I've been writing since I was in Oshkosh
LA gears on the day Kris Kross was
New maybe yesterday to you
But didn't learn til 92 how to tie my shoes
And I was like six then, a late bloomer.
No sooner did I trust than my parents split up
And this happens to half of us
But love seemed fickle so I went after lust
Hanging on the jungle gym, try to look cool
Four Square, won't lie, I kind of did rule
All for the ladies, I was a fool
Cause they were twice my size in elementary school
To distract from my fragile features
I would have the maxed out trapper keepers
Ed Vedder and Pac were my teachers
Writing while watching kickball from the bleachers

Back in junior high I was more prolific
In my writing than a Shakespeare, to get more specific.
I replaced the lyrics with the love letters scripted
Undelivered, just a product of the past hieroglyphics
Too timid under five foot only and
Didn't care enough to have a complex Napoleon
I scored just as much as a goalie and
Rediscovered basslines to keep me from lonely, and
Puff was saying nobody could hold me
While I was growing slowly other kids were puffin stogies
A bad boy I wasn't, little old me
Eyes in a state of misery, show me
I can be something if I put my mind to it
Put down the books and turned up the music
And the truest form of self I managed
Was written down when the words hit the canvas

You know the dude in high school with the letterman’s
And a bastion of girls that’d neverend?
That wasn't me, its never been
That’s probably why I had the chance to pick this pen
Up and put down thoughts for rememberin
Rocked EL-Ps by Aesop and Weathermen
Didn’t know better than to try my hand at it
Dive face first and see where I landed
No studio, no microphone
But had to take a chance or I’d die at home
33 – broke, bald, crazy
Lampin at high school parties (“sup ladies?”)
Slim chance though fame maybe Shady
I’ve got enough faith to see where this takes me
So I guess you could say this art saved me
You do the same every time that you play me