[Verse 1]
Dear Lauryn, I know you're touring so you're probably busy
Its just that I'm playing Miseducation and it kinda hit me
Maybe I'm that gem you talked about in Doo Wop
Nails done by Koreans, cocaine stuffed in my tube socks
I used to idolize you, Biggie, Foxy, and 2Pac, really you mostly
Singing "Tell Him" top of my lungs
Feeling you know me
My cousin played ball, said he got that feeling from Kobe
But it was different, whenever momma went missing
Remember popping yo disc in while twisting nature's prescriptions
Wishing I ruled the world like you and Nasir's depictions
Broke no pot to piss in
You gave me hope though
My home was crazy loco
Escaped by playing your vocals
Cause I wasn't mama's focal
She had 3 in total
She'd be in the crack house
Come back home and black out
Throwing up on the carpet
I cleaned it up as I turned up my Walkman
Kinda disheartened dreaming of my own apartment
Started taking rap more serious
Started missing class at least I wasn't missing periods, like many youth did
My friend had a chance to have a son ain't choose what you did
She had an abortion for A man
At times I wonder if your son Zion
He understand like you hoped he would on your records or if you'd ever come back like you never left us
I too have dealt with industry pressure
To me, music is precious
But everybody claiming they're balling like Uncle Festor
Record label investors
Manipulate and molest us
I mean I never had a Grammy like you
But I was flipping in the ghetto on a dirty mattress too!
You probably see what passes as talent now
All you need is a dance and a style it's hand me down
Like antiques
So damn bleak, the fans sheep
Chick get shots in the ass cause they discography's trash
I often ask will my passion last cause they're so late to my wave
Later than they say you be taking the stage
They rather give yo grave than give you yo proper praise
Jazz Fest bumped into you backstage
Im still amazed
Would've given you this letter
Our dressing room was adjacent
But I need some advice so I decided to save it
How you stayed sane in a game full of foes?
And remain Queen when they idolizes heaux?
See, I turned down a deal
Only you, and heaven knows
What goes on behind closed doors
My peers knocking me
Execs want my pussy and my intellectual property
I play your unplugged and shrug like "No! Not Na'Tee!"
I heard about your litigations
It's like you bared the cross
Subject of public humilation
Greatness! is what they say I'm destined for
I guess the game is all the same, whether chess or checker board
It's all about perspective. I wonder if you met me as an adolescent
Would you have given young Na'tee advice on your profession
You could have saved me from this bullshit
So many questions
Now I got fans of my own and pent up aggression
Cause they want records and I want my peace
Trying to find myself , they trying to find my new release
Cause they say I do for them, what you do for me
And we both bullshitting. both went missing
While the sex kittens killing it!
They so consistent
Why keep complaining bout the game and how its different
See, you raised me kinda sorta
And how you left the game is like you kinda made an orphan out of your daughter
Not on some Stan shit, just understand this
I'm from the streets where we hardly see a healthy balance
See, I'm kinda sorta ratchet but I'm hella woke
Third eye open like a savage
So I do not fit their female rapper package
Imagine! Only positive role model you had
Remember at the apollo when they boo'd you but what followed
Would quickly help me define my path
So if you never write again or touch a mic again
Don't ever think your light will dim
All those insightful hymns assured me that everything's everything
Made it cool to be a Queen and you schooled me how to rule my Regime