My Story
Phora Lyrics

Yeah, this is for anyone who's ever had a broken dream
This song is dedicated to those who have experienced shattered aspirations.

Or a fucked up childhood, never lose hope
Even if you grew up in a difficult and chaotic environment, it's important to hold onto hope.

See I was raised by a single mother
I was brought up by a strong and resilient mother on her own.

No father figure, little sister, never had a brother
Without a male role model and with a younger sister instead of a brother, my upbringing was distinct.

Never had another man teach me how to be one
I lacked someone to impart the knowledge and skills of manhood.

Yeah, momma had a man, but he was never calling me son
Even though my mother had a partner, he never treated me like his own.

And even if he did, yo I would never take him serious
Even if he attempted to establish a connection, I wouldn't have taken it seriously.

Cause people say they love me, but it's funny
It's ironic how people claim to love me when they don't truly understand what love entails.

Cause I don't think they know what love really is
I doubt their comprehension of the true essence of love.

Cause love ain't when you hurt a person
Love doesn't involve inflicting harm on someone.

Love ain't avoiding the problem, you should be getting involved
Love requires actively engaging and resolving issues instead of avoiding them.

Love ain't, when you pick somebody up by the neck
Love isn't about physically assaulting or intimidating someone.

Then you grab his head and you slam it right into the wall
It certainly doesn't involve violently slamming someone's head against a wall.

I was a troubled kid in school, so I just kept to myself
Due to my issues, I preferred solitude during my school days.

Psychologists ordered me medicine, it never did help
Even though psychologists prescribed medication, it never truly alleviated my struggles.

Cause every time I took it, I was never myself
Whenever I consumed the medication, it altered my true identity.

I wasn't G, I never had a strap next to my belt
I wasn't involved in gang activities and never carried a weapon.

Just a regular kid that never joined the sports team
I was an ordinary kid who didn't participate in any sports teams.

And every time I'd tried to talk to a girl, she'd ignore me
Whenever I attempted to initiate conversations with girls, they would overlook me.

Started hanging around stupid kids and broke a few laws
I began associating with foolish peers and engaged in criminal activities.

Had a few problems, painted a few walls
I encountered various troubles and engaged in graffiti art.

But one day, something happened that changed my life forever
A pivotal event occurred that completely transformed my existence.

Something that I'll always remember
It's an unforgettable memory forever ingrained in my mind.

I said one day, something happened that changed my life forever
Once again, a life-altering moment transpired.

Something that I'll always remember, check
It's essential for everyone to take note of this.

I was walking home after school with two friends from my class
While heading home from school, accompanied by two classmates,

And then I seen a sketchy face walk past
I noticed a suspicious-looking individual walking by.

But at the time I didn't think of it much
Back then, I didn't consider it as significant.

Cause around here there's always sketchy cats, tweakers and such
In this neighborhood, encountering shady individuals was a frequent occurrence.

So I just kept walking till I got to King's Drive
Without dwelling on it, I continued my path until reaching King's Drive.

Then seen a bunch of motherfuckers giving me the stink eye
Suddenly, I noticed a group of individuals giving me hostile looks.

They started surrounding me, stopped me in my place
The group encircled me, halting my movement.

And right outside the circle I seen a familiar face
Outside the crowd, there was a face I recognized.

A cat that I used to be tight with
It was someone I used to be close with.

Never had no problems with him
We never had any issues between us.

But I guess he's smoking some nice shit
However, it seemed like he was under the influence of something strong.

He came right towards me
He approached me directly.

I said, 'Fuck it, then fine, let's catch a fair one'
Resigned to the situation, I agreed to engage in a fair fight.

Then caught a cheap shot from behind
Suddenly, I was struck unexpectedly from the back.

I ran, they tripped me and caught me
I attempted to escape, but they managed to trip and catch me.

They stomped me and kicked me
They repeatedly stomped and kicked me.

Kicks to my face, punches to my ribs and my kidneys
I endured brutal kicks to my face and punches targeting my ribs and kidneys.

Then what happened next, you just might not believe
What transpired thereafter may be difficult to fathom.

But everybody scattered, I was trying to breathe
Surprisingly, everyone suddenly dispersed, leaving me struggling to breathe.

Students, parents, and teachers, their watching me bleed
Rather than aiding me, the students, parents, and even the teachers observed me bleeding.

But nobody did shit, I was watching them leave
No one took action, and I helplessly watched them depart.

As I was dying, bleeding, losing my conscious
While on the verge of death, bleeding profusely, and losing consciousness,

Flashed backs of reminders of things I've never accomplished
I experienced flashbacks of unrealized achievements.

Everything turned white, then everything was fine
Suddenly, everything transformed into whiteness, and all was calm.

No more worries, nothing on my mind
I felt devoid of concerns, with an empty mind.

No pain, no nothing, I guess it was my time
Without pain or any sensation, it seemed like my time had arrived.

Then my whole life flashed right in front of my eyes
In a split second, my entire life played before my eyes.

But all of the sudden I snapped back to reality
Abruptly, I returned to the present moment.

Took a look around but no ambulance was surrounding me
Upon surveying my surroundings, there was no ambulance present.

Guess this is how it ends, huh?
I presumed that this was the conclusion of my life.

I guess this is what my momma meant when she said watch your friends, huh?
Perhaps this is what my mother meant by cautioning me about the company I keep.

Guess I should have listened, but now it's too late
In hindsight, I should have heeded her advice, but now it's too late.

Taking my last breath getting closer to my fate
As I neared the end, I struggled to take my final breath.

And right when I felt I was good with dying
Just as I had made peace with the idea of my imminent death

A voice in my head said, 'Don't stop, keep trying'
An inner voice urged me not to give up, to persist.

So I got my ass up, walked to school and dialed nine one one
Summoning my determination, I got up, went to school, and called emergency services.

True story, fuck what you think you could do for me
This is a genuine account, disregarding any skepticism regarding what others believe they can do for me.

Fifteen years old, just another victim
At the tender age of fifteen, I became another statistic, a victim.

Just another kid that would end up dead or in prison
Just another youngster destined for an early demise or a life behind bars.

Got to the hospital, the doctor said they don't know if I'mma live
Upon arrival at the hospital, the doctors expressed uncertainty about my chances of survival.

Immediate surgery tube through my ribs
Urgent surgery was required, involving the insertion of a tube through my ribs.

I could barely breathe, I was bleeding out
Struggling to catch my breath, I was hemorrhaging profusely.

That's when I met God, yeah I can see him now
During that critical moment, I felt a connection with a higher power.

With a collapsed lung and two stab wounds
Enduring a collapsed lung and two inflicted stab wounds,

I'm losing blood quick, but I ain't going that soon
Although rapidly losing blood, I refused to succumb to death so easily.

Everybody left, but I had strength in myself
Despite being deserted, I possessed inner strength.

I'mma be aight, that's what I say to myself
I reassured myself, affirming that I would be alright.

Yeah, and sure enough I kept on breathing
Indeed, I persevered, continuing to breathe.

Almost paralyzed for the next three weekends
I endured a state close to paralysis for the subsequent three weekends.

Private numbers calling, death threats to my family
Unidentified callers repeatedly harassed us, issuing death threats to my family.

Even named my little sis, so how can you be mad at me
They specifically targeted my younger sister, so it's understandable that I took action.

When I told you that I fear for our safety
I expressed concern for our wellbeing.

Cause no street cred is worth my mother's place G
No amount of reputation in the streets justifies jeopardizing my mother's safety.

They asked me who it was and I let em' know
When questioned about the culprits, I provided the necessary information.

I ain't ashamed of my choice and I don't regret it yo
I don't feel any shame or regret regarding my decision.

Cause truth is, I don't follow no one's rules
Because the truth is, I don't conform to anyone else's rules.

I do what I feel's right, I ain't no one's mule
I prioritize doing what I believe is right, refusing to be controlled by anyone.

The whole thing was recorded and put up online
The entire incident was recorded and shared on the internet.

But you should know, if you can't do the time, don't do the crime
It's crucial to understand that if you can't handle the consequences, you should avoid engaging in criminal activities.

See I ain't no G, just a man with a passion
I don't adhere to the gangster lifestyle, merely a man driven by his passions.

But I always took responsibility for my actions
Nevertheless, I always held myself accountable for the consequences of my choices.

I never hurt a soul in my life, I'm a family man
Throughout my life, I've never caused harm to another individual and prioritized my family.

Always kept my word, so tell me how bad of a man I am
Consistently remaining true to my promises, so question me about my character.

Cause when it comes down to it, all you got is you
Ultimately, loyalty and one's own self are the only things that truly matter.

And we all gotta survive, do what you gotta do
In order to thrive and endure, one must do whatever is necessary.

Fifteen years old, left in the dust
Abandoned at the age of fifteen, left to fend for myself.

The world taught me never to love and never to trust
Through myriad experiences, the world taught me to avoid love and distrust others.

Nah, but now I know my purpose, now I know what I'm here for
However, I've discovered my purpose and the reason for my existence.

Now I know what I've been waiting all these years for
Finally, I've realized what I've been patiently waiting for.

Fifteen years old, left in the dust
Abandoned at the age of fifteen, left to fend for myself.

The world taught me never to love and never to trust
Through myriad experiences, the world taught me to avoid love and distrust others.

Nah, but now I know my purpose, now I know what I'm here for
However, I've discovered my purpose and the reason for my existence.

Now I know why I've been waiting all these years
I finally understand the purpose behind the years of anticipation.

Yours truly
Sincerely, Phora