Year 25 / Thankful

To the ones who thought I wouldn't make it
I thank you for your kind words, your encouragement, your willingness to build me up
I thank you for your faith, thank you for your time, your help, I thank you for all the things
I wanna thank you for your hate for me because the knife you've held is the chisel that's been shaping me
I wanna thank you for opening my eyes to the world and all the hurt that I've been giving to the world
I've grown a bit
I've made it all the way to twenty-five. I never thought that I would be alive
I never thought that I would choose the right path and after all this time, I can't believe that I survived
I want to thank the ones who've let me down, and all the ones who've left me broken-hearted
I'm gonna keep pushing, I'm gonna keep striving
I'm gonna keep climbing and standing tall because I'm just getting started

Keep on pushing, keep on striving
You just hold onto what you love
Keep on standing, keep on climbing
You just hold onto what you love

Now I'm the product of a dark past, the guns, the drugs, the constant robbery
The poverty, the fake friends and family that always try to stop me
The ones I followed growing up told me they spoke the truth
but they're the same ones who stood on the corner grabbing all the youth
They give them guns and knives, tell them protect their 'hood
But does 25-to-life sound good?
Ya killing them, now you're in jail or dead, trying to win, but that's the price you pay trying to be king

I say you're never gonna take away this passion for what I do best, and that's the music
Just trying to change the world in any way I use it
But now it's turned into a race, I try to keep up with the pace
And now I'm just starting to catch my breath
Actually I just lied, I'm TERRIFIED for what's to come, I see the clouds rolling in
But I'm going into 2017 with my head held high
I'll keep on going with my head held high
I'll keep on pushing 'til I die

I was sitting in the back of the basement
Worried as hell about fucking the mic placement
I could taste it a world from the outside
Creeping through to the track even though i couldn't face it
I was wasted nah not really
But weary of really hearing your eerie little voice
It was dreary in the window bleary in my eyes
A word to the wiseman coming left of the dial
"Listen close listen all the time
Listen to the people in your life who don't give a fuck about your rhymes
Listen to a dime add it up every day
That's all the change you're gonna get with yourself in the way"
Step back look around take charge of the people in your life
Step back look around take charge of the people in your life

Keep on pushing, keep on striving
You just hold onto what you love
Keep on standing, keep on climbing
You just hold onto what you love

Every time I think I got here on my own
I remember all the times you shot me down
And proved me wrong
Oh I remember all the cuts and boosts
Timed attacks and burns
Of a six digit revision of a song nobody's heard but

Keep on pushing, keep on striving
You just hold onto what you love
Keep on standing, keep on climbing
You just hold onto what you love