I grew up on the block 110 between Lexington and Park
where Jose's bodega closed at 11:30
but walas lights blinkd red, yellow, green non stop till morning
Where the addicts were a dealers best friend
as long as they were number one pick of where that money was spent
Where the songs of the streets were Hot City nd North Face...
mami y papi danced smooth to their beat, without leaving a foot trace
Those were the days when "that's wassup" was "that's dope"
when Juan could come to the punto nine dollars and fifty cents broke
and Papo next door sold him fifty cents worth of coke
I grew up on the block 110 between Lexington and Park
where a cab base was used as a fronte for the banca...yea los numeros
which was usually run by a lady named blanca
Out front in her beach chair sat doña carmen... who sold sleepy pills para poder pagar cable
not to mention the viejos and their domino games,
kept their hands in their pockets always jiggling change
kept their hands in their pockets always jiggling change
where on hot summer days you were awakened by abuela
Yelling, "make it to free school lunch, que hoy yo estoy pela"
so you rush to get out nd she'd stop you and shout
espera un momento neccesito un mandao...
I grew up on 110 between Lexington and Park
where so many moments of my youth were lived in fear, in the dark
constantly fearing that loud, stern, hard knock
the voice of officer torres saying "we know ur in there, come on open up"
Our memories are many, within each other we've left many a mark
from running through your streets to playing inside your parks
school gave me education you gave me street smarts
even though I now look back and think my past was crazy and wild
in my heart I willl always remain
in my heart I willl always remain
a Spanish Harlem child
Tai Truth
