At the end the perspective is switching. Remember I’m having this conversation with somebody who doesn’t look like me. So I’m saying, there was a story of a kid who had his father everyday, his father taught him this, then he did this, then he did that, and then I switch it, ‘cause the story’s over. So now I’m telling you, now I’m saying to you, this is what happened to me. Due to my composure a lotta moments were saved. Still taught me how to load up, just in case. You know, so now I’m telling the person I’m having a conversation with, whoever I’m conversing with, I told them the story and now I’m ending the story off, and I’m like, “So you get all of that? Okay. Lemme know what else you would like to know. Do you believe?”

In my mind, I’m picturing the other person I’m having the conversation with in awe. So that’s why I ended with, “Let me know what you would prefer further explained.” Like, is there anything else you need to know? Like, is that not enough for you to understand why we are the way we are, why we move the way we move, why this is all boiled down into what it’s boiled down into, you know? And I say, you know, let me know what you would prefer further explained. You know?

And I’m saying, he still taught me how to load up, just in case. You know? Meaning, going back to what I said before, where it’s like, it doesn’t mean don’t be there for you and yours and your people, don’t stand tall, it doesn’t mean that at all. You stand tall, no matter what. But you know what comes with it, and you do it that right way, you do it the smart way. You know what’s what. You know? You not out here, all reckless. You put your values, and you put what’s important and what matters into a certain perspective, and in a certain order. You know? You know how to stand tall and do whatever, but you also know when certain things aren’t worth it.

And that’s the different between having somebody in your house and not. You know? When you don’t have somebody in your house, you think everything is worth it. You think every moment is worth it. And then your life changes, like Ricky, like Doughboy, like all of them. But when you know what’s worth it and what’s not, then your life gonna wind up going the way Tre’s did. And that’s pretty much the gist of it all.

And I’m just using them as an example, to say, this is why having a male figure in the house, especially as a young, black, boy, is so important. This is exactly why. Here’s as huge example as to why this happens.

There was never a moment that was exactly like that. You know, I can’t sit here and say everything that happened in Boyz n the Hood happened to me, verbatim, or identical. But, you know, the majority of it, and the gist of it.

So there was never a moment where I saw my man get clapped, and you know, I ran in the house. It wasn’t like that. But it was the idea of being willing to do whatever for your friends. One, outta loyalty; and two, knowing they would do it for you. You know? My friends would do whatever for me, so I would do whatever for them. Whether that’s right or wrong.

But at the same time, you could sit here and say, “Well, certain guys may be willing to go the extra mile a certain way ‘cause they didn’t have a dude 20 plus years their senior in the house every day. To teach them otherwise, or teach them different, or how to be smart about how you move.” And that’s why I say, in the line, you know, when I talk about my pops havin’ that conversation, and saying, “Know what comes with it. It sticks with you forever.” You know? When you in them lights.

He had a ton of moments where the pound saved his life. Like, before you make that decision to do xyz, know what comes along with it. Now, if you know what comes along with it and you ready for that? Then, by all means, there it is. But, know what comes along with that. Know what’s coming with that before you make any of those decisions. Because I know from experience, and I say I meaning my father, I know from experience what that’s like. I know what that’s like, to have the moments where that pound saved your life. You know? I know what that’s like from experience, so I’m telling you, know what it’s like before you step out and jump on that. You know? Regardless of who it’s for. Not telling you don’t be a man and man up, man up every step of the way, but just know what comes along with manning up. And be built for that.

When Boyz n the Hood came out, I mighta' been like nine, 10-years-old, something like that, and my pops and I went to see it. And, with my pops, whether it was books, movies … he would give me a book, or take me to see a movie, and then he would have me write a report about it. That was how I grew up, my whole life. As a little kid, we go see Malcolm X, write a report about it. You know, read such-and-such, write a report about it. Just for him, not for school, or anything like that. And I guess it shows in the way I move, or what I do for a living now.

So, with Boyz n the Hood, we went to see it, and I was a little kid, and my pops said, “We’re gonna go see this movie.” Regardless of the R-rating, or what it was. First off, it wasn’t nuttin' I hadn’t really seen or been exposed to, living in Brooklyn, and having young parents; and then for two, the message meant more than the little parts that may have been too much for a nine-year-old’s eyes. So it was, “Naw, we’re going to see this.”

So we went to see it, and right away my father said, “What did you get from that?” You know? “What did you think about it?” And as I watched the movie, it felt like what had already been going on in my life.

You know, when Tre mother told him, “You gotta live with your father, now.” And Tre said, “Naw, Mommy, but I see Daddy all the time. Like, I go over there on weekends. What’s the problem?” And she said, “Naw, but we gotta reverse it. It’s gotta be different now. I can’t teach you how to be a man. I can’t teach you xyz, how to survive in this world as a black man, only he can. That’s his job.” That’s exactly what happened with my parents. You know, I saw my parents every day in two different households, I bounced back and forth, but I saw and spoke to my parents every day. But when I was nine, 10 years old, my mother said, “You gotta live with your father now.” And I didn’t get it, but then once I got there, I got it.

Watching the movie in the theater, you know, as a little kid, I related to it right away, because as I said, all that stuff was kinda going on, already. And all my friends didn’t have fathers, you know? In my neighborhood, on my block, I mean, it mighta' been one or two other fathers on the whole block, you know? My block, the block up, the block, there mighta' been two other fathers with my father, maybe. You know what I mean? My father and one or two other guys, and that was it.

So you look at Boyz n the Hood, it was the same thing. And I remember my father always saying, “You gonna see how everybody ends up.” You know? “I got love for all your little friends, but you gonna see how it all goes.”

I got friends who’re not here no more, I got friends who been to jail four or five times, I got friends still up there now. I’ve been to Rikers countless times, visiting people. I’ve been to other spots, visiting people. I’ve wrote letters, sent sweat suits, did all that for my friends who ain’t here no more, but nobody ever had to do that for me, thank God. And a lotta that is because I had a father.

So, the way the second verse starts, it breaks down this story, saying, “There was a story of a kid who had his father everyday,” and it keeps going, and going, and going, throughout. The whole verse is told from, I guess you would say, third person, or whatever that is. And, it goes back to the story arc that we talked about in the beginning. Talking about a guy, who’s a father, who had xyz going on in the street, and decided to chill out.

So he had this balance of, yeah he’s a street guy, but he’s also this type of standup individual, as well. He also had a name, and it was more than just a grip, it was off of how he changed. Like, that name and reputation … he was bigger than just what he had done outside, or what he was capable of doin' outside. He was also known for being a good man, a good dude, a standup individual, regardless of what may or may not have happened in the street.

So you take all that, and as the story progresses in the verse, you realize I’m talking about Furious Styles and Tre Styles in Boyz n the Hood, you realize I’m talking about Doughboy, and Ricky, and you know, Lil' Chris, and all of them, in Boyz n the Hood. So, now I’m describing everything that happened in Boyz n the Hood, and this dynamic of what goes on. And then the story continues to open up from there.

What I’m saying is, you could pass that white privilege down, you could pass that privilege down. Imagine if you was able to live a certain way, be a certain way, and pass that dow. And it’ll lock arms, it’ll go from generation to generation, it’ll lock arms, and you can’t break it. Right?

“And that’ll lock arms like deciding that you get it.” So now, this is more just throwing some rhyme and metaphor stuff, I’m using that just to segue into a metaphor, that’ll lock arms. “It’ll lock arms like deciding that you get it, but the timing never proves that you did it.” So now, I’m continuing the conversation, but now I’m going into Colin Kaepernick, ‘cause what I’m saying is, when you have the whole NFL locking arms, and kneeling together, and locking arms, and all that, yeah that was cool. But the timing never proves that you did it, 'cause it took you x amount of months, a whole season, damn near, to decide to finally start locking arms.

And the reason you lock arms wasn’t because of what Kaepernick was standing for, it was because of what this clown president said, that you felt came against y'all. And it made you think, “Well, we gotta do what Kaep did, because Kaep got it a long time ago.” Obviously, you still don’t get it, ‘cause if you got it, you woulda’ been doing that way back. Before Duke said what he said, that got y'all drawers in a bunch, you know what I mean?

So, that last two, “Lock arms like deciding,” so now I’m going into a metaphor, like comparing, you know, passing that privilege down, lock arms, like it ain’t going nowhere, it’s locked in. “That’ll lock arms like deciding that you get it, but the timing never proves that you did it.” Like, time never proves, you definitely didn’t get what you was locking arms for.

So, with that piece, right there, “Do you believe, in loading a .44 and blowing the corridor, for all that you want for.” Now I’m settin' the scene of, again I’m havin' this conversation with somebody who doesn’t look like me. And the whole conversation is, “Put yourself in our shoes.”

So, I’m saying, “Picture this. Picture you had to be in this situation. That you had to load a .44 and blow the corridor for all that you want for, and goin' for it. But then, learning that the court of law could never be cornered off, unless you was one of them. Which, ie: is you, who I’m havin' the conversation with. Would you just call it off? Or do you believe that you could be given it off of privilege?”

All that’s about white privilege. And all that’s about how, imagine if you was in this situation, and this was your only means, by any means, this is all you know. And how you came up. And you know that this is all gonna go bad. You’re never gonna be able to escape this, because none of this was designed to understand why you would even take something so far in life. Loading up, and getting to it, and getting busy; this is all gonna go bad, and you know it walking into it. You know how this is set up. Would you still go out there, and do it? Because you and your family need it that bad? Because that’s all you know, and that’s your only means of survival? Or would you just call it off?

But then you remember, “Wait. If I’m on this side of the fence, I might have this white privilege.” So it goes into this conversation, that’s just heavy conversation, of white privilege, and being able to get away with certain things that others don’t. And we see it every day when we turn on the TV. We see it every day when we open the newspaper. You know? So, it’s not something that’s foreign to people, I wouldn’t think. I hope not. You know?

But, that four bars and change, right there, is all about white privilege, and the law system, the justice system, or lack thereof, you know? And how all that works, and how it was designed. You know? Imagine if something was specifically designed to go against you, and solely you. Imagine that, as someone who doesn’t look like me. Who doesn’t move like me, or live like me. Imagine if you did, and it was designed solely against you. And if you were any other look, or shade, or design, or creed, you’d be okay. It would be understood. It’d be figured out. You know, you wouldn’t be laid down in the street. You would just be taken, smooth, in cuffs. Asked if you wanted Burger King, you know? It would be a different conversation.

But if you solely look like me, it’s over. Imagine that, as the other person, on the other end of the table. Put yourself in our shoes.

A lot of what that piece, right there, represents, and what it signifies, is cultural appropriation. I hate it. I hate it with a passion. You know? I feel like, we should be able to enjoy one another’s cultures. Whether it’s music, fashion, food, art, film, whatever it may be. We should be able … history, you know? We should be able to enjoy each other’s cultures.

But we should never be able to tell someone else how to correctly go about their culture. How to improve on their culture. Imagine me tellin' an Italian how to do what they do, as far as food, as far as fashion, as far as anything that has to do with them. My job is to only appreciate, and respect, and acknowledge their culture. And enjoy it. And vice versa, that goes for anybody. You know? I feel like we should enjoy one another’s cultures, but we should never feel like we have it to tell someone else how to be better at themselves.

And I feel like, with black culture, we get it more than anybody. You know, anybody’d tell us, whether you’re dealing with corporate, ‘cause hip hop runs the world, right now. It’s been like that for a couple decades. Hip-hop is the most used and sought after brand, and culture, period. On the planet. You can’t turn on the TV without commercials, you can’t open a magazine without ads. Everything for any corporate giant in the world, where the CEO may be the biggest racist, and biggest hip hop hater in the world, but he knows for his bottom line it makes sense to incorporate hip hop.

So, when you look at how they’re doin' that, you look at what gets through the door, and what doesn’t. You look at what gets passed over on, and what gets accepted, and put in. You look at what they dump money into. You look at a lotta' these websites, that I’m not gonna name, ‘cause I’m cool, but you look at a lotta’ these websites that I hate, that move a certain way. You know what I mean? That tell us what’s cool, and what’s not. Tell us what’s dope, and what’s not. Tell us what’s real, and what’s not.

Really? When no one in your office and your staff looks like me? When no one in your office and your staff remembers anything about hip-hop before 2000? When no one in your office or your staff has ever done any history on what this means, or what this represents? Or, you could listen to some ratchet music, and enjoy it, but you enjoyed it from the comforts of Williamsburg, as opposed to enjoying it in Bed-Stuy, in my hood. Or enjoying it in Red Hook, or enjoying it in Brownsville, where that music comes from, and represents.

So you can get as ratchet as you want, on so-and-so records, but get that ratchet in the south side of Chicago. Get that ratchet on the east side of Detroit. Enjoy it the same way. And if you could do that, and understand where it comes from? Then maybe we can have a different conversation. But until you’re willin' to do that, don’t tell us how to approach our culture. And it burns me, it burns me up.

It’s about making it, as a lot of my music is, but the beauty in the first verse is I’m speaking to someone who doesn’t look like me. That whole first verse, the whole record, actually, is me speaking to someone who doesn’t look like me.

‘Cause on the album, there’s a lotta moments of cultural appropriation, and gentrification. Some people may feel like, “Yeah, well you comin’ at us.” And I’m like, “OK. Do you believe?” Such, and such, and such? So, I’m havin' the conversation with you, like, “Put yourself in our shoes. Do you believe that this can happen? Imagine if this here happened to you, do you believe this would go this way, or that way? And when you do that, then you understand why I feel the way I feel, and why all of us do.”

So the opening four, is me sayin', “Celebrating making it out here in one piece. Or better yet taking it out on who couldn’t leave.” The ones who couldn’t make it, the ones who couldn’t get out. For whatever reason, sometimes of their own design, and sometimes not. Most of the times it’s not of their own design. And taking it out on them. Taking out how you feel, and how you look at us, on them. Imagine if the tables was turned.

And that’s what a lotta this record is based on, it’s me having this conversation with someone who doesn’t look like me.

This is me reminding everybody: I’m only 20 years old. I’m not even legally allowed to drink. I’m not even old enough to buy your Ace of Spades—the liquor you own—but I’m old enough to take it from you.

And that was just another way of me drilling it in people’s heads—this is not about Skyzoo, this is about a make-believe 20-year-old.