Appreciation
213 Lyrics

Childhood homies way back in the day
We were friends since childhood

since then it's been 213 the hard way
Our journey as a group has been full of obstacles

Rapping on the street corners, young as can be
We started rapping on the streets when we were young

All the local groups called us Run-DMC
We were known as a local rap group

Me? Warren G, I was Jam Master Jay
I identified with the style of Jam Master Jay from Run-DMC

Mixed with my big brother Dr. Dre
I was influenced by my older brother who is also a rapper

Now I got shouts to say
I have something to say

We still want Eazy like bedstyle people, we want Biggie
We still remember and appreciate the work of deceased artists like Eazy-E and The Notorious B.I.G.

In memory of Tupac, Left Eye, Aaliyah
We also remember some other artists who have passed away

Heaven sent, say hi to my mama when you see her
We believe that these artists are now in heaven and I send my regards to my mother who is also there

Rest in peace but let's take it back to the streets
Although these artists have passed away, let's focus on the roots of hip-hop

With so much drama in the LBC
There is a lot of drama in the Long Beach City

It's kind of hard being a G from 213
It's not easy being a rapper from this area

Times was hard for a superstar
Even though we were successful, we still faced challenges

But don't nobody notice who you are
Success doesn't guarantee recognition or acknowledgement

We worked hard and stayed true to the game
We stayed committed to our craft

Kept faith, kept God and now you know our name
We kept our faith and belief in God and it's led to our success and recognition

A big shout out to all my family and friends
I want to thank my family and friends for their support

When times got hard, you were still be there
They were there for me during tough times

You give me inspiration like strength from the sun
Their endless support inspires and motivates me

Feel like destiny's son, yeah
I feel destined for greatness

To be a rapper was my dream
Being a rapper was always my dream

And have a lot of money and live like a king
Being successful and wealthy was also part of the dream

To have a handful of rings
I also wanted to have many achievements and accolades

And to make the kind of music that the whole world sings
I wanted to make music that resonates with people worldwide

Battle rap was the thing
Battle rapping was a popular style of rap

And King Park was the spot where all the homeboys hang, bang
King Park was a popular hangout spot for us

Just to go do our thang and form my gang
We would hang out there and form our own group

And took off white a white boy in a van to get our change
We worked hard to make a name for ourselves and earn money

And moms knew what time it was
My mother was aware of what I was doing

And loved the way her baby boy came up, 'cause
She was proud of my success

It's before I was Snoop Dogg on TV
This was before I became famous as Snoop Dogg

I'm talking about when I was like a little bitty BG
I was still a small and unknown rapper

Nigga me and Warren Gizzy and Nate Dizzy and Fatey Baby
Me, Warren, Nate and Fatey Baby were still working together

are talking about eighty-threezy, flip the clock up to '93
We worked hard from 1983 to 1993

And watch me rock the clock nonstop constantly
I started gaining more recognition and exposure

on MTV and BET whatever you want
My music was now being played on popular music channels

Hit these niggaz with that motherfucking cheese (G-Funk)
My music style was G-Funk which was a popular style

Funk to shake ya trunk nigga from the bottom bunk
My music was aimed to make people dance and enjoy themselves

Now I'm moving on up, straight living it up
I am now living a luxurious life

Well known in the zone and I'm still homegrown
I'm still based and recognized from my hometown

Like Al be Sure, shit I'm on my own
Like Al be Sure, I am also a successful solo artist

But there's one thing I'm missing and that's family
The one thing I need is my family's support

'cause without y'all I don't know where I'd be
I wouldn't have been able to make it without them

There's no way I can forget about you
I will never forget about my family and friends

Support for me, your love for me
Their support and love mean so much to me

Your prayers for me when I'm in these streets
Their prayers and good wishes keep me going when I am out in the world

And there's no way I can forget to thank ya
I always express my gratitude towards them

For showing me the true meaning of unconditional love ooohhh
Their love is unconditional and that is very important

When I be fucking up you always come with love
Even when I make mistakes, they never stop loving me

You say you've had enough
They may get tired or upset, but they never leave my side completely

I just want to thank ya
I just want to express my appreciation

Yeah yeah yeah
I am very grateful

I just want to give
I want to give back and show my love and appreciation in return