I spent 23 years trying to be what you wanted me to be Though it seemed like you couldn't save me 'Til I picked up the mic and I was on the TV Now you're ringing off my phone like every week Where were you at 6, 7, 11 and 13 When shit was impossible Mama left nine months pregnant But she came home alone from the hospital How could you call yourself a man If you can't love your own unless you can control them You'd rather destroy their souls and she was 13 years old And you could've protected the innocence from being stolen And I don't give a damn what you was going through When mama wasn't able to put food on the table You left the family unstable Now you come around acting like you want some kind of appraisal You can't play like you daddy now And you can't claim shit 'cause you weren't around And you can't get mad but what can you do? You can't tell me shit, I'm grown without you I spent 23 years trying to be the fucking man you should be Taking care of your responsibility Putting clothes on our back and shoes on our feet, no help But you always had your bag of weed Where were you at 12, 13, 14 and 15 When life was unliveable, momma was so damn angry The way she treated me was unforgivable You call yourself a man, your oldest son He had to learn from his sister how to put a nigger's fist up How to fuck a nigger's shit up and knock out any motherfucker That had come and tried to diss us And I don't give a damn what you was going through And I needed saving, I spent my every second blazing A little girl with a blade and trying to fuck up And take my life just wanted to dig my grave and You can't play like you daddy now And you can't claim shit 'cause you weren't around And you can't get mad but what can you do? (Now what you gonna do?) You can't tell me shit, I'm grown without you You can't play like you daddy now And you can't claim shit 'cause you weren't around And you can't get mad but what can you do? (You can't do a damn thing) You can't tell me shit, I'm grown without you I'm grown without you, I've grown without you Can't, can't come and come and tell me, do not