When Life Shows Up (feat. Mike Marshall & Dr. Cornel West)

What kind of human beings are we really? What has gone into the shaping and molding of who we are Both as persons as well as communities and traditions? The inescapability of traditions For me the greatest tradition is spiritual fortitude In the modern world, which is the black musical tradition There's never been a tradition on such intimate terms of catastrophe And still able to generate such unbelievable Forms of creativity, compassion, and fortitude When it was my aisle turn to get up and view the casket Couldn't hold my tears back, it was automatic When the reverend started preaching, it was sad After the funeral, I hugged his mom and dad Paid for the memorial, 7000 dollars cash Only time we get together is when somebody pass The story of many people I narrate Hella hate divide and conquer, separate When I was born, momma didn't feed any baby food to this infant She fed me collard greens, dressing, candied yams, and fried chicken In the trenches, we trippin', got trials and tribulations Renovation, they forcing us out, gentrification Living in the Bay, it's expensive, it's hard to bargain 2500 a month to rent a 1 bedroom apartment Cancer don't care how old you are or who you are (no, no, no) Live your life every day like it's no tomorrow (yeah, yeah, yeah) Health can be your best friend or worst enemy, could be ruthless Lou Gehrig's Disease, leukemia, and lupus No Medi-Cal insurance so we self-medicate Eat tomatoes 'cause it helps protect the prostate Some of my potnas vegan, some just watch the way they eat Substitute ground turkey for ground beef, no red meat It's mainey outchea, it's murkish and it's sick Everybody outchea carry and pack a pogo stick Life for us it's just different 'round here (It's different) Yeah, life is much different 'round here (Uh) But we don't give up In God we trust When life shows up around here (Shows up) Sometimes it's unfair around here (It's unfair) But we still rise up (Uh) Every day somebody fighting for they life Every second it's a body put on ice Maggots, flies, vultures, parasites Tag on they toe without a price In the middle of the slums rockin' crumbs Secondhand smoke all in our lungs Weikel's, Smart & Final, Target You liable to find me up in Chavez Supermarket The homie's kids and his nephews tryna rap Say that's the only way to get up out the trap Gettin' on somethin' they all need content I tell them they can be an astronaut or an accountant Can't wait to get papered up with designer belt on my pants Do the money dance with the money phone in my hand Loved ones in a situation and need some cash? Send it through Square Cash, they'll get it fast When I finally catch a break, it's voodoo Every time I catch a break, it fall through Life is against me, the devil's on me He shady, he janky, he ain't my homie Temptation is vicious, you gotta watch all these bitches They'll line you up with no clippers, do anything for they niggas Life is an assignment, it's a test Repent, thank God, and confess Oh, life for us it's just different 'round here (It's different) Yeah, life is much different 'round here (What you say?) But we don't (we don't) give up (give up) In God we trust When life shows up around here (whoa) Sometimes it's unfair around here (It's unfair) But we still rise up (look here) Life for us it's just different 'round here (It's different) Yeah life is much different 'round here (it's so different round here) But we don't give up (it's so different round here) In God we trust When life shows up around here (when life shows up) Sometimes it's unfair around here (life shows up) But we still rise up (well...) 'Cause I'm a Jesus loving free Black man But I was in deep solidarity and remain so With the focus on those poor, precious, priceless children Even today, one out of two black and brown children live in poverty