[Intro] What we have to do is deal with it when these individuals are young enough. If you wish to be saved, not in a religious sense but not to constitute what this country at times calls if or which over. We seem to be approaching an age of the gross. We all have this idea that we should move up from our parents station and each generation should do a little bit better. [Verse 1- Eminem] Come on, let's cut the bullsh** enough Let's get it started, let's start addressing this issue and open it up Let's take this sh** back to basement And we can disscuss statements thats made on this tape And its whole origin of the music that we all know and love The music that we all enjoy the music you all accuse me of tryna destroy Let's rewind it to 89 when I was a boy on the east side of Detroit Crossin 8 Mile into Warren, into hick territory I'd like to share a story, this is my story and cant no body tell it for me You will well inform me, I am well aware that I don't belong here You've made that perfectly clear, I get my a** kicked damn near everywhere From Bel-Air shopping center just for stopping in there From the black side all the way to the white side Okay there's a bright side a day that I might slide You may call it a past I call it haulin my a** Through that patch of gra** over them railroad tracks Oh them railroad tracks, them old railroad tracks Them good old notorious oh well known tracks [Chorus x2] So lets go back Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place I once used to call home sweet home [Verse 2- Eminem] I roam the streets so much they call me a drifter Sometimes I stick up a thumb just to hitch hike Just to get picked up to get me a lift to 8 mile and Van Dyke And steal a god damn bike from somebody's backyard And drop it off at the park that was the half way mark To meet Kim had to walk back to her mama's on Chalmers after dark To sneak me in the house when I'm kicked out my mom's Thats about the time I first met Proof with Goofy Gary on the steps At Osbourne handing out some flyers, he was doin some talent shows At Centerline High, I had told him to stop by and check this out sometime He looked at me like I'm out my mind shook his head like white boys dont know how to rhyme I spit out a line and rhymed birthday with first place And we both had the same rhymes that sound alike We was on the same sh** that Big Daddy Kane sh** with compound syllables sound combined From that day we was down to ride somehow we knew we'd meet again somewhere down the line [Chorus x2] So lets go back Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place I once used to call home sweet home [Verse 3- Eminem] My first year in 9th grade, can't forget that day at school It was cool till your man MC Shan came through And said that Puma's The Brand 'cause the clan makes troops It was rumors but man, god damn, they flew Musta been true because man we done banned they shoes I had the new ones the Cool J, Ice land swayed too And we just through them in the trash like they yesterday's news Guess who came through next, X-clan debut Professor X vanglorious exists in a state of red, black, and green With a key sissies now with this bein a new trend We don't fit in crackas is out with Cactus albums Blackness is in, African symbols and medallions Represents black power and we ain't know what it meant Me and my man Howard and bu*ter, we would go to the mall with 'em All over our necks like we're showin 'em off not knowin at all We was bein laughed at you ain't even half black You ain't supposed to have that homie let me grab that And that Flavor Flave clock we gon' have to snatch that All I remember is meetin back at Manix's basement Sayin' how we hate this, how racist but dope the x clan take this Which reminds me back in 89 me and Kim broke up for the first time She was tryna two time me and there was this black girl At our school who thought I was cool cuz I rapped so she was kinda eyein me And oh the irony guess what her name was ain't even gon' say it plus The same color hair as hers was and blue contacts and a pair of jugs The bombest god damn girl in our whole school if I could pull it Not only would I become more popular but I would be able to piss Kim off at the same time But it backfired I was supposed to dump her but she dumped me for this black guy And thats the last I ever seen or heard or spoke to the oh foolish pride girl But I've heard people say they heard the tape and it ain't that bad But it was I singled out a whole race and for that apologize I was wrong cuz no matter what color a girl is she's still a hoe [Chorus x2] So lets go back Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place I once used to call home sweet home