I draw words out of pens like swords out of sheaves

Humidity intervene, now I’m high on God’s speed

Upon the mic, immobilizing globe trotting colonizing

Stomping on the rights of the poor,

The destitute I testify will rise in a matter of 

lifetimes

So climb into the mind through the scale or a spine

When hips start slitherin to bass lines it'll

Make the wallflower blossom

Make me feel anonymous and conscious at the same time

I can’t remain calm waiting for repeats or a nuclear 

bomb to drop

Find us in a record shop with or without distribution

independent from the bullshit of a major

Remember Monday evening in the record stores at 12?

Midnight to cop the new album off the shelf

Either savin up allowance or your minimum wage

For eight dollars, one tape man, you'll listen for days

I’m missin the days, freewheelin mean-muggin rivals,

For no good reason

Just bein adolescent to breathin, believed in

So far from bleedin that this paradise is hard to 

believe in


I’m leaving

To a place dominated by spray-painted dreams that ain’t 

what they seem

I’m leaving

To find myself clinging to the edge of a notebook page, 

writin for days

I’m leaving

YO I’m going home to atone for abandonin my native 

tongue grown

From the soil of my soul that I’ll toil till I’m old

Passin the torch like the mic that I hold

Plowin in the field allowin little time to rest

Fly by night daytime I’m chillin in my nest

Where memory is sending me

An astral projection to way back then

I’m chasin Rakim through the speakers

Reachin for the makeshift microphone

Mark’ll make your mom bark “Turn down the radio,”

complainin about the curse words

Times absurd, the lines got blurred, another kid got 

served

And the whole house party bore witness to the occasion

Thus started growing my early reputation

Early 90 second generation fat laces

Used to get hip bruises breakin in the basement

Mixed tape makin was an art that we’d forsaken

And the hardest thing to do was cue the tape

I’m waiting on a Sunday night listening to nastiness, 

payin the dues

When KEXP was KCMU, true, I’m missin the days

freewheelin mean-muggin rivals,

For no good reason

Just bein adolescent to breathin, but we've been so far 

from bleedin that this paradise is hard to believe in


I’m leaving

To a place dominated by spray-painted dreams that ain’t 

what they seem

I’m leaving

To find myself clinging to the edge of a notebook page, 

writin for days

I’m leaving

YO I’m going home to atone for abandonin my native 

tongue grown

From the soil of my soul that I’ll toil till I’m old

Passin the torch like the mic that I hold


The horticulture’s in the pipe

So torch it with the light unfortunately

it’ll be gone, but not tonight (2x)


I’m leaving

To a place dominated by spray-painted dreams that ain’t 

what they seem

I’m leaving

To find myself clinging to the edge of a notebook page, 

writin for days

I’m leaving

YO I’m going home to atone for abandonin my native 

tongue grown

From the soil of my soul that I’ll toil till I’m old

Passin the torch like the mic that I hold