Onemike - 2 Lives Lyrics

10 years in the ghetto where I never had a white friend
Dominicans and Puerto Rican's was the only light skin
It's crazy, colors shouldn't matter that much
But round here there was Latin kings, crips and bloods
I was the shy one in class I would sit and just people watch
I started reading... body language, you don't need to talk
For me to know the vibe
These the golden times
9 years old when I would keep the rawest rhymes in my walkman
Bad ass kids matured quick
Tagging up the park bench was art, In grade 1 we learned to talk shit
If jokes went too far, threw the ones at the schoolyard
Laughing about it once we cooled off
There was this one white boy named Richard
Even though it felt wrong, I laughed along when they was dissin him
'Cause fitting in Was crucial
But bein clowned on is a feelin nobody should be used to
Outcasted from the cool crew
But yo for real I was fascinated
By all my white teachers cus they mastered patience
They own classroom hate them & called them racial slurs
Yet they return to work everyday was makin me learn
They wouldn't give up on these hardknock kids in the ghetto
We didn't like how y'all dressed, we didn't listen to metal
Ignorance, yet something they saw in us was special
And all they wanted was to see us go fulfill our potential
I put myself in they shoes, and sat there hella confused
They takin verbal abuse for tryna better the youth
Lookin back now I know, that some beautiful souls
Taught them classrooms, doing good when they didn't have to
And that perspective taught me more than any book did
Through they point of view, they saw good in us hood kids.
They saw the good in us hood kids
Through they point of view they saw the good in us hood kids

If I can't see the world from your eyes, atleast I try
I rather listen to how you feel before I speak my mind
We need to listen, uh huh
But really listen, uh huh
Need to listen to understand, not thinking of a reply
If I can't see it from your eyes, atleast I'll try
Regardless if you didn't try... to see from my
Point of view, ain't nothing you need to prove
Before rushing to speak
Can you try walking in peoples shoes

Movin from the hood to the woods hit hard as a little kid
Wide nose & oversized clothes not fittin in
First day of 8th grade it was sinking in
Damn... I feel exactly like Richard did
Having nobody to relate with could make you deprived
Tension brewing in this racial divide
Where skin color was enough to make them hate you inside
Besides me and my brother there were 4 maybe 5
Minorities in the whole school
They'd laugh loud whenever teachers mispronounced my last name in the home room
I hate this, no more corner bodegas
No more homies coming over playing Sonic on Sega
Everybody rocked Polos in 11th grade
Difference is they had like 20 shirts, I rocked mine almost everyday
I tried to follow they appeal, but my Lacoste wasn't real
At lunch time I didn't always have meals
Couldn't afford all the field trips
And when they asked why, I had to lie
But deep inside, it only hurt me on some real shit
I couldn't tell them the facts, as I'm remembering back
I lost sight of all the blessings I had
My moms gave me way more than I could ever give back
So how the hell was I still mad at her whenever I asked
Why she move us to a place where neighbors give us wierd looks
Skippin class was my escape, that's why I'm vacant from some yearbooks
All day, they cracked jokes I let slide
Disappointment in myself I learned to hold it inside
Instead I told you I'm fine, even tho it's a lie
How was I supposed to get by, feeling hopeless till I...
Really opened my eyes, and realized that the problem was I
Social anxiety, is the by-product of the higher speeds of overthinking that went on in my mind
So bad at times I even wanted to die
You know what lifted me up?
Remember Richard was tough & every time they beat him down, I watched him pick himself up
See when you young, nothing really matters as much
As acceptance and gettin some attention from your crush
Social situations used to give me the chills
Finally done with being shy, and started livin for real
Now chillen wit the illa cats
Timidness, they help me get rid of that
Shit I even start makin women laugh
With, instead of at me
No blemishes or acne
Finally facing fears brought clearity and happiness was attained
Freed the stress from my brain
Became thankful for them hard times, especially the pain
12th grade Polo horse, leather strap on the dad hat
Came a long from bein laughed at
I used to hate this place, but it made me great
Forgot race cus we all in many ways relate
That same kid The was curious, is now rich with experience
And people smart, now hate on me and it isn't as serious
Went from bein looked past, to bein looked at
Lemme make this all real clear before we bring the hook back
I won the battle with my mind & perspective was key
From anger adding up inside, to jus letting it be
The ones I least expected brought the best out in me
Try relatin before hating, you'll forever be free
Peace

If I can't see the world from your eyes, atleast I try
I rather listen to how you feel before I speak my mind
We need to listen, uh huh
But really listen, uh huh
Need to listen to understand, not thinking of a reply
If I can't see it from your eyes, atleast I'll try
Regardless if you didn't try... to see from my
Point of view, ain't nothing you need to prove
before rushing to speak
Can you try walking in peoples shoes