No Mother, No Father

[Intro]
Yeah, this is going out to those who grew up without a mother or a father
I know what I mean?
It's tough, but sometimes you got to hold your head up high
You got to do what you got to do
Let me talk about my life for a minute
Yo pay attention

[Verse 1]
14 years old, the grown man
Had to hit the streets and get the cream at Murderpan
Moms bounced on the fam
Imagine this, now we're really in a jam, damn
At this time, pops duke wasn't thinking
Spent his time sniffing coke and drinking
At one time for a seas this man will bleed
But now I proceed to take the lead
I got brothers and sisters to feed
So Shug's coming, you best take heed
Anyone could be a victim
So like an attack dog, I ha ha ha stick 'em
Some would think it's life to be cool
Hanging out all night then get up and go to school
Fools, this shit was stressing
Everyday fucked up, but I still count my blessings
No pops to tell me wrong from right
No moms to fucking hold my hand at night
They say I'm heading for trouble
They say I'll end up doing life, maybe double, hmmm
Suspensions mean nothing to me
Call my crib if you want to, no daddy
I'm 16 with my own caddie
It's fucked up niggas stay mad at me
With no father or mother
Advice going one ear, then right out the other
This shit hurt bad, heartfelt
But you learn to play the hand you was dealt
With no mother

[Hook]
No mother, no father
Where will I go?
No mother, no father
What will I do?
How will I grow?

[Verse 2]
19 now, I had to get away
I made moves and broke out to a land of GA
Hooked up with moms out that way
Told me that she loved me, so we played it day by day
About a month went by
And to no surprise, she woke up and told me goodbye
My pops warned me of this move
But I ain't running back home, I got to show and prove
I caught a job at Lenox Mall
Cause in the face of adversity, I stand tall
I sold weed to make ends meat
Cause I loved to live nice plus I loved to eat
Parties every night, turned them out
Hooked up with my man, Guru, at Morehouse
Talk of dreams of being a rap star
Formed a rap duo better known as Gang Starr
Told my pops about my dreams out of town
But like he did before, he shot this one down
No father

[Interlude]
Yeah
This shit is real
Yeah, yeah

[Hook]

[Verse 3]
23, I broke back to Bosstown
But when I came to town, crack came to town
Nearly blew my ass down
My pride and my dignity, nowhere to be found
My life, the epitome of hardcore
I was robbing everything from Burger Kings to liquor stores
You want more? I was out of control
Got bagged 8 to 10, with 3 to serve at [?]
My life was no joke
At about this time, pop duke caught a stroke
My life and my dreams all went up in smoke
Too damn strong to hang myself by a rope
One day in my cell feeling blue
I got a kite from my main man, Guru
He told me what to do
He said if you get your shit right, there's a chance for you
Right then, it hit me like a metal pipe
I'ma rock mics for the rest of my life
No longer will my mind be cluttered
I was able to make it without my father or my mother
But I love them still
And if they stay together, my life might not be ill
But you got to do what you got to do
And for the rest of my fam, this one's for you
Yeah

[Hook]