Memory Serves Me

[Verse 1]

Born alone die alone's what the motto is

Lived up to every word, overly proud of it

But knowing there's tag teams when you get to the heart of it

For all of us lucky enough to know where our fathers is

Our father who art in the living room, cracking a brew

Know where I'm attached even when I'm attached to the stoop

Thinking I'm doing more than I am 'til you hand me the news

Like I know everything you that you on, I'm actually you

I grew up outside just like the rest of us did, him included

Prayer hands up for all of the ways that I been influenced

Fully loaded, one stick for the crew, stick and moving

14 in my pop's hands, hoping his grip will loosen

But fuck if it didn't, he never would so I was good on a couple decisions

Remember so and so had pulled out a bucket to pitch in

I fell back when I would normally jump in position

Regretted it til they put everyone under the prison

That's like one of 100 times

But feeling obligated to jump up in front the line

Stuck am I between a corner store and a blurried line

Where the shootings' forever and the lobster is butterflied

Stuck am I, down for whatever, nothing rides

But knowing how the end of the movie is underlined

And knowing my pop starred in that movie a couple times

I already knew the script, what a surprise

[Chorus]

If memory serves me

I remember wondering what all of that work be

Posted on the same stoop like what the word be

But someone was always standing behind me to curb me

From off where that curb be

If memory serves me

Son I remember jumping off the stoop all thirsty

But being taught that the corner won't ever deserve me

And someone was always standing behind me to curb me

From off where that curb be

If memory serves me

[Verse 2]

I was born in Kings County, shooters beside me

My son was born in the same hospital as Blue Ivy

My father was 20, I was 35

I'm still tryna measure up to the world he designed

I'm in a world of a bind, like how worldly am I?

To understand the corner store and the world it defines

But comfy in Carnegie Hall like my world wasn't dire

A world of broadway and a world of suppliers

Bag a nickel bag of funk on the live '96 case

And write a thesis on what you see and how the fix tastes

Stories that they sing when it hits and how it fixates

My average through the roof but still grainy as mixtapes

And po-9 see me the same as who standing next to me

But knowing the drop due to my pop's how I get to be

Giving you all the above as opposed to a sketch of me

And all of the should've could've would'ves that I could've put up

And now I look up, red cup pour down

Walls full of murals, shit my father tore down

All of this was thought out, whether I was thinking or not

Somebody was thinking in case I ain't think out the box

So stuck am I, down for whatever, nothing rides

But knowing how the end of the movie is underlined

And knowing my pop starred in that movie a couple times

I already knew the script, what a surprise

[Chorus]

If memory serves me

I remember wondering what all of that work be

Posted on the same stoop like what the word be

But someone was always standing behind me to curb me

From off where that curb be

If memory serves me

Son I remember jumping off the stoop all thirsty

But being taught that the corner won't ever deserve me

And someone was always standing behind me to curb me

From off where that curb be

If memory serves me

My memory ain't fade yet

I came up out the same door off the same steps

In love with in the same allure

Like what is we waiting for

'Til I'm gone know that I ain't change yet

[Chorus]

If memory serves me

I remember wondering what all of that work be

Posted on the same stoop like what the word be

But someone was always standing behind me to curb me

From off where that curb be

If memory serves me

Son I remember jumping off the stoop all thirsty

But being taught that the corner won't ever deserve me

And someone was always standing behind me to curb me

From off where that curb be

If memory serves me