[Intro]
Listen, fuckin...
Look, cool
[Verse]
My life's hectic, I just went from rapping for expression to chats with Jamal Edwards and I'm just getting started
I couldn't quantify my vision nor explain my hardship
While we come a long way from Tenison's and Brixton Market
Where do I begin? I'll start just after my brother's case
When the judge threw him life, I swear it still hasn't touched my brain
And that will come with pain, travel in that thunder rain
Grindin' when that summer came
We bagged and tagged a hundred eighths
I started shottin', I'm not a gangster, I won't tell you lies
I've been dead and alive, from football to peddling white
My school excluded me for minor crimes, I grind for mine
My group went 20 to 5, investing in semi's and nines
Teachers used to love me, me, Rapz & Jussy
Went from Lucozade's to ah, that's the good, the bad, the ugly
I couldn't tell you 'bout a light offence, quiet in Year 9 and 10
With a flick shank in English like this life is 'Of Mice and Men'
I could feel myself changing, as I started aging
My mind started fading, and my back started aching
Year 11 fought depression, popping pills inside my lessons
Yes I smile but I was stressing, music's such a blessing
So much spare time, I put that music in my plan
I taught myself to play piano, I put that music in my hands
Then I lost her to diabetes, man I do this for my gran
It's better yet, I never said that I do this for my Dad but I do
I do this for my older brother too, it went from us seeing Chris to me and Mum seeing you
Now two brothers in the prison that had me feeling the next way
Why? Cause' word to God my g died on the next day
Imagine tryna' bang your music, but them channels, they were clueless that you're broke beyond your wildest dreams, TT's used to shout 'em fiends
And [?] needs the food, so that message was an SOS on SMS
If he's acting we clap 'em like SFX
Girls call me a waste of time, cause' I ain't tryna' make her wife or go on dates, but if you think about it them girls are wasting mine
I need a stable mind, drop me out your useless beef
I just spent a grand on cab and then I spent two on teeth
All I wanted was some words of wisdom, guidance and the love is real
Them olders showed me how to do is steal, sell drugs and kill
I came to them with problems, and they encouraged me to touch the steel
I said I needed P's, they tried to send me cunch, it's fucking real that
Them n***as think they're putting on for you by buying chains
Try and send that gold, to a mum that has to buy a grave
Try and send that silver, to a prisoner that's riding eight
A prisoner that's riding ten they ride on us, we ride on them
We ride and miss, we ride again
They wonder why we're rago, my generation's plateau'd
We had burners from young like Alexandre Pato
Them n***as couldn't come my yard
So why'd you think my younguns up-front, like Huntelaar
Running errands like I had three feet, I've been tryna' get my mum a yard
Feeling like I can't breathe, life in South London's hard
I think back I should blaze 'em fam, n***as try to claim me
When I couldn't put in for a pizza, dem olders they wouldn't pay for man
My dog's have got rabies fam, see that yout'? Raid his gaff
With a rusty ready to send her son to God like Abraham
Dem man I don't speak to them, and I ain't got beef with them
I just keep my moves in house like 120 bpm
And blacks are the richest, but we mis-manage riches
We have gold, oil, coal and earth and we ended up the victims
Most Arabs and Jews, inherit land, riches or property
But as a black in South London, I inherit madness and poverty
They won't teach you how to get a job
But they teach you how to use a stick
Leave school, sell food, make P's, you know the usual things
Til' you're eighteen with ten grand and now you don't know what to do with it
And your donnies they want a chunk of it, so now you let a Luger spit
I never came from a broken home, system came and broke my home and now my bro's are sitting in cells, like chromosomes
I hope the dough, don't tear us apart, but I know the roads, I know my bro's got love for me I love them back I know the code
Brother would you ride for me? Or are you like these lying guys who say that they're the starscream, but when they see the iron hide
Brother would you check me on my birthday and grind on my worst day? Or was all this a lie, in the worst way?
Would you kill me for a million?
Would you turn me for the p's?
Would you lead me to die, if I got burnt in the beef?
And if my name got tarnished, would you disown me for the roads?
Or would you roll with me regardless 'cause you know that we are bros?
Listen, brother would you ride for me? I ain't asking you to ride for shit
The roads are for these hyped up pricks, a couple man have died for this
Yeah...