zooted out time bent like a rim

leakin thru time, can’t feel my limbs

driftin thru decades, mind don’t make sense

woke up leanin on my granny screen fence

boy i was fried like catfish bones

eyes low in a daze, that gas too strong

slid thru a crack in the air like "who dis"

landed in oakland, panthers deep in the mix

how the fuck did i get here man

Huey in the chair wit a match in hand

said "chu look lost", i said "yeah i am"

he passed me the flame, said "light dat up"

then told me "knowledge more potent than runts"

i said "say less, im tryin my best"

he broke down chess but the board had dice

told me "every move got a cost, think twice"

i said "back home folks don’t read no mo"

he said "teach 'em wit slang, and the truth will show"

he said "don’t flex if ya folks still broke"

i said "damn", he laughed, said "young blood woke"

we sipped on tea like we cousins from the land

he said "take this wit you", put a plan in my hand

time movin sideways, sky look wrong

nothin feel real when ya high too long

he said "don’t waste all ya sauce on a song"

said "live what you spit", then he gone

zooted out time bent like a rim

talkin to Huey while he sip slow gin

told me "stand on somethin", i ain’t even flinch

woke up leanin on my granny screen fence

next thang i know i’m posted in '68

Malcolm at the window, eyes full of weight

he said "chu a poet? or chu just rap?"

i said "i’m both, but i’m still in the trap"

he said "trap ain’t a cage if ya mind unlocked"

said "truth ain’t loud but it still gon rock"

he showed me a pic of his fam in a box

said "die for a cause, or get ate by the fox"

i said "what if the hood don’t hear all that?"

he said "then speak like they do, don’t act"

he walked round the room, chain hang loose

i said "chu look tired", he said "truth do bruise"

gave me a look, like he seen thru time

said "if chu laugh too much, pain in ya spine"

i said "back home we just joke to heal"

he said "that’s cool, but don’t numb what’s real" (real...)

(hold on...i think i gettin the grip onit now, lemme see..)

time movin sideways, sky look wrong

nothin feel real when ya high too long

he said "don’t waste all ya sauce on a song"

said "live what you spit", then he gone

zooted out light buzz in my head

Malcolm said “talk like they know you bled”

told me “bars ain’t nothin if they don’t make sense”

woke up leanin on my granny screen fence

blink once, now i’m posted in the heat

Assata rollin tight in a plastic seat

said "chu ain’t from here, ya vibe too neat"

i said "nah, i’m floatin, that runt got me leak-in thru time"

she ask "boy chu lost yo mind?"

i say "nah im fine"

she come closer

almost face to face

got me lil scared

said "runt don’t matter when they chasin ya name"

said "chu gon fold or ride thru pain?"

i said "i just write, try slide thru the haze"

she said "make sure yo pen don’t lie for praise"

she lit a cig, said "the fight ain’t glam"

told me "freedom a cost, not a brand or a scam"

said "y’all love postin, but who gon move?"

i said "maybe me", she said "then prove"

she said "don’t sip if you scared to spit"

said "don’t rap if you scared to commit"

i said "damn, why you go so hard?"

she said "if i don’t, they gone pull yo card"

and wit that errythang went dark...

zooted out time bent on a loop

Assata rollin up talkin real truth

told me "write like you got one chance"

woke up leanin on my granny screen fence

granny said "boy chu smell like sin"

i said "Assata told me don’t hold nothin in"

she said "chu met who? you too damn high"

i said "she gave me a quote, told me never lie"

she laughed, said "quote this -take out trash- "

i said "damn, i was tryna learn from the past"

she said "learn to scrub these pots wit care"

i said "time travel hard when chu live right here"