Road to Humble, 1979 - Sho Baraka, Amisho Baraka Lewis

I was angry, I was bitter

I was filled with pride

I was selfish, I was foolish to believe those lies

I loved hate, loved me

Loved rage, loved greed

I didn’t love God, I just loved his things

Loved approval, loved sex

Loved money, loved fame

But I ain’t the same

Thank the Lord I changed

I’m trying to fight idolatry and lust

Being good ain’t enough so in God I trust

I got faith

Seeking restitution from all my mistakes

Look me in my face homeboy, you see grace

Still unashamed, just in a new space

I’m just a little more humble now

In those Cali streets acting foolish

Tried to run with those gangsters

I’m allergic to those bullets

They say Sho be a rapper or a hooper

In Golden State, I’m a warrior surrounded by those shooters

Dad raised in the slums, mama from them jor downs

Moved around like the circus, so I was born to clown

My childhood goal was to get em' to remember me

It took me 19 years to find my identity

Went to school on some extra cool, TU, Number 1 HBCU

I was glad that the Lord found me, because he was never lost

Once blind, but now I see more than I ever saw

Check the cross, is he someone you can hang with?

Realized that my views were so tainted

You might have a picture of truth, but he framed it

You can disagree with history, but can’t change it

So, now I mix a little Augustin with Dubois

A little Selassie I, mix it with Mahalia’s joy

A C.S. Lewis mind with some Phyllis Wheatley art

A little Sojourner spirit, with a King David heart

Clicked up with some brothers, we were ready to reach

With a mic and a track, we was ready to preach

Nothing too deep, nothing too deep

A bunch of Justin Timberlakes, we were all in sync but

Years later, I felt I lost my core mission

I was just rapping for these rich kids

Like the night before Christmas

No love lost, I just went independent

New vision, took risks, some worked some didn’t

Met Swoope, got high, J.R. stay fly

Met the dopest female since Lauryn Hill’s rise

One album was classic, I wish it would’ve lasted but

Then, I met James, new sound, new fashion

I never claimed I was the best, the first, or the coolest but

One thing you can’t do is doubt my influence

I know the Father, but I’m viewed like a bastard

I think my friends only share their struggles in the past tense

I’ve been stressing, I’ve been fighting off depression

Instead of confessing my obsession with being impressive

Hearing the chatter, hoping I would be your favorite

Even when they hating me, I should be loving my neighbor

Sometimes, I just wanna be anonymous

The problem is I love my pride too much but

Then, I love his bride too much but

Then, I think about the lives I’ve touched

Back when I wasn’t thirsty for mainstream attention

When I was geeked on a retweet or a single mention

When I wasn’t too concerned about keeping my platform

When it was ten in the crowd, I was happy to rap for em'

I wasn’t too busy to pick up the phone

Back when I was geeked just to get a beep from Tony Stone

Now, they like happy you back, it was backwards for a minute

Bring the fire to the homies, and evacuate the tenants

Recharge, remodeled, reinvented

When they thought I was finished

I came back to shock the critics

A trendsetter, something like Nikki Tesla

I had bright ideas, but Edison may do it better

Or steal it or whatever

You can call it a shot, I just call it being clever

Chimney flow, I wish I would bring the heat

Like a double amputee, I will never see the feet

I’m rounding third base, I’m giving jokers the gas face

Like how he stand cool without a fanbase?

Your favorite artist sounds so fake

If I wanna hear Drake, I would just listen to Drake

Sho, you stupid

Why they sound outdated, when they copying the future?

Not to sound obnoxious or seem rude but

When I’m around these crabs, I see food

We sell our souls for the fame and applause

Is a rapper just a prostitute with better PR

Executives are looking like some pimps

I uplift the bars like I’m always in the gym

I’m deeply loved, I’m forgiven, I have vision

He has changed my condition on the day he was risen

The price tag on my body bag was too expensive

I was poor in spirit so I broke out of prison

Ask those Coptics and Eygptians, persecuted Christians

I have tools to fight giants, I don’t need Saul’s equipment

I know struggle, I had failed, I ain’t scared to admit it

It’s an honor and a privilege to be made in his image

I have joy, I have peace in the midst of hate

Thank the Lord for his grace, because now I say

I got faith

Seeking restitution from all my mistakes

Look me in my face homeboy, you see grace

Still unashamed, just in a new space

I’m just a little more humble now

I’m just a little humble beast

I’m just a little humble beast

Jesus and bowties for everybody

West Coast Atlanta

Alright, that’s it