The Boy With No Name-Bop Alloy/Substantial/Marcus D

[00:00.00] He was the oldest of 3, [00:37.83]Lil' sis and a little brother. [00:39.60]Same old song, raise by a single mother. [00:42.09]His schoolin' is third rate. [00:43.68]Only in second but he should be in 3rd grade. [00:46.29]Or was it 4th? Can't remember it escapes me. [00:48.63]Didn't have a clue that his little life was crazy. [00:51.48]All I knew, was in class [00:52.83]He would spaz! [00:53.61]Could sit for a minute. [00:54.96]Throw a fit before ya' finish. [00:56.46]Wanted the best for him [00:57.75]And I was tough on him [00:59.04]Until my boss told me the deal. [01:00.63]His momma worked hard! [01:01.92]Scooped the kids straight from her job [01:03.96]And would black out soon as they got home. [01:06.18]No spouse. [01:06.93]He was the little man of the house. [01:08.73]Fix'em dinner and put'em to bed on his own. [01:11.25]How? [01:11.82]So in school, when he would act wild, [01:13.92]It's because it's the only he had to be a child. [01:16.68]Wow. [01:18.78]Boy... with... no... [01:26.34]Name [01:34.50]I once knew this youngin, I forget was his name was. [01:37.29]He was a lil' playa, [01:38.43]Some say a trouble maker, [01:39.78]'Cause he would act a fool. [01:41.19]Came to see me after school. [01:42.81]Said, he wanna change. [01:44.10]Told him that it's never out of range, [01:45.81]Long as you ain't scared to work for it. [01:47.46]Fast forward, [01:48.45]He was in a gang fight [01:49.92]Over something petty, it ain't right. [01:51.78]But he came clean when he came to me. [01:53.97]So I tried to get his folks to let him stay with me [01:56.61]At the center. [01:57.45]Said I could work with'em, help to prevent a [02:00.03]Situation like this from happening again. But, [02:02.52]His stepdad wasn't trying to hear me at all. [02:04.92]He was fed up and said that it was the last straw. [02:07.47]Tried to check up on'em they would return my call. [02:10.02]What's that about?! [02:11.16]When we spoke, man, we had it out. [02:13.08]'Cause they told me that they him committed. [02:15.21]Hurt me to my soul, man, I have to admit it. Damn. [02:31.26]It feels like the world's against you. [02:40.35]And I can't imagine the hell you been through. [02:42.57]When they put you down, [02:44.13]Don't give up! [02:45.09]If they knock you down, [02:46.41]Then you gotta get up, get up! [02:48.45]I struggle to remember your name, [02:50.34]But just know I never will forget your pain! [02:52.77]When they put you down, [02:54.27]Don't give up! [02:55.29]If they knock you down, [02:56.58]Then you gotta get up, get up, get up... [02:59.46]Ain't too many days I meet... [03:01.29]A young man, that's born with HIV. [03:03.60]I was there speaking on diversity and poetry. [03:06.81]But, you seemed to be more into art. [03:09.06]Asked you to write what you felt, didn't know where to start. [03:12.09]So, you chose to draw from the heart. [03:14.01]You were a young man in the body of a child. [03:16.53]Who wouldn't let a disease rob you of your smile. [03:19.17]Nowadays, that type of courage is rare. [03:21.39]The words that you hear [03:22.29]Can never compare... [03:23.37]To the struggle you face, day in and day out. [03:26.31]Every single day, pray-in' for a way out! [03:29.07]See there's one too many youth like the 3 I spoke on. [03:31.92]No one cuttin' slack but fightin' to hold on. [03:34.59]Maintain youngin's in these troublin' times. [03:36.93]And I care because your struggle is mine. One love!