Chorus (2x):
On and on like the song goes
I wonder if we've took the wrong road
And it seems like so long ago
But you know where to go if you ever come home
Verse 1:
I was born in the morning of America
Torn between mourning the lost and celebrating the dawn
Majored in Reganomics, Hip hop, and comics
Fist locked around dollars, fuck a stock market
Prince was chart hopping, purple rain falling
Writers getting up and down the Berlin Wall
Before the iron curtain call
And people powered one
Chilling up in military housing having fun
With the little we got, got Optimus for Christmas
Over time it paid principal and interest
Moms and pops still ill equipped as new immigrants
Navigating 1986 with three kids plus expecting one more
Far from the Huxtables
That's why I'm still comfortable while sleeping on the floor
Twenty three years gone, still 1984
Still fighting more undeclared wars
Caught 'em shipping arms to Iran for Nicaraguan contras
A cold war getting hotter
Now what's going on?
It's no more Marvin to sing us the song
I think something's gone wrong
Repeat chorus
Verse 2:
Now nothing beats the sound of a pause-mix cassette
Bumping in the system of your hooptie stock deck
Eight-bit systems and kung fu flicks
I rock like Herbie Hancock with prosthetic limbs
Who killed Vincent Chin was it them was it us
Not giving enough of a fuck to stand up?
Not more than twelve months after Lennon got shot
Bob died same year Mumia got locked
The School of the Americas put heads to sleep
Like Ted DiBiase the million dollar dream
Jesus freaks all believe, believe on these streets
Will they please just
Leave us be?
Mix tapes with Fat Boys and Run DMC, Too Short, BDP and EPMD
Watched more Nickelodeon than MTV
Eventually every week it was Fab Five Freddy
Now everyone born 'bout '87 up got a VH1 version of the years we came up
But VH1 never played Hip hop at all
How the fuck they be the ones giving Hip hop awards y'all?
Repeat chorus
Verse 3:
Reflections and questions and not enough answers
The rise of gang banging was the death of the Panthers
Short shorts, tube socks, city to boondocks
Everywhere somebody trying to moon walk
Rocksteady Crew, jams with Steve Pool
Sight beyond sigh
Yo I pulled roots like Super Mario 2
A bowl full of Cheerios
Looking back just say no was not enough
To sweep dust under carpet when the visitors came
Cities became, and temporary wealth manifested in chains
MJ became chosen, free Mandela was the slogan of the moment
To the mobile DJs with the pompador fades
Rocking Debbie Deb and Stevie P all day
When I hear music I can't wait to rock
New shoes nothing less than some fresh high tops and
Things happen for a reason they say
But I say there's a reason things happen
And it wasn't all good way back in the day
Struggled then struggled now still standing
Things happen for a reason they say
But I say there's a reason things happen
And it wasn't all good way back in the day
Struggled then struggled now still standing
Come on
Repeat chorus (4x)
