A decade ago I fell asleep at a desk in community college
The longest dream I ever had
Voices, asking ‘why you even go to college’ “Learn you a trait!” “UPS and FedEx Pay”
I woke up ten years later ready to walk the stage
Proud of my alma mater and for which it stands
Graduated with a high chin, with stripes running down my face
To my biggest fan:
There's nothing like watching the crop sown from your own hustle blossom
It’s like standing at the top of a mountain
Feet planted, nothing touching you but the breeze as it passes
So high I almost grew a pair of wings
From this point forward it’s no longer do as I say
Time pays
Do as I do Youngblood, I do it for you


And to my wife, friend and partner and crime
We did it, jumped the broom stick
Never say forever
I’m happy with the now and here
I hold them close like blade and shield
Where that ball and chain around my neck
My prized medallion
My All Spark
For you I’d die and come back like Optimus Prime
Who would have ever thought,
Lucky number seven, signed the license then a mortgage
Feels like we crashed the party, drank all the liquor and walked out with the keys to the car


Who will forget those two boys
If life was a game I would have got an achievement called “protect and serve”
Must have got it twisted with all the v-necks and glasses
They tried to re-enact something they saw on television and got served in Tagalog
Mama that boy took it too far, called me nigga and put his hands where they didn’t belong
I blacked out and woke up the next morning wiping blood off my shoes on some CSI ish
Cursing myself for falling into that trap
They didn't stand a chance, but I played right into their hands
I dropped the crown, I might as well have given them the keys to the house
In 2010 we ”off that”


Pained my heart to see my little sister going through it
trying to hold her own in her parents battles
Kids want the flashy things, the gadgets
But when will we learn that they need us
That it’s their right not a privilege
You up next baby girl
Close ya eyes and you can hear the hunger pains of them streets
For too long they fed on our lineage
Gluttony plus the other six, it's all in our heritage
It’s our job to keep them starving
Take your crown off, read the blank engraving and fill it in
We royalty and I expect nothing less than
This time next year I expect you to be a freshman, sharing a room with a stranger and living off of Top Ramen


The black icing on the cake- Air Jordan Space Jam XI’s
Yes I am a Martian
I need counseling
Didn’t break bread for my ten year high school reunion, but for you
Didn’t even think to stand in line for a flu shot, but for you
I almost caught the flu
Standing in line out in the cold, had me laid up on Christmas with my face in a box of tissue
I'm bowing out...
In 2010 I’m stepping my shoe cleaner game up and focusing on preserving my current stock

What a great year, feel like I trained it for it
Here’s to 2010
Staying focused
Staying grassroots with it
I mean alarm clock ticking, tennis shoes slipping out from under sheets, grass in my teeth
Smiling

Thank the Gods for 2009
Yea, I’m feeling myself
I’m thinking of having my heart beat transcribed in brail
Packaging it with shower gel and stocking it on shelves

Labels: graduation, marriage, multi-media, new year, success