[Verse 1:]

Hit the play button, got a chance to say something

The pen to the page touching like a paint brushing

Carriages, baby daddies, but we ain't husbands

Marriage is in the future, but we ain't rushing

It's a design we began that's defining a man

Money, women, fights, spending time in the can

A father only shows a boy how to become a man

Not true, single parents showed a mother can

Stepdad tried to show your mom his raising abilities

Was rent free, now she want paying utilities

Your responsibilities was grades, babysitting, no work

Just keeping from those convict facilities

It's cool that, once you were the man of the house

But when your mom finds a man then you should plan to be out

And I don't want to be a failure neither

Coming to jail to see us, reading mail, using mail to free us

Finally Ma, I did it, my music's coming

Tell you everything so you know that I'm doing something

See the shame in my face when I ask you for money

So embarrassed almost had Khadijah asking you for me

Wanna be a man, but I know my pride will kill me

I'm your son, so if I didn't aks you'd find it silly

In my memory my worst day is

Asking you for money so I can go and buy your birthday gift



[Chorus:]

Probably didn't think I'd make it but I survived

Standing looking at the sky as time would fly

And you knew I'd be a man when I decide

Surprise Surprise, Surprise Surprise

Probably didn't think I'd make it but I survived

Standing looking at the sky as time would fly

Everything's good 'cause you stood by my side

Surprise Surprise, Surprise Surprise



Wave your hands side to side [x8]



[Verse 2:]

Superficial, showing off for the group that's with you

Artificial, yes man in your crew makes you official

And ladies jump in your car, cruising the city

Picking guys how they look so that their children are pretty

Midguided, but inspired, from our hoods came songs

Buying things to the make up for a childhood that's gone

Better days now steps away, close to the edge

Went through enough, but it's tough, rougher roads are ahead

Pledge to good health, long life, we toast and break bread

Cause we made it past the age we were supposed to be dead

Fabric of life, what I compose is a thread

Poems I've said go beyond violets blue and roses are red

When gone they'll have a monumental stone of a throne

Sculpted of me, chin in my hand, holding my head

The lessons written in these rhymes, like a blessing in disguise

The fittest survive and real recognice likewise



[Chorus x2]