A Man - Damani, Damani Nkosi, PJ Morton

Oh man it’s a miracle

How I came from a town, where most fall down

And never get up, I never gave up

I slipped up a couple of times, but I still raise up

Even though I’m scraped up, I keep fighting

They don’t know I’m up, cold sweats when i wake up

I see death as a, poverty, despair

Gotta kill 'em for a

All the bloods, all the crips at the park to recruit

Thugs I grew up with, we used to do backflips

And drank cups with pass the first sip

Higher Xscape, but can’t seem to escape the middle scape

Go to act like an ape, man I can’t fall for the trap

Or a state, nah, It’s not a game, nah

I can’t see it, I can’t be it

Grown man, boy brained, locked up, going insane

In pain, late night, untamed

A man, A man

Won’t chance a thang

Maybe when I am, now I understand

A man, I’m a man

Pops had me on the weekend, had a fifth on myself

He was preaching, he was teaching me: knowledge yourself

Jazz in the background, books on the shelf

Lil' herb, lil' liquor, go and get my belt

If my grades wasn’t right, if I took school light

It was lights out, couple, see you later, good night

The message was clear, relate to fear

I had to go through somethin', to get me somethin'

That’s how I got me somethin', and I ain’t frontin'

It was though but it was worth it

If it’s easy than it’s worthless

But if you are on your JO, than It’s workin'

From a boy to a man, in between is the matrix

Baby momma’s in court cases, living at three places

Keep dreaming and chase dreams, since eighteen

Nothing works, so you keep pacin' to make CREAM.

Depressed and find conflict as a player

Yeah, that was me, pitiful young minded

Blinded by the alore of a whore, wildin' on tour

I had a couple dollars, but my spirit was poor

I ran my gifts in the ground, said I’m tired of it now

I didn’t wanna rap, the homies kept tellin' me to take

Another lap

So I did, I never hit, I ain’t a kid

I had to tell the money to be a boss

I’m here to let you know, we all gotta grow

It won’t stop, I keep it 100 when it comes to this hip-hop