Yellow Brick Road

What we have to do is deal with it when these individuals are young enough

If you will, to be saved, not in a religious sense, but not to constitute

What this country at times calls (yeah) their throwaway children

We seem to be approaching (come on) an age of the gross

We all have this idea that we should

Move up a little bit form our parents' station and each

And each generation should do a little bit better

Alright, come on, let's cut the **, enough

Let's get it started, let's start addressing this issue and open it up

Let's take this ** back to basement

And we can discuss statements that's made on this tape

And its whole origin of the music that we all know and love

The music that we all enjoy, the music you accuse me of tryna destroy

Let's rewind it to '89 when I was a boy on the east side of Detroit

Crossin' 8 Mile into Warren into hick territory

I'd like to share a story, this is my story and can't nobody tell it for me

You have well informed me, I am well aware that I don't belong here

You've made that perfectly clear, I get my ** kicked damn near everywhere

From Bel-Air shopping center just for stoppin' in there

From the black side all the way to the white side

Okay, there's a bright side, a day that I might slide

You may call it a pass, I call it haulin' my **

Through that patch of grass over them railroad tracks

Oh, them railroad tracks, them old railroad tracks

Them good old notorious so well known tracks

So, let's go back

Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode

Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place

That I once used to call home sweet home

Come on, let's go back

Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode

Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place

That I once used to call home sweet home

I'd roam the streets so much they called me a drifter

Sometimes I'd stick up a thumb just to hitchhike

Just to get picked up to get me a lift to

8 Mile and Van Dyke or steal a goddamn bike

From somebody's backyard and drop it off at the park

That was the half way mark, to meet Kim had to walk

Back to her mama's on Chalmers after dark

To sneak me in the house when I'm kicked out my mom's

That's about the time I first met Proof

With Goofy Gary on the steps at Osborn, handin' out some flyers

He was doin' some talent shows at Center Line High

I had told him to stop by and check us out sometime

He looked at me like I'm out my mind

Shook his head like, "White boys don't know how to rhyme"

I spit out a line and rhymed birthday with first place

And we both had the same rhymes that sound alike

We was on the same **, that Big Daddy Kane **

With compound syllables sound combined

From that day we was down to ride

Somehow we knew we'd meet again somewhere down the line

So, let's go back

Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode

Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place

That I once used to call home sweet home

Come on, let's go back

Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode

Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place

That I once used to call home sweet home

My first year in 9th grade, can't forget that day at school

It was cool 'til your man MC Shan came through

And said that Puma's the brand 'cause the Klan makes Troops

It was rumors, but man, goddamn, they flew

Must've been true because, man, we done banned they shoes

I had the new ones, the Cool J Ice Lamb, suede too

But we just threw 'em in the trash like they yesterday's news

Guess who came through next?

X Clan debut

Professor X (Vanglorious)

"Exists in a state of red, black, and green, wWith a key, sissies"

Now with this bein' the new trend, we don't fit in

Crackers is out with Cactus Albums, blackness is in

African symbols and medallions represent Black Power

And we ain't know what it meant, me and my man Howard

And Butter would go to the mall

With 'em all over our necks like we're showin' 'em off

Not knowin' at all we was bein' laughed at

"You ain't even half black

You ain't 'posed to have that, homie, let me grab that

And that Flavor Flav clock, we gon' have to snatch that"

All I remember is meetin' back at Manix's basement

Sayin' how we hate this, how racist but ** the X Clan's tape is

Which reminds me, back in '89, me and Kim broke up for the first time

She was tryna two-time me, and there was this black girl

At our school who thought I was cool 'cause I rapped, so she was kinda eyein' me

And, oh, the irony, guess what her name was?

Ain't even gonna say it, plus

The same color hair as hers was and blue contacts

And a pair of jugs, the bombest goddamn girl in our whole school

If I could pull her, not only would I become more popular

But I would be able to piss Kim off at the same time

But it backfired, I was supposed to dump her, but she dumped me for this black guy

And that's the last I ever seen or heard or spoke to the "Ole Foolish Pride" girl

But I've heard people say they heard the tape and it ain't that bad

But it was, I singled out a whole race

And for that apologize, I was wrong

'Cause no matter what color a girl is, she's still a

So, let's go back

Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode

Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place

That I once used to call home sweet home

Come on, let's go back

Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode

Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place

That I once used to call home sweet home