Now and Then
Chris Zippel a.k.a. Genuine Lyrics

I found myself having an insecure moment
I felt unsure about myself

Listening to a dope emcee and seeing an opponent
Hearing a talented rapper made me feel like competition

Feeling as though the shine he was getting should have been mine
I thought the attention he was receiving should have been mine

This year I'm turning 29, my plan's 11 years behind
I'm turning 29 and my goals are far behind where they should be

I hate second guessing myself, it feels dumb as luck
I dislike doubting myself, it feels foolish

Stressin over how these other cats is quickly coming up
I'm worried about other rappers surpassing me quickly

Knowing I got the talent they got, if not more
I know I have the talent they do, if not more

Young emcees tellin me that I'm the top 4
Young rappers are saying I'm in the top four

As far as they concerned, so I keep pushing til the tables turn
According to them, I'm still a top rapper so I'll keep working until I'm on top again

Last thing on my mind is how my rhymes can help a label earn
I don't care about making money for a label, that's not my priority

Is that the cardinal sin?
Is that the unforgivable mistake?

Alright, I'll try to leave that out for the next article then
Okay, I'll try not to include that in my next song

Play the super hustler role but man, it's hard to pretend
I act like a confident rapper, but it's difficult to keep up the facade

Cuz money don't drive me, I'm spittin to release the artist within
I'm not motivated by money, I rap to express my true self

Starvin again cuz I stupidly spent money
I'm broke again because I spent my money carelessly

Cooped up in my momma house like, how I'ma turn music to rent money?
I'm stuck living with my mom and wondering how I can make enough money from music to support myself

Sick of turning hard work to I'ma get bent money
I'm tired of working hard only to spend the money on drugs and alcohol

Cuz now I see what that did for me
I realize the negative effects of my past behavior

If I knew then what I know now
If I had the knowledge I have now back then

Then I'd know when and I'd know how
I would know the right time and way to take action

To make which move and in what way
To make the right decisions and take the appropriate actions

But then I wouldn't be who I am today
But if I had made different choices, I wouldn't be the same person I am now

And I feel strong and I feel bright
I feel confident and optimistic

And I'm doing great so everything's alright
Things are going well for me, so I'm satisfied

And when I feel down I put on my cape and I fly
When I'm feeling low, I mentally lift myself up and feel empowered

Like up, up and away
Like I'm soaring to new heights

Yeah
Agreement or affirmation

I feel super
I feel great

But I don't always feel like the freshest hero
I don't always feel like the coolest or most impressive person

On bad days my confidence drops to less than zero
When I'm having a bad day, I have no confidence in myself

I keep my head high, chin up with my shoulders back
I try to maintain a confident posture even when I'm feeling low

Chest full of breath, always set to let the flow attack
I breathe deeply and focus on my rap skills to elevate my mood

When it comes to poetry, I feel so relaxed
I feel calm and comfortable when writing and performing poetry

I'm pretty well known in rap, somebody prob'ly told you that
I have some level of recognition in the rap world, perhaps someone has mentioned me to you

I'm nice before you even ever heard
My talent is apparent, even if you haven't heard my music yet

How my each and every word, is a fraction of a street affected nerd
My every word comes from a place of experience and education

With a revolutionary mind and a kind heart
I have an innovative perspective and a compassionate nature

Who loves to work with the youth and produce refined art
I enjoy working with children and creating high-quality art

And that's worth a lot without any accolades
Even without awards or recognition, my work is valuable

But sometimes I wish that I could turn the clock back a ways
Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and make different choices

Or at least set my problems to the side and back away
Or at least temporarily ignore my problems and take a break

And not dwell on feelin like that for half the day
And not spend half the day feeling that way

Cuz as the time passes I think, think, think, think
As time goes on, I keep thinking about my past mistakes

I crash landed on this planet now I'm standing
I feel like I landed on Earth unexpectedly and now I'm living here

With a canon for a voice and a healthy understanding
My voice is powerful and I have a good understanding of the world

That I'm granted with a chance to make a difference while I'm livin
I have the opportunity to make a positive impact while I'm alive

And the gift is in it lasting much longer than an instant
The impact of my work will last longer than just a brief moment

I could have bought my ticket as an infant, no kidding
I could have made a difference since birth, it's not a joke

Born with yellow jaundice followed by a meningitis sickness
My health was poor as a baby, I experienced yellow jaundice and meningitis

Life is precious so I keep my focus in the right direction
Life is valuable, so I try to stay focused on what's important

If I make a misstep, I give myself a slight correction
If I make a mistake, I try to make a small correction to get back on track

And I keep it moving, right now my mantra is keep improving
I don't dwell on setbacks, my current focus is to keep getting better

So if you wit' me then let's see us do this
If you're on board with my mission, let's work together to make it happen

All in together, walking like we're taller than weather
We're in this together, walking confidently through any obstacles

And I talk like I'm calling it better
I speak with confidence and authority

I can see the future peeking through the looking glass at my past
I have a vision of the future while reflecting on my past experiences

I gotta laugh at some of the things that I'm past
I can laugh at some of my past mistakes and experiences

I gotta laugh at some of the things that I've passed
I can look back and laugh at some of the opportunities that I missed

I gotta laugh at some of the things that have passed
I can laugh at some of the events and situations that are now in the past