[Termanology]
Yeah, my 22 long years y'all, 22 long
[Termanology]
Age 1 almost died, age 2 in the ghetto
Age 3 seen a nigga get popped by the metal
Age 4, just the same as 5
Trying to dry mami eyes
Can't forget about 6
That's when crack hit
My city extra hard, my aunty extra hard (uhuh)
And these extra bars, hit me extra hard (damn)
Can't forget about pops, he was out that year (uhuh)
Had no santa, he was out that year (no santa)
Had no plan of being out that year
Just happened he was out that year
Gods plan, damn
And age 7 ain't get much better
My sister here, but we get less chetter
So how that work like
Age 8 (Age 8), 8 apartment (8 apartment)
Never knew that I'd be selling eights
Just wait
Age 9 (Age 9), just starting to get my grind on
Plus I get my rhyme on
[Hook: Termanology]
I swear we'll make it outta here
Mama, it's been 20 long years
We been going through our ups and downs
But I know we gonna make it out
Somehow, we'll make it outta here
Mama, it's been 20 long years
We been going through our ups and downs
But I know we gonna make it out
[Termanology]
Age 10 that was 92, chillin' with them grimey dudes
Learning how to be a man from what Free and Ronny do
And watching my mommy too
That's my father figure - "Where your father nigga?"
He around somewhere
Now im 11 and 7-11 games
Of being talked to a grown man in a childs frame (im just a kid)
It's like a childs mind that was elevated (I was smart)
Or like a grown mans mind that diselevated (haha)
That's why I celebrated
When I moved out of my hood
To another hood that was less hood (Hell to The Law)
My childhood was diseased at 12
The grown man would unleash himself
And I'm here
And 13 was the craziest year
I fucked around and meet Amy what year (goddamn)
A young nigga, I was stuckin' already
Wildin' out, I was fuckin already
And shortly after
14, my introduction to manhood
This man stood on his own 2 like a man should
And when they told me grandma passed away
I cried the whole day, but smiled the next day
Cuz, I knew I had an angel watching over me
Even though it's cold of me
It's the way it's supposed to be
In gods plans
[Hook]
[Termanology]
15, young man done been in many fights
15, young man spend many hungry nights
16, half a 32, now I got a 32
It's highschool now, niggas wanna murder you
You gotta stay on your toes
And gotta pray on you foes
Im 17 now, making the dough
Makin it slow (Slow money)
Well, slower than Scarface
But, alot faster than the paperboy
What you niggas hate me for
Cuz I'm only 18 on Jamn and the courts
By the age of 19, man speed had me out of the Bean
And this is international love, I'm moving records now
It's been around 20 years, and I'm respected now
And I'm expected now
To put the Bean on the map
I'm 21 and I'm leaning on back
Life, my daughters here, that's the meaning of that
It's 22 years
[Hook]
22 Years was produced by 9th Wonder.