Back in the Day

[Intro: Phonte] “People pay for what they do, and still more for what they have allowed themselves to become. And they pay for it very simply by the lives they lead.” -James Baldwin [Verse 1: Add-2] Hold up wait a minute now we back on that It’s in my jeans they try to hit me but I never slack Reaching for the title like a ladder match I light a match for Ms. Dash and Mr. West It all falls down and then they came back wearing MAGA hats Dead presidents, pockets feel like a cemetery Blacker the berry, it’s scary all the Blacks that they bury My father’s time, my brother’s hood, my mother’s land My family tree was uprooted by Uncle Sam Damn, sometimes I wish I was a kid again In a sense, all this inner sense when I was innocent But from the start, develop from the dark like I’m Gordon Parks Picture that, they couldn’t take 2 if this was Noah’s ark Bread unleavens, got no bread for Bred 11s Raise yo kids so they ain’t quick to raise a weapon The candy lady died a diabetic She said the sweetest thing she ever known was life a blessing [Chorus: Oliv Blu] Back in the day when I was young I’m not a kid anymore But some days I sit and wish I was a kid again [Verse 2: Brittney Carter] The spirit came and sat, it told me let’s go higher Thought you been high before well this platform a little flyer Sacrifice and elevation, that there go hand in hand When you take the easy route you sabotage the Master’s plan Don’t you give in to weakness, together we can beat this When they look at you they see a queen that’s never been defeated Rightfully so, all these seeds that you sown You gon’ pick ‘em when they ripe and then they rightfully grown Yea, you in yo head too much, ain’t being fed enough Don’t wait ‘til you rock bottom ‘til you figure that you had enough Fly now, if you gotta cry now then do it Need a push well what you think that I been doing I’ve been tryna set you… free I’ve been tryna set you free You’ve been running, you’ve been wylin’ You just need a little guidance Why don’t you put your trust in me [Interlude: Phonte] “People pay for what they do, and still more for what they've allowed themselves to become. And they pay for it very simply by the lives they lead.” [Chorus: Oliv Blu] Back in the day when I was young I’m not a kid anymore But some days I sit and wish I was a kid again