The Creator

This one here's for The Creator

'Trying to get over...' like Curtis Mayfield said

I was a problem child, running wild in the night

Livin on a not-so-safe set of life

Caught up in the rapture, quick to blast ya

Neglected as a juvenile, so labelled a 'ghetto bastard'

Forced to live the life of a hoodster on the prowl

Goin through my life with a permanent frown

But still you stood by me and you got me here safely

Never turned away from me when others lost faith in me

Even when I was a non-believer and doubted your existence

You still shed mercy on my ignorance

How can I say this, no words can't explain

How much I thank you for helpin me deal with the pain

For sparin my life at times I thought I was through

All praise is due, here's to you

So

[CHORUS]

This is for the lover in you

This is for the things that you do

This time I will take up for you

Cause your love's gon' last forever

Now as I reminisce like Minnie Riperton in a Pendleton

I'm havin flashbacks 'lookin at these photographs'

Glancin at old flicks of me and my dogs

Thinkin how we all played little league football

No set-trippin, we was down for one another

From pups to mutts, we came up, Westside hustlers

You couldn't stop us, no matter what you told us

Starched Curduroys with the fresh peachy folders

Washington High School, damn, them was the days

The 12th grade came and we went our own ways

Doin what we had to do to make ends meet

Some of us went to college and some kicked the streets

Some of us passed away, some just faded

Some turned snitch, and some is incarcerated

Me, I been blessed to catch wreck over beats

But without you, this wouldn't be complete

So

[CHORUS]

(Ooh child, things ain't gettin any easier...)

Survivin in the ghetto you gotta stay strong

But realistically no man out here can make it alone

Ain't no sleepin, none of us creepin

I see the men that's in the streets, and

Smokers fiendin, the drama got me thinkin

How I need to play as if I was a Stylistic

And stop and look and listen

Take a second out to count my blessings

Cause you coulda laid me down a long time ago

But you let me live, and God knows I ain't a angel

So I'ma take this opportunity to flip the script

For the lover of you, cause props is due

For sparin my life at times I thougth I was through

I gotta give it up, here's to you

So

[CHORUS]