Lyrics
Early on I knew I was a fan
Hung the ice cream truck, be holding momma's hand
Told 'em to turn it up in the dollar van
Nobody moonwalked better in their pajama pants
I used to try to tap like Gregory Hines
"Lean On Me," word for word, I knew every line
My mom's blasting Anita Baker
No wonder I could bake it with a piece of paper
Yeah, looking back, daddy left bad
It was cool though, music was my stepdad
I was raised by Stevie Wonder
Lionel Richie, Luther and all the Jackson brothers
Used to close my eyes and see far away
On harder days I would chop it up with Marvin Gaye
It was just a matter of time
I took a crack at a rhyme and worked this magic of mine
So when I felt like doing wrong
You helped me get it right
And when I felt like giving up
You gave me one more try
And when I felt like it was over
You didn't let me die, no
You didn't let me die
Music saved my life
So many different artists I get soul from
Still I move to the beat of my own drum
I'm an avenue and street away from where Hov from
Rest in peace Biggie Smalls, baby, baby
Rocking wave caps, bumping gangsta rap
I grew up in an era where it was a thing to trap
It was the world that I was always angry at, a maniac
Full of rage with nowhere to aim it at
We came up in the hood where everybody ain't adapt
My parents did the best they could, I do my best to pay 'em back
I pay 'em back, first let me take it back
Wasn't no fashion, just airbrushed shirts and faded slacks
If you could do a little better, you'd rock a Coogi sweater
All we knew was the hustle, we never knew no better
"Get it crunk" was the phrase, everyone could relate
We thought it'd last forever, who knew it'd be just a phase?
They label me a delinquent
Wasn't nothing that the teacher ever could teach me
It's a miracle I ain't get caught in this street shit
If it wasn't for hip-hop, I wouldn't be breathing
So when I felt like doing wrong
You helped me get it right
And when I felt like giving up
You gave me one more try
And when I felt like it was over
You didn't let me die, no
You didn't let me die
Music saved my life
So many different artists I get soul from
Still I move to the beat of my own drum
I'm an avenue and street away from where Hov from
Rest in peace Biggie Smalls, baby, baby
Somebody pinch me, this can't be life
All these big cameras and fancy lights
Man, this must be a mistake
Just yesterday my mother cutting the cake
On my tenth birthday she told me to make a wish
Here I am now surrounded by all of this
Man, what a crazy life
Music, you really saved my life
You really saved my life
So when I felt like doing wrong
You helped me get it right
And when I felt like giving up
You gave me one more try
And when I felt like it was over
You didn't let me die, no
You didn't let me die
Music saved my life
So many different artists I get soul from
Still I move to the beat of my own drum
I'm an avenue and street away from where Hov from
Rest in peace Biggie Smalls, baby, baby
Hung the ice cream truck, be holding momma's hand
Told 'em to turn it up in the dollar van
Nobody moonwalked better in their pajama pants
I used to try to tap like Gregory Hines
"Lean On Me," word for word, I knew every line
My mom's blasting Anita Baker
No wonder I could bake it with a piece of paper
Yeah, looking back, daddy left bad
It was cool though, music was my stepdad
I was raised by Stevie Wonder
Lionel Richie, Luther and all the Jackson brothers
Used to close my eyes and see far away
On harder days I would chop it up with Marvin Gaye
It was just a matter of time
I took a crack at a rhyme and worked this magic of mine
So when I felt like doing wrong
You helped me get it right
And when I felt like giving up
You gave me one more try
And when I felt like it was over
You didn't let me die, no
You didn't let me die
Music saved my life
So many different artists I get soul from
Still I move to the beat of my own drum
I'm an avenue and street away from where Hov from
Rest in peace Biggie Smalls, baby, baby
Rocking wave caps, bumping gangsta rap
I grew up in an era where it was a thing to trap
It was the world that I was always angry at, a maniac
Full of rage with nowhere to aim it at
We came up in the hood where everybody ain't adapt
My parents did the best they could, I do my best to pay 'em back
I pay 'em back, first let me take it back
Wasn't no fashion, just airbrushed shirts and faded slacks
If you could do a little better, you'd rock a Coogi sweater
All we knew was the hustle, we never knew no better
"Get it crunk" was the phrase, everyone could relate
We thought it'd last forever, who knew it'd be just a phase?
They label me a delinquent
Wasn't nothing that the teacher ever could teach me
It's a miracle I ain't get caught in this street shit
If it wasn't for hip-hop, I wouldn't be breathing
So when I felt like doing wrong
You helped me get it right
And when I felt like giving up
You gave me one more try
And when I felt like it was over
You didn't let me die, no
You didn't let me die
Music saved my life
So many different artists I get soul from
Still I move to the beat of my own drum
I'm an avenue and street away from where Hov from
Rest in peace Biggie Smalls, baby, baby
Somebody pinch me, this can't be life
All these big cameras and fancy lights
Man, this must be a mistake
Just yesterday my mother cutting the cake
On my tenth birthday she told me to make a wish
Here I am now surrounded by all of this
Man, what a crazy life
Music, you really saved my life
You really saved my life
So when I felt like doing wrong
You helped me get it right
And when I felt like giving up
You gave me one more try
And when I felt like it was over
You didn't let me die, no
You didn't let me die
Music saved my life
So many different artists I get soul from
Still I move to the beat of my own drum
I'm an avenue and street away from where Hov from
Rest in peace Biggie Smalls, baby, baby