Chain Link

[Verse 1]
I try to always buy Final Call from the F.O.I
Even though that's not what Islam always signify
I gotta love the struggle in 'em
They would get on their knees and shine shoes
'fore they'd ever let the drugs afflict 'em
Makin tacos or fuckin' with McDonald's
Nickel and dime broke, but dignified with high hopes
Some people shoulder the weight of the needy and make it look easy
Even though they walkin' the tight ropes
Immigrants twelve deep in one bedrooms
I'm too cool, I look at 'em like fools
Those fools combine forces and pull they resources
And guess who the new owner of the corner store is
Shit, what's stoppin me from doin that?
I probably could, rich drug smugglers are proof of that
Because if one dime sack in the time can climax
Into a billion dollar industry, then look at my abilities
But I'm a dreamer in a lot of ways
I feel if you believe in God, then you believe in brighter days
Keep my son's heartbeat in my sleep
I'mma walk the planet Earth with his name carved deep in my feet like

[Hook x2]
Children growin', women producin'
Men go workin', but what's the use
When the real strive hard and stress about the rent
And can still die poor and in debt without a cent

[Verse 2]
Born again Christian preachers from the suburbs
Tryin to save souls on Broadway, they got some nerve
Comin' here, unaware that the ones with no material gifts
Sometimes the most spiritually rich
Laziness got me scared the stand back and notice that
That can't hold me back, my man Vast told me that
"Harlem got all that on a bigger scale"
But when there's bullets in the sandbox, it's every bit as real
I see children growing up within a wicked system
Smiling, I wanna kiss 'em, I see prophet Muhammad in 'em
Poverty stricken, people from my generation are
Hands down the world's most creative
I've seen both sides of the fence
Picket a chain link and we ain't all thinkin' the same thing
But they teens got so impressed by me
They try to walk, talk, interact and dress like me
We captivated the world's imagination
I used to idolize athletes and entertainers
'Cause they never let the situation capture 'em
System gave 'em lemons, made lemonade and sold it back to 'em

[Chrous x2]
Children growin, women producin
Men go workin, but what's the use
When the real strive hard and stress about the rent
And can still die poor and in debt without a cent

[Verse 3]
Marvin Gaye said it best "This ain't livin"
No matter your religion the earth keep spinnin
And the sun keep shinin, babies keep cryin
Old folks dying, in between you put your time in
And here I am, still lower class America
Same room, same view, different cast of characters
Regina got arrested as a late prowler
Couldn't trick, got evicted, lost her section 8 voucher
Onward goes my neighbourhood's revolving door
A gang of rental properties nobody owns at all
I guess that's why we call it a hood
Nobody stays as long as it takes to become neighbour

[Hook x2]
Children growin, women producin
Men go workin, but what's the use
When the real strive hard and stress about the rent
And can still die poor and in debt without a cent