[Intro]
Yeah...
I remember the look in your eyes when you first held me
A tired soldier, gray hair, finally seeing a victory worth winning
I see you whispering over the crib, dreaming of the man I’d become
Hoping the world wouldn't take the heart you were ready to build
Thinking 'bout the books I'd read and the battles I'd win
Before I even knew my own name, you saw the king within
This one’s for the vision, Pop.
You are appreciated.
[Verse 1]
You was a soldier back in ‘45, just tryin’ to stay alive
Coming home from the trenches, grateful to survive
A widowed man with a heavy heart and a uniform
Looking for a little peace after the eye of the storm
Then you saw her, a damsel trapped in a different war
Poverty knockin’ loud at her kitchen door
No money in her pocket, just a struggle to eat
You swept in like a hero, got her back on her feet
You didn’t just pity her, you made her your wife
Rescued her from the hunger, gave her a brand new life
And from that union of the brave and the broken soul
I came into the world, making the family whole
Even when the memories of the front line would haunt ya
You stayed a provider, exactly what we wanted from ya.
[Hook]
You built a world I can never fully stand in
A legendary man, my papa, demanding
My best efforts to try and fill the void you left behind
But the strength you had, I swear I'll never find
Still I will try, yeah, I swear to God I'll try
To live up to the legacy, before I die.
[Verse 2]
You was an old man startin' over with a newborn son
When most men your age were finished and done
Retired from the world but you couldn't take a rest
Put your golden years aside just to give me your best
Through my elementary years, you was findin' your second wind
A silver-haired soldier, my father and my friend
You ingrained the discipline, told me "stand up straight"
Never let a lazy mind decide your fate
You taught me humility, to keep my head low
But trained me for the violence so the world would know
A warrior's spirit with a poet’s heart
Teaching me to pick my battles and to play my part
No naps on the porch, no fadin' away
You was on the front lines with me every single day
I see the gray in your beard and the strength in your hands
Raising up a king according to the plans.
[Hook]
You built a world I can never fully stand in
A legendary man, my papa, demanding
My best efforts to try and fill the void you left behind
But the strength you had, I swear I'll never find
Still I will try, yeah, I swear to God I'll try
To live up to the legacy, before I die.
[Verse 3]
I was out there in the streets, chasin' shadows in the Cali sun
A young outlaw blinded by the flash of a gun
Runnin' with the riders, caught up in the gangland heat
Tryin' to find my identity on a dead-end street
But you never turned your back, never gave up the ghost
You saw the potential when I was fadin' the most
While I was dodgin' sirens, you was handin' me books
Said there’s more power in the pages than in gangster looks
You forced me to study like the Count of Monte Cristo in his cell
Refining my mind while I was livin' in a livin' hell
I became an enigma, a riddle in the hood
A straight Aye gangster, misunderstood
Plottin' my escape while I’m posted on the block
With a classic in my hand and my eyes on the clock
You sharpened my intellect to match my street soul
The warrior and the scholar, finally takin' control.
[Hook]
You built a world I can never fully stand in
A legendary man, my papa, demanding
My best efforts to try and fill the void you left behind
But the strength you had, I swear I'll never find
Still I will try, yeah, I swear to God I'll try
To live up to the legacy, before I die.
[Verse 4]
The foundation was poured, but you didn't see the peak
Gone from my life before I could hear myself speak
With the strength of a gorilla, the venom of the cobra, and the graceful butterfly's glide
You built this machine, with nothing left to hide
My purpose is deeper than just making music for the ears,
It’s about raising the standards and drowning out the fears.
I’m here to level up the youth and change the vision,
Giving the next generation a new kind of ambition.
Pledge to carry your work through every single one of my seeds
Planting the wisdom and satisfying their needs
Your sculpted work is standing tall and it's me you see
I am the man you envisioned, the legacy you set free
The old man and the soldier, your spirit's in my heart
We'll never be finished, we're never apart.
[Outro - with hook in background]
Yeah, look at me now, Dad...
The finished product of every late night, every book, and every drill.
You took a wild seed from the Cali concrete and grew an Oak from the redwood forest.
I know you're lookin' down, hopin' I don't let the fire go out.
I got the cobra's strike and the poet’s pen, just like you drew it up.
I'm just a shadow of the giant you were, tryna walk a straight line in oversized shoes.
I hope I’m makin' you proud, soldier.
See you soon….
[piano solo fade to black]