoulder to shoulder
But we got older
We grew up
We started to want too much
I know I did anyway
All I want now is to live today
Like I’m a kid, okay?
Where everything is wondrous
And the applause are thunderous
Because our imagination was our amplifier
And we could turn it up higher
Way past eleven
Hearing the cheering from the heavens
We had our own stage
And wrote our own plays
We filled our own page
Until we turned it
And we learned it
Wasn’t easy
But I know you still believe in me
You don’t have to encourage me with your voice
You don’t even have a choice
Even if you use sarcasm
Nothing can cause a chasm
Between us
We believed once
Always and forever
We won’t live to see never
These are ties that can’t be severed
Even as the world grows
I will let the world know
How much you mean to me
And we will see it be
How it once was, almost
OK, so I’ve let it go
I know
The world moves on
But we’ll be too strong
And we’ll write a new song
It won’t be long
‘Til we’re gone
But while I’m here
I’ll hold onto the wonder years
|
||||
24. |
Low Stress Diet
03:13
|
|||
|
Family, friends, music and love
Are all that I need because they're truly enough
I'm on a low stress diet
I won't guess I'll try it
I'll go just buy it
Because oh yes I fit
I'm on a low stress diet
Low stress diet
It's curious where my heart is
I'm worriless when I start this
Wordiness in the darkness
I won't hurry this 'cause I've got less
Weight on my mind and my shoulders
I've slowed time and I'm older
But I feel younger than I did at 16
When it seemed
Like the sky was a little more grey
Back in those days
Now the air is cooler
Like Ferris Bueller,
Everyday seems like it's my day off
I finally found a way to make things stay soft
Instead of being hard constantly
It's simple smart honesty
To tell you that I've but back on my stress intake
As I make my best mistakes
Oh yes it takes
A certain peace inside
As my shirts increase in size
To not feel hurt when she just tries
To work in recent lies
So she can steal when I've earned this week and cries
To mentally manipulate my magnificent benevolence
And display it in high def with wicked malevolence
She tries stripping my innocence
Only to find she no longer knows what it looks like
She threw hers away the first time she shook tights
For cash
And she's made quite a stash
I could be artifical
And get superficial
But I want something special
So I dress up in just real
Clothes when I'm at the bar
Not looking for hoes to make me feel like a star
But it's not my place to judge
I just live my life through love
That's why
Yo I
chorus: [I] am on a low stress diet. Yo just try it!
I don't care if my ex talks
And tells me that sex rocks
I'm hanging out with the homeboys playing the XBox
Because video games don't give me STDs
Let me please
Your ear drums
As my fears come
To fruition
Only to find they can't afford the tuition
Required to steal my knowledge
Acquired in real life's college
With desires to feel life fall in
To the depths of the abyss they were created in
I feel the breath from the kiss that was made in sin
My love for truth makes me grin
And I'll never be paid to win
Because my mission's
Not about competition
It's about being me
Being free
And seeing the
Best parts of my life
I'll step up and grab the mic
Reach out the world and I'll grab it tight
Make love to my words as I have it right
I know that it's a magic night
I'll tell you it's pure as I gladly write
I'll always use my pen if I have to fight
I'll never resort to fisticuffs
Because my wrist is tough
As I find freedom in expression
And my mind sees some thin impression
Of the truth
I've let go of age and I've gained my youth
I turned the page and it's plainly proof
That as long as I hang on to my dream it's reality
As my eyes gleam with no fallacy
chorus:
I take all of my stress and I throw it like a javelin
|
||||
25. |
Inventor
01:12
|
|||
|
Turn on the stereo, kick up the bass
As I dunk in your face
I don't waste
Time
As I kick this dope rhyme
I drink my lemon lime
Soda
Wise like Yoda
Drink my Coca-Cola
Now I know a
Man named Shaq
He's got this funky dunk attack
Better watch your back
'Cause I'm like Bird
Larry
Can't compare me
To another
Brother
Like no other
I'm a great lover
Like Chamberlin
I came to win
Battle me that's a sin
Just like stealing
I'm freewheeling
Give me the cards and I'm dealing
Four of a kind
Don't mess with my mind
'Cause I got you beat every time
|
||||
Mission Man Cary, North Carolina
Mission Man began rapping in 1992, when a friend told him to "kick a rap." Gary (Mission Man) replied, "I can't rap man,"
but after his friend insisted, Gary did indeed kick a 30 second rap.
He's been making music ever since, and has 14 studio albums, and a live album to his credit. Album 15 will likely be out in 2024.
... more
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