OJW3 - Rexx Life Raj

Tell you who you are in the classroom

Schoolbooks don’t tell you bout the kings and queens (That you come from)

Just know knowledge is power

The wealth’s in your mind but you gotta have heart

And you gon' need it

'Cause the odds been against you from the start

'Cause your skin tone dark be smart like

I learned and gained from my papa

Wisdom he taught me bout wealth, he said

If you gon' work for somebody, then you

Might as well work for yourself.

It went

Over my head as a youngin, 'cause it’s

Some shit you don’t comprehend, if you

Forget everything I tell you, promise

That you’ll remember this

Ain’t nobody gon' give you nothin

You gotta take that shit

Ain’t nobody finna give you nothin

You gotta take that shit

Take it

Look

Um, Take me back to the one room shack

The house on Sack

Where it all originated

The entrepreneurship that you demonstrated

I listened to you every time that you was ventilating

Even though you thought I wasn’t

Bob Marley tellin us to get up stand up

You taught me to stand up and be counted

But how you gon' be counted if you don’t have your hand up

Hand full of green hair grease that you keep in your fro

I got the same soft hair I know I got it from you

I love mom but her side of the family just seem to have nappy roots

But the blacker the berry, sweeter the juice

You told me about the struggle when you were young

West Oakland Projects and mayonnaise sandwiches

How the Black Panthers taught y’all about self defense

Being black is beautiful but come with its challenges

Told me bout your time at Coca-Cola

You were stressed out dealin with them racists

Which led to you beatin ass in the basement

You were never one to avoid confrontation

I probably get it from you

But the same roll led to a business of your own

Before cell phones you were runnin out the home

You was givin me the skills that I wouldn’t understand 'till I’m grown

Now I understand everything you were on

Don’t understand my siblings

And how they don’t come around

'Specially with your illness

I think that shit’s selfish

Why they act like children

You act like you don’t hurt but I know you got feelins

I love that you’re a realist

And never have you sugar coated anything

You been honest with the tongue of a guillotine

Know that everything you taught still lives in me

And every move I make is a result of all the energy you put in

I learned and gained from my papa (I love you forever)

Wisdom he taught me bout self, he said

Heaven is a state of mind, that’s why

People be livin in Hell.

It went

Over my head as a youngin, 'cause it’s

Some shit you don’t comprehend, he said

If you forget everything that I told you

Promise you’ll remember this, like

Ain’t nobody gon' give you nothin

You gotta take that shit

Ain’t nobody finna give you nothin

You gotta take that shit

Take it