[Verse 1: Tragedy Khadafi] It started out in '85, live movement Born with a mic attached to my hand, I love music Grew with lyrical giants and rap gods Long before CNN, Mobb Deep and Nas Ghetto child, tell me how I see that far I was blessed, some of my friends, they didn't beat the odds Got introduced to weed by (?) and (?) And my heart was a G just dying to break free Mom tried to put me on to the code of the street Closed Malcolm get fed in a week, just don't eat Never played ball, I felt comfortable over beats Never stayed home, I felt more love in the streets Educated by the dope fiends, hustlers and crips We learned that good die young and crew love is deep Found n***as seamen just died in their sleep Don't expect to see 30-18 as your peak [Verse 2: Tragedy Khadafi] Paragraphs intended in past tenses Redeemed from a young black menace during crack's epidemic Neighborhoods changed over night Trip over my shoulder would have griped No question I was destined to hold the mic This was foreseen before the age of fourteen Mom's life almost lost cut short being a fiend Now on course staying clean, yet the damage is done
Hooked on the rock like the granite and abandoned the sun In '89, I have to blast 'em loud It was Intelligent Hoodlum rapping 'I'm black and I'm proud' Exquisite and beautiful Beyond digits and numerals Prisons and funerals Arrest the president, business as usual Trashed my diploma from high school Built it with desciples like Michael with IQs High to the roof Forget their vital interest and applying to the service Breathe life to replenish, here for a higher purpose [Verse 3: Blak Madeen] So many contreversial things that I came to say (?) We all got friends and family in A Yay Trying to go straight before we lay in the grave This is life everyday, by fatal and it hits home I premate 'em, alcohol syndrome Free your dome 'cause it's cold shiver devilish And if you're coming at the king, you can never miss I know what heaven is, it's written in the Qur'an 36-12, (?) imam Playing it in black and white, so you can't deny it Like the 1984 law time race riots I face giants, like David and Goliath Life's a tragedy, so we try to triumph We don't plan to fail, we just fail to plan There's no God but Allah so we fear no man