Full Circle - Badi

He was born when the world was at the brink of war

His father left him, he learned later what for

Gone for years, left a wife and two kids

In a war-torn country, all living in fear

They were being persecuted with no where run on an island

His kind was forced into hiding

In the bomb shelters, rubber in his mouth

For the impact to keep his teeth from coming out

He saw things no child should have to see

Streets and rivers both flooded with casualties

Father finally returned reunited at last

Didn’t even recognize him he ran right past

The war had ended but, they were no longer welcome

In their own land, it was under new command

Exiled to a place that never wanted em there

They made it quite clear, and would touch and stare

Cause they had never seen nobody with no brown skin

He had to be careful when he hung around them

But he got by, discovered his love for music

Jazz got him things that he just wasn’t used to Took it with him everywhere, loved it so much

Moved to america, cause he heard there was plenty there

Got an education but still kept playing

Traveled the world, came back and put his faith in The Glory of God, taught by a bass player

Had sons of his own, and through them he’s grown

And now they’re the one’s looking out for him

They love him and I can tell you that they’re proud of him

CHORUS:

He survived the war, his life needed more

And now it’s come around full circle

He became his own man, in his homeland

And now it’s come around full circle

He loved the music and knew to use it And now it’s come around full circle

And understand he lives for his family

And now it’s come around full circle

She came into this world not as a baby girl

But as grown woman cause she was pushed out to pay the bills

And since then she’s been on her own

Birth certificate reads father unknown

She had an old picture of a group of men

On a reservation, but didn’t even know if he was one of them

Never had the time to give it any thought

The oldest of four and caretaker of them all

Mother unfit so she was forced to live

In foster home after home after orphanage

At sixteen she gave birth to her first kid

Living in the projects she prayed he would outlive

Dropped out of high school, never went to college

When she walked into buildings she was never acknowledged

She knew somehow she had to make an honest living

She used what she had and finally started singing

After she Iearned that God, was watching over her

From a bass player, the answer to her prayers

No formal education but she got into a graduate

Program, she worked hard cause she so was glad to get

Any opportunity, and that mindset is still in her

A teacher now, because that work is real to her

Made a new life for her kids out of nothin

Doctorate in hand cause she knows how to hustle

But her greatest feat is not her PHD

Her biggest accomplishment is of a higher degree

It’s the fact that her sons can count on her

It’s the fact that her sons can be proud of her

CHORUS:

She knows how to hustle, works on the double

And now it’s come around full circle

Love is the reason she could rise above it And now it’s come around full circle

She takes nothing she’s handed for granted

And now it’s come around full circle

And understand she lives for her family

And now it’s come around full circle

I met my brother in the womb

We both had to make the move late june

He was always a few steps ahead of me But never letting me go never forgetting me Most of the kids at school never accepted me So together we formed a team for whenever we Moved from city to city and it seemed every

Place was diverse reflecting our own heredity

We never had that much

None of the other kids had never seen working class like us The amount of money they had was transparent

I couldn’t relate, we never had grandparents

Moved cause a good education was needed

Ma wanted us to have more choice than she did

And ironically we were all cheated

My brother got wise quick, that’s how he succeeded

I remained cause I felt love for a moment

But it was never possible my heart was stolen

I sought something to burn

Ruined all my relationships, got me what I deserved

Lesson learned, a step closer to my destination

Finally left school to start my education

Life abroad saw my pain lifted

I thank God we could afford that plane ticket

And now I realize how all this came to be Now I see what they were doing when they were naming me Mother father thank you for allowing me To become badi, I hope your proud of me It’s full circle