So I never told the world
that the first time I toured
I came home to find that
little man had been ignored
Two years old got a hold of water
you had boiled
And burned his little head
and his face while you snored
You were afraid of bringing him
to the hospital
‘Cause two weeks ago your mom
called the cops on you
Child protection paid a visit
Ruled that the crib was unfit
to raise kids in
I’m working ten hour days
at the gig then
You were unemployed
all null and void
Now I ain’t trying to be
no Sigmund Freud
But ain’t you supposed to
have instincts
when it comes to the boy
I called a cab and took him
to county hospital
They shaved the hair and
burnt flesh off his skull
Held him overnight to
fight infection
I slept sitting up in a chair
directly next to him
I just knew you would join us
but instead
Hopped your ass on the bus
went home and went to bed
That’s the very moment
I divorced you in my head
God might forgive you
for that I never did it
All you need right now
Faheem we can see the throne
from here
I may never sit there
but brother you’re the heir
Pull up a chair let pop
bend your ear
Here baby dry those tears
I know you wonder why your mother
does the things that she do
Well it’s not because
she doesn’t love you
It’s because she grew up
in something they call foster care
That’s when strangers raise you
your mom’s not there
Imagine how she felt
when she was your age
Going from place to place
never feeling safe
Never having love
Never having faith
She probably thought the world
was a big scary place
Where was her mommy at
Well that’s kind of sad
She used drugs to forget
the problems she had
They had a new one back
then they called crack
Once you try it
there was almost no coming back
She couldn’t be the mommy
she wanted to be
She was chasing a high
All in the street
Won’t tell you no lie
real is all I be
I believe only the truth
can set you free
There’s a whole lot of pain
in your bloodline
But there’s a whole lot of strength
in the sunshine
Lean back
Let the new day greet you
‘Cause you’re standing
on the shoulders of a people
Who been beat down
and treated unequal
But the prayer that they made
now has reached you
It’s plain to see it’s true
Beautiful prince
I wish they could see you
All you need right now