Here & Now (feat. Officer Calvin Williams)

When I grew up at the age of six, my family broke up
I came from Detroit, the east-side of Detroit
Came out here, and uh started a new life
Okay, there was a lot of atrocities that go on
I can go the long story, everybody's got theirs
Okay, I'm not trying to go into all that
But, the bottom line was my pops wasn't there

God damn, if I ever leave, if I ever put myself before my seed
If I ever try to slide without first sharing I'm weak
That the promise of forever is difficult to believe for me
Cuz it wasn't demonstrated fully, best believe if I'ma have a child
She gon' mean something to me, even if I don't feel ready
I'ma rise to the occasion, and I'll keep steady
I want to make damn sure I'm around
So when you mis-step or if you fall down
I can swoop you up to lift you off the ground
You'll be safe with me, cuz daddy's here now
Don't try to find it, where it isn't found
You won't waste your time entertaining crowds
You'll have the confidence in which to carry out
Every opportunity and you won't have no self-doubt
God damn, if I ever let go, before I ever let it happen, I would bury myself
I will never leave my kids without a father
My wife without a lover as long as I am around for
Yo, and you can trust that I'ma be there
I'ma be the one to lift you up even when you can't see clear
Or when you feel that it's getting heavy overhead
I'll be the one to take whatever pain that I can

Grandiose if you will, figured I'm a very talented guy and I can take it anywhere
But, God places you exactly where you need to be, I'm very happy to be here

God damn, if I ever lash out, if I ever place blame for my own self-doubt
If I pour another drink just to sit on my couch
Heavy handed as I pour, on the floor at my house
Yeah, don't want to wake up knowing I bounced
That I never came home cuz I'd rather stay out
What a child really needs is a father's protection
You don't got to be perfect, you only got to be present
Yeah, what they want is some kind of direction
Instead you lead with aggression and a lack of affection
Not in the way you would think, no fists were thrown
But each word was ammo, it'd leave a trail of smoke
And I don't know how it feels, to love somebody the way that you do
Only to see 'em draw their weapon to shoot
Why do we struggle with the here and now
I've been given a gift to have the life that I'm living out
I want to live in a way that you'd be proud of
Whenever I come to mind, you'd hear the sound of
My voice telling you baby I'll be around for
A long time and never will you ever live without love
Your boy's brand new gig man, I love it
I get to come home with energy for my music, I pray the Lord use it
I've been at it for a minute and I don't want it to plummet
If you feel me at all let's make changes
To be the best we can be in life's stages
To be present at home with the ones that we love
To give 'em all that we got, to love patient

Men who have jobs, busting your tail for that dollar
And forgetting about the child that's watching you everyday
What's most important right now, is to pay attention
We as father's are logically capable of being able to watch our child
And say, you know what, I see that habit, I'm going to curb it right now
And get 'em to where they need to be