Growing Pains

Those who criticize my generation forget who are the ones who raised us
Produced teenagers who popping razors scrapping their veins open like erasers
Trying to erase all the pain and shame of delinquent teenagers
On call with drugs and alcohol having a ball while our species is endangered
Because in this day and age, you are nothing but a Facebook page,
A retweet of nothing sweet, a selfie inside a cage

Living in a material prison, a 16x9 cеll of whatever celеbrities on your TV wanna sell
'Cause everybody wants to be somebody but nobody wants to be themselves
We adore the ones who ignore us and ignore the ones who adore us
We are only Muslim by name, so long as immigration won’t deport us

I’m sorry Mr. Politician; I didn't mean to look so different
I know my parents have a funny accent but I’m just working with what I was given
You see we moved to these lands to escape from poverty and persecution
But colonization of my nation kind of had the promise lands looking like an illusion

And I don’t know what I’m doing, where I’m from or where I’m going
You see I wanted to go to school but the class they put me in is boring
The teacher says that I have special needs, and that my grades ain’t that important
But they don’t know that I could flick trees, and by 3, buy me a pair of Jordans

And I don’t even want to play the race card, cause I ain’t even a fan of poker
But every time I visit jails, it looks like the coloured people taking over
But as I’ve grown older, I’ve realized what’s most important
I don’t ask Allah for less tests, I ask Allah for bolder shoulders
Because inside of every tear is a moment most sincere to God
The help of Allah is near, but how near are you to Allah?

Because in order to be free, you must escape from the prison of your desires
And speak only when your words are more beautiful than silence
Make friends with the Qur’an because it is a book of guidance
Embody the message of messengers, and stand tall like Dawood did to Giants

I was looking for faults, and so I started in the mirror
And I realized my real homies are those who want to be homies in Jannah
And though people are complicated, Islam is real simple
You see Allah gives us so much, but yet we thank Him so little

But now even liberals see my sisters wearing Hijabs as criminals
But I see every covered girl as a cover girl so take cover girl
And forgive your enemies but never forget what they have taught you
And know that those who gossip with you will one day gossip about you

They tell me I should rap to the youth although my poetry is spoken
I tell them my tongue is a loaded gun, and I am careful where I point it
And I ain’t trying to give advice that I haven’t acted upon myself
Cause everybody wants to change the world, but nobody wants to start within themselves
But from what I can tell, the signs are clear; the end of time is near
And behind every wrinkle on the face of our elders lies wisdom beyond our years
If only we would take a moment to attain all that they had made
One generation plants a seed, so that the next can receive the shade

People ask me what changed, but wallahi akhi nothing really,
I just began to see this world as a traveler and I’m moving quickly
On my way inside my grave for everyone will sleep
'Cause the angel of death is a celebrity everybody’s dying to meet

People say they are just "killing time" but really time is just killing you
And your life is nothing more than all the paths and roads that you will choose
But even a man who killed 99 people and repented to Allah was excused
So if you say your heart has grown distant from Allah, then ask yourself who moved?

Growing up is painful, but you can’t stay small forever
Everybody wants a rainbow, but ain’t prepared for bad weather
So never ever ever let the devil make you sad at where you are
'Cause only in your darkest hour can you see the brightest stars

Some of the best lessons in my life were learned at the worst times
But I wouldn’t change anything except my patience in the divine
Because if Allah brings you to it, then He will bring you through it
Just have patience and pray, trust me, I’m living proof of it