Intro Welcome to the beginning of a lyrical shift. A transition. An ascension [Verse 1- Az] I'm Az the Azmatic! Got lines with some meaning it's fantastic My rhymes so creative that they're giving me gift baskets I'm gifted with rapping, write down my thoughts and gift rap it Making b**hes bend backwards even after I let em have it I'm the hero whose praises are still unsung, weapon Unslung, bout to go in and tell you bout where I come from: Grew up in the chi in the suburbs on the North side Towns were full of mansions so I thought my house was small-sized Riches all around me but I saw the other half Or the other 95% once I did the math After graduation went to get a college degree But $60,000 a year? I couldn't front that fee Signed up for ROTC, now you can't see me Cause I'm off at Fort Knox and I'm not living freely Best believe that weed leaves are on the front of my mental Haven't hit a blunt in months, I been gettIn sentimental Now we're marching in the heat to the beat of the drum We be far from the beach, but we out under the sun And we follow the guns, but I been praying for peace Getting ready to run, I'm in the belly of the beast When I try to relax, they all are up on my case I can't even lie down, or they get up in my face But I'm no fool, I stay cool, don't let em get in my head Cause I rely on the wisdom I learned in books that I read So when I walk out of the woods I be feeling like church!
Meditated for an hour sitting under a birch Thinking over my life, all the choices I've made, set Set me apart from the rest, mama an angel you laid Second chances and opportunities got me feeling blessed Gifted with a healthy body and a brain for the tests I see we're setting ourselves up, we're failing our future Ripping holes in each other's hearts no doctor can suture Lose yourself in the madness because they taught you to fear So it's no wonder that we're going crazy growing up here And I'm not satisfied when hands are tied, I'm climbing up higher Burning pa**ion sparks the spirit now I'm lighting a fire Liars bringing us down and choirs lifting us up I try to follow the faithful, the people living for love But Uncle Sam? He's like that creepy guy who touches little kids I don't agree with anything that f**er's ever did Stole this land from the people whose spirits were more connected Wanted personal property then we went and we wrecked it And you know bout what those lazy crackers did til ‘63 But that sh** ain't even over, Mr. Crow's still running free Now we're building up a prison with invisible walls Our neighbors are the jailers and our streets are the halls It's an Orwellian future, but the nightmare is now I know I wanna escape, if you do too I'll tell you how (how, how, how, how) I know I wanna escape, just listen up to learn how (how, how, how, how)