Seventeen
Corey Paul Lyrics

Mama raised me on Southpark
I was brought up in the tough Southpark neighborhood

One of the few that done made it out
I am grateful to have escaped the dangers of my upbringing and made something of myself

I'm not impressed with the slick talk
I don't buy into the fake stories that other rappers tell

I really lived what these rapper writing bout'
On the other hand, I've lived the real-life experiences that inspire authentic rap music

No embellishment, youngin' talking for a settlement
I don't need to exaggerate or lie about my experiences for fame or money

Quite intelligent, but we'll go dumb and let that metal bent
Although I'm smart, I'm not afraid to be violent in order to protect myself and my community

Medicine, mixing with the soda, got em' high as Yoda
People in my community get high on dangerous substances mixed with soda

Jedi focus for a check, Obi-Wan Kanobi
I stay laser-focused and determined to succeed, like Jedi Knights from Star Wars

Nobody shoulder stroking, condolence, we just had to get it
We didn't have the luxury of support or condolences, we just had to make money by any means necessary

And maybe, I'll try to do better if I knew the difference
If I had known better, I might have made different choices

I grew up with my cousin water whipping in the kitchen
I was surrounded by drug dealing and drug making in my own family

Azo and daddy bought a pack, [?] Whitney
My family bought drugs in order to sell them for profit

That change your vision a little when you set your mission
Being involved in the drug trade affected my perception of what success looks like

They call it thugging and ghetto, but hey, that's how we living
Others may judge our lifestyles, but we live how we must to survive

They spitting on our block, and they call it rain
The violence and struggles we face in our community are often ignored or even dismissed by outsiders

Since my patna' ate his pistol I ain't been the same
I've been deeply affected by the suicide of my friend

I lost my daddy to the dopeman
My father died due to drug addiction

I got pain, I got pain I'm still dealing with
I am still feeling the emotional impact of my father's death

Almost lost my brother to the street
My brother was nearly killed due to violence in our neighborhood

Lord save me, I was seventeen
I was dealing with overwhelming struggles at a young age

Know you going through, I'ma pray for you
I empathize with others who are dealing with their own pain and difficulties

But, I be going through it too, hope you pray for me
I also need help and support from others who can understand my struggles

Thought that I was far away from God, he forgot about me
I used to feel disconnected from God and abandoned by Him

If he got me living how I'm living, how he care about me?
I questioned God's love for me based on the challenges and stress in my life

Granny taught me, 'Betta bust some [?] off my weight'
My grandmother taught me to defend myself and protect my family

Brought my problems to the church, my lil' patna' bought a K
I sought solace in church, but my friend resorted to purchasing a gun

Had my faith in a Ruger, then I put it in the Lord
I used to rely on a gun for safety, but now I trust God to protect me

My partner riding dirty God, please protect the squad
I pray for the safety of my friends despite their potentially dangerous activities

When times get hard, all I ever knew was hustle
I was conditioned to work hard and make money to survive in tough times

Now, times get hard, all I got to do is trust you
Rather than rely solely on hustle, I have learned to trust in God during difficult times

And I do, all that I been through, ain't no way I lose
Despite my struggles, I will persevere and not give up

92', Q up on the roof, I done got the Juice
I have achieved success and popularity as a rapper, like Tupac did in the 90s

Truth, I done lost my daddy to the noose when I was 9
My father died by suicide when I was just a child

But, God heal pain, it just take a little time
Despite the challenges I've faced, I believe that God can heal the emotional pain with time

So many people
There are countless people suffering in our world

Suicide, genocide, pick a side
We face many different kinds of crises and struggles

Any side, any side do just fine
No matter which struggle you're facing, the pain is deep

We must fight til' he say time
But we must persevere and fight through the pain until we reach the end of our lives