Slippin' Away-Brother Ali

[00:23.00]I arrived in Minnesota with handcuff bruises [00:26.74]Summer ninety deuce prepared to cut loose **** [00:29.42]Mom wasn't having that **** being cool [00:31.86]With no discussion stuck me in a suburb school [00:34.48]Now day and night I'm on a bus full of fools [00:37.16]Who parents didn't want us ended up in the news [00:39.59]You must be crazy you think any of us appreciate it [00:42.96]How our parents wanna upgrade us [00:44.90]All day long we're in a fantasy land [00:47.46]Moms and dads college plans and minivans [00:50.07]But when the sun set you fled the success [00:52.58]To the slum where you rest nothing more nothing less [00:55.20]School they fantasize about gangsta rap records [00:57.94]But these are our lives our families are connected [01:00.50]The Ice Cube summer vacation is taking place [01:03.55]Right around the way from where I stay [01:05.62]The mold from the gold and the 'rips from L A [01:08.30]Brought snow to the cold for a new place to play [01:10.87]There's a war going on outside you ain't safe from [01:13.80]See if this education might save 'em [01:15.91] [01:17.53]I've known you your whole life [01:19.65]You drawn to that street life [01:22.21]Slipping away slipping away [01:24.77]Slipping away slipping away [01:26.77] [01:27.46]I've known you your whole life [01:30.07]You drawn to that street life [01:32.57]Slipping away slipping away [01:35.07]Slipping away slipping away [01:37.37]And so our little city bus crew used to run together [01:39.62]Eat lunch together girls Double Dutch together [01:41.87]Fellas humbugging next day be friends [01:44.74]The only thing we never did was date from withing [01:47.42]Fellas dated white girls sisters stayed lonely [01:49.98]Used to kiss me on my cheek and say we were homies [01:52.73]Alphonso basement we ran the party [01:55.10]One day on the bus Pumpking stabs Akey [01:58.50]**** my main man was Ethan [02:00.37]Used to sell sneakers at a store called Friedman's [02:03.30]He had two older cousins that were hustlers [02:05.61]Filas wasn't all he pumping to the customers [02:08.35]He got a check but he got connects [02:10.91]So he got some chicks and he got respect [02:13.47]His boy Ali got hooked up with clothes [02:16.03]One day slap boxing he broke my nose [02:18.65]He almost cried man he had a good heart [02:21.39]The brother's only problem was he wasn't book smart [02:23.89]He dropped out of school but he kept slanging shoes [02:26.57]To keep the kids fed he had to sell base too [02:29.63] [02:30.57]I've known you your whole life [02:32.69]You drawn to that street life [02:35.19]Slipping away slipping away [02:37.62]Slipping away slipping away [02:40.55]I've known you your whole life [02:42.92]You drawn to that street life [02:45.54]Slipping away slipping away [02:47.98]Slipping away slipping away [02:50.35]Time to time I used to stop in and check on my dude [02:52.85]Even when we lost touch with the rest of our crew [02:55.28]We both had babies drama with our old ladies [02:57.84]But as time went on our connection only grew [03:00.40]He said "I just can't seem to leave these streets alone man [03:03.39]Feels like I fell asleep one evening [03:05.58]And woke up the next day suddenly a grown man [03:08.57]In a rut with no idea how to leave it [03:11.19]My parents got too many kids to help me through [03:13.56]I really don't know what the hell else to do [03:16.40]I know you gonna really get it cracking with that rap thing [03:19.49]And when you blow up I'm a come and work for you" [03:21.55]Ha that's my man I see you when I see you brother [03:24.30]Keep your head up 'til the next time we see each other [03:26.92]Rolled out on my first national tour [03:29.10]Back on the block went back to the store [03:31.66]Put my hand on the door Ethan wasn't in though [03:34.47]They said somebody shot 'em through his front window [03:37.15]Hit 'em in the head and that he hadn't survived [03:39.78]Matter fact he died 'fore the ambulance arrived [03:42.20]A man in that life it wasn't no mistake [03:44.71]The cops called it a stray bullet closed the case [03:47.39]So there's no justice and there's no closure [03:50.13]You can't touch this not you no sir [03:53.19]They buried my brother I was on the road [03:55.44]By the time I got home the ground was cold [03:58.05]Got nothing left but a hole in my soul [04:00.61]**** dude was 23 years old [04:03.40] [04:04.28]I've known you your whole life [04:06.46]You drawn to that street life [04:08.96]Slipping away slipping away [04:11.58]Slipping away slipping away [04:14.14]I've known you your whole life [04:16.70]You drawn to that street life [04:19.44]Slipping away slipping away [04:22.06]Slipping away slipping away [04:24.81] [04:27.62]Slipping away slipping away [04:29.41] [04:32.83]Slipping away slipping away [04:34.58] [04:38.01]Slipping away slipping away