Shadow Moses

It's only dark till it ain't no more
Left from the crib in the AM, this is right
Off of the back of me losing my job, and the
Rent gets paid by praying. I been out

All day like I'm tryna get salmonella
Really just chase that cheddar
Come right back to the crib, I see I been
Locked out, and see a sum on a letter

A wise man might be tempted to
Press on his luck in the hopes he can sway 'em
Then a wise man stack that bread while a
Wise man know he can't pay 'em

But if I was a big high
Roller I might go testing my luck with a
Break-in, into my own place. How do the
Locks work? Not too well, oh that's amazing

Long as I stay out of
Sight in the daytime I can sneak in through the
Dark. Add to the fact that my
Neighbors got raided I'll barely be playing my

Part in a masquerade of a big facade
Too many layers, put the faces on
And pretend you're fine and calm while the
Big burners put the fire on -- that's on

Handle my biz in the field
Get back to turning the wheels, you know
Ducking when they on patrol
Run that like it's not a drill, you know

On me, I been ready for 'em
Guard me when we danger-close
God watching over my soul, you know

I know one thing that's for sure
I don't play, just play my role, you know

Relax your shoulders, you must be tense
You know that's truth cause at 7am I
Book it straight over the fence. Came back

Early for rest on the one day management
Come by just to inspect. Couldn't really
Hide nowhere non-obvious so I just
Open the door real quick. I look him

Dead in the face like a dead man, he say
"Homie what happened to you?" I guess I look
Dead in the face, deadpan, say I'm
Broke and I dropped out of school. This was a

Moment of truth. I'm stuck in a game where
Anybody shoot at you. He said "it's fine, it's
Calm, just handle your business and
Watch out for eyes on the roof." *Poof*

Why would a caged bird sing in a tone so menacing?
Cause it knows when it does get
Free that it's still gotta fly out the premises

Duck then dive from its nemeses
All these bullets I'm weathering can't hold
Up to my pedigree
Sum it all up, no weapon surpassing me

Handle my biz in the field
Get back to turning the wheels, you know
Ducking when they on patrol
Run that like it's not a drill, you know

On me, I been ready for 'em
Guard me when we danger-close
God watching over my soul, you know

I know one thing that's for sure
I don't play, just play my role, you know

Word of advice, I speak from experience
Only. You could be talking that
Why me talk 'til you're blue in the face and
Lonely, or you can put gloves on

Then go toe-to-toe with the system that
Failed you. Need no cape or a
Mask to get feeling empowered - the hood might
Tell you. For me I just might go get

Rich off of all this rapping. Fake friends
Told me they next up and I'm not, ooh
Small brain but big capping. Must be
Off of the oxy's, morons, I been in the

Studio making it happen, minus the
Lock out. Ain't really talked to my parents in a
While but I think they'd be glad that I'm still not
Trapping -- don't speak too soon

Car's been repossessed, school don't
Want me back unless I pay out of pocket
The people I loved to death, they do not
Feel the same, I guess they all got the option

Rent's been overdue -- I cannot ask my
Auntie and uncle again to come save me
So if I survive to the winter the
Forecast tells me it's white and flaky

Trust me