Counter-Culture

what luxury, the umbrella of youth,
it was ripped right off of me
what tragedy, exposed to the truth,
forced to see a harsh reality.

So while you were playing, making jokes with your school friends
Blowing out candles, dreaming of the weekend
I was working thru the long nights,
just tryna make a few cents
Barely keeping on the lights,
struggling just to make rent.

It was cold in those city streets,
imagine plastic bags were my bed sheets
The shame kept me on my feet,
rookie or royal, no man can sit with defeat

Hunger was our baseline, no safety net or lifeline
got me taking risks all the time, grew fearless by the finish-line.

No, not a damn bit of it made sense,
I felt robbed of my innocence
Still, ride or die in the dissonance,
cuz nothing is forever, and nothing marks the end
except for when the fat lady sings or when you're riding top-down in a 5Cbenz.

unconventional defines me,
counter-cultures what revived me,
monumental decade of piss high potpourri
Method acting got the best of me
Not who I really aspired to be
But coming clean has set me free