Life As A Shorty

[Verse 1: Fashawn]

Remember, livin' in a trailer

Cookin' dinner out a Crockpot or we would microwave it

Basic, television same seven stations

On a twelve-inch, I had to watch cable at the neighbors

Didn't know how broke we was 'til I got older

Never knew I had a father until he showed up

Out the blue, tryin' to get back with mama

Stepdad walks in, now here comes the drama

Had a couple of em, to be honest

Like William, Scott, they would always take me shoppin'

Ralphie and Mark, they would take me to the doctor

I call em all Daddy even though they didn't have me

Kids used to make fun of my clothes

'til one of em got punched in the nose

Kinda like I was forced to be tough

Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough, but hey

[Chorus 1: J. Mitchell]

Even though, I'm young and I can't see

The forest from the trees, follow me

And when I'm grown, you know I'm bound to be

The H.N.I.C., follow me

Mama, I'll be alright, just let me do my thing

Followin' my dreams, this is me

[Verse 2: Fashawn]

First fight, third grade, I was swingin' from the shoulders

With this kid named Dariah, he was three years older

And like two feet taller, I finished it, he started it

All over this chick named Barbara Johnson

"Nonsense" I thought once the principal came

That fat lip really put a dent in my game

Never in my life have I felt such pain

Got sent home, but I held my own

Slept in every morning, it was like a vacation

How'd I make it to sixth grade graduation?

'Cause I was always ditchin', hung around with some misfits

With ADD, and they all smoked weed

Never read a piece of literature, wasn't good listeners

Never paid attention, so they hung 'round me

While my parents was out in the streets

I built my world on a blank sheet, just thinkin' in myself

[Chorus 2: J. Mitchell]

Even though, I'm young and I can't see

The forest from the trees, follow me

And when I'm grown, you know I'm bound to be

The H.N.I.C., follow me

[Verse 3: Fashawn]

Check it out, hard to forget all the time I would spend

With my first fuck, even had me dodgin' my friends

Wore my heart on my sleeve at the age of fifteen

She would tell me that she loved me, it was all just pretend

She cheated on me, so it quickly came to an end

She put the blame on him, got played, I'll admit that

Hangin' with my friends, never called her again

Five years later, heard she had a kid, damn

I guess time flies when you're havin' fun

So enjoy life, you only get one

I love my childhood, despite the gunfire

I was quite happy growin' up in the slums

It wasn't too bad, havin' a few dads

The only thing I disliked was not havin' cash

What I'd give for a couple of bucks

Man, life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough, but hey

[Chorus 1: J. Mitchell]