Parenthood
Reks Lyrics

Cause I never met nobody planned to be a parent in the hood
I've never met anyone who wanted to become a parent while living in a disadvantaged neighborhood

Be a parent in the hood, parent's just don't understand y'all
Being a parent in the hood is difficult, and parents from other backgrounds may not fully comprehend the challenges that come with it

Parenthood. Be a parent in the hood. Parent in the hood
Parenthood can be particularly challenging for those living in impoverished areas

Mirror reflection, made in his image
A son is often seen as a reflection of his father, both physically and in terms of behavior

Reflecting, is it neglecting? cause he didn't
Is the father neglecting his son by not fulfilling traditional fatherly responsibilities like playing catch or wrestling with him?

Toss the balls in the park, like them other dads
Typical father-son activities like playing catch in the park

Wrestle in the grass, give noogies, clean boogies
Other activities that fathers might engage in with their sons

As he should be, both hands on your shoulder pads
The father should be present at his son's football games, encouraging and supporting him

Says "go get 'em tiger" on the field you dash
The father is supportive and encouraging of his son's athletic pursuits

Alas, he wasn't there in the stands, with your family and friends
Unfortunately, the father was not present to witness his son score a touchdown and win the championship

When you caught the touchdown pass
Referring to a specific moment when the son had a significant success in his athletic career

To win the title pop, wanna pop on a different path
Without a supportive father figure, the son may turn to a different path in life

Block corner with the sorted bags, sorted and
The son might find himself involved in illegal activity or drug dealing

As reality, really too bad, cause you don't wanna be like Mike
It's a shame that the son must resort to this lifestyle because he doesn't want to be like Michael Jordan, who famously grew up in a similar environment

'bout Daddy you brag,
You would be proud to talk about your father

you wanted to be, someone, something he could see
The son wants to be someone that his father can be proud of and relate to

Skip school, quit team, and enter the street
But without a supportive father, the son may drop out of school or quit sports to pursue a life on the streets

Became Daddy, sadly, intimately, embraced his life
The son becomes a father himself, but due to his own father's absence, he cannot provide the kind of support and guidance he craved as a child

Gladly, mimicked his speech, studied his walk, seriously
The son tries to embody his absent father's mannerisms as he raises his own children

Became one with him, a true son to him.
The son sees himself as being very similar to his father, despite their physical separation

Feel the aim instantly
The message of the song is resonating strongly and immediately with the listener

A boy needs a father to lean on, if he gone, the cycle gon' repeat
A boy needs support and guidance from a father figure in order to avoid repeating the cycle of absentee fatherhood and associated challenges that arise in low-income areas

The womb's protection, made in her image
A daughter is often seen as a reflection of her mother, both physically and in personality

Reflecting, is it neglecting? cause she didn't
Is the mother neglecting her daughter by not fulfilling traditional motherly responsibilities like cooking and cleaning?

Cook the meals, clean the crib, keep the kids safe
Typical tasks associated with motherhood, like cooking and cleaning, as well as keeping the children safe

She gettin' shit faced.
The mother turns to alcohol to cope with the challenges of motherhood

White powder try ta cower
The mother turns to drugs for an escape

When she visits school, Mom is a disgrace
The mother's addiction has become so severe that she is no longer able to fulfill her role as a parent, and is even seen negatively by her children's classmates

Misplaced love, found hate in its place
The mother's love for her children has been overshadowed by her addiction, resulting in negative feelings taking its place

Sensei, shuns her?'s faith
The mother's religious faith has also been negatively affected by her addiction, with her spiritual advisor shunning her

Found hell, heaven can wait to open gates
The mother's addiction has taken her to a dark place that keeps her from finding peace and happiness

A woman's grace, crawls in space, and her heartbeat great
Despite the hardships faced by the mother, there is still something innately admirable and graceful about her

But Mommy ain't in a motherly state
Unfortunately, the mother is not currently in the right mindset to be a proper parent to her children

She says "Daddy gotta do what he do for the family
The mother justifies her addiction by saying that the father needs to do whatever is necessary to provide for the family, which can lead to dangerous or illegal activities

And momma gotta use what she use to get by"
The mother justifies her own use of drugs by claiming that it's the only way to get by in their situation

Truth momma, why even lie? Your son not a fool realize
The son is aware of the truth despite his mother's attempts to justify her addiction

The proof in your eyes
The sadness and pain caused by the mother's addiction is clearly visible in her eyes

if I choose, to put this, needle in your side
The son realizes that he has the power to hurt his mother by using her addiction against her, but chooses not to

Can I ease in our lies? And the vein in demise, the pain, once again subsides
The son wonders whether lying and using drugs would make the pain of their situation go away, but ultimately rejects this idea

Why we gotta hurt to feel good, Why
The son questions why people feel the need to cause pain to themselves or others in order to feel good

? Momma knows what's goin' on inside
Despite her addiction, the mother likely knows deep down what is truly going on in her family

And decides to miss God, walk on by. Close her eyes
The mother chooses to turn away from her faith and ignore the problems in her family, instead of facing them head on