This is the story of when my life was changed forever



There's 16 oz. to a pound 18 more to a key 

And Mos Def wants to explain mathematics to me

The situation seems tragic and I'm feeling like a culprit

So I'mma look back and try to figure out where I faulted

I was born in 81 dad fathered a baby son

Turned into a strong man you he really help make me one

And ever since I can remember

He told me skin color was irrelevant just act your gender

When I was 8 I bought a Public Enemy tape

I didn't fear the black planet wanted to hear the black planet

Were they talking fight the power or fight the powder

It didn't matter when I was nine I just screamed it louder

And at 10 I bought shirts where hands met in the middle 

And when whites said the word nigger I got upset a little

When I was 11 I really thought that I was helping the blacks

I saved up my allowance for a Malcolm X hat

I wore it until a gun got pulled on me

People thought I was an idiot but I was just innocent

For many reasons I was balling really my ass cried 

But nothing will compare to what happened last night

 

[Chorus]

The 14th amendment doesn't help to encourage friendship

And nobody really tries to fight to put an end to it

So if you open your eyes then the sooner you'll see

It's obviously up to us and its only you and me



Who else you know but Illmatic on the date of its release

You got hyped off "One Mic" and bought the 4 previous cds

He fucked up threw a diss people said I'm out of my league

But this white boy aint going back to bottom feed

So now I paid my dues I thought it was obvious 

But still I hear ‘Yo, You out of line with that Nas diss

This aint just a novice with a college career

People took me as a joke so the knowledge is here

And it really ate me up self pride swallowed with fear

Contemplated last night sipping on a bottle of beer

So now I leave the bar its just a short run to the house

And out of nowhere I hear a car coming from the south

They jumped out 4 blacks pushed me back to the ground

With fists and kicks yo they beat my ass down

Outside I was pissed inside callin for Mom

But my face was full of blood and my wallet

And I wish I could say it wasn't cause of my race

But it was obvious they did it cause of the color of my face

They said Fuck you cracker Fuck you Cracker

I'm think what the fuck yo don't they know I'm a rapper

Said fuck you Cracker I'm thinking fuck you too

But said it to myself so the beating would conclude

They drove off laughin and I'm sitting there gaspin

All I can do is just watch time as its passin

Laying there alone broke down stared to cry

Can you believe what happened to me last night?



[Chorus]



I got nothing but sympathy for what happened to your relatives 

But I was in an emergency room and that's relative

I can't believe that I was so naive 

I never ever thought it could happen to little old me

I'd never been a racist but now I'm the victim of a hate crime

You'd be surprised how it fucks up the state of your mind

And I knew that it would only heal through time with rhymes

But I'm real afraid that it may leave scars behind

And then it hit me. I wasn't mad at black but mad at the kids

For giving me a concussion and shattering my ribs

I got many black friends they respect me I respect them

I was only seeing one color in the spectrum

And even thought they did it cause of my skin tone

If I grew to hate all blacks that I would've been no 

Better than them a hypocrite a fake profit

Because I grew up thinking we'd unite to stop this

Racial oppression, aggression its tension obsession

As with everything out pops the lesson

The tears are all gone I can't believe my ass cried

Cause I learned so much from what happened last night