To all my killers and my hundred dollar billers To emo kids that got too many feelings He held the register open while he counted her change I was next in line which meant I was invisible From where I stood I could see that the till was full He didn't look the type to play superhero So I stepped forth and paid for my cigarettes Crept out the stores front door to chase a little breath Fangles in my head, shake the song off Another manic Monday night, its gonna be a long walk A car pulled up, a fixed up Cutlass A woman and a child climbed out and left it running They went inside of the deli, placed an order With the extra dollar fifty bottled water 'cuz the daughter's Picky When they came out mommy gave me a glance That said, man can love an angel but he's got to take the chance Already knew the deal, I lit one up and walk, So they got back in the Oldsmobile, belted up, and took off. Thug love on the corner by the Walgreen's Looking at me like I'm just another square saltine As I get closer I notice that they showing each other sketches Out of their notebooks, reminded me of my old roots I walk pass with a nod and a reminisce Swear to God hip-hop and comic books was my genesis! Respect the life and the fashions of the children It's the only culture I've got, exactly what we've been building All of a sudden I'm in front of some man No he's a young'in but he's got a gun in his hand He looks fifteen, he looks frantic, no he looks afraid Immediately apprehensive 'til I heard him say "Do you want this? It's not mine, I promise! I found it on my block in between a couple garages! Didn't wanna leave it for a child to stumble over! I don't even know how to hold it!" It was a thirty-eight, the poor man's machete Held it in my hand, thinking damn man it's heavier then Expected, Wedged it behind my belt buckle Knowing that it's evil, even thought that I could smell trouble The extra strength felt weak, But over there on the corner saw what I needed and proceeded to Cross the Street Put the heat in the mail box to loose it Figured that the post office knows what's best to do with it Mosey down the road thinkin' 'bout the old, I used to roam this zone with two feet of snow Right here, this used to be a record shop I've gotten love, I've gotten drunk, I've gotten beat up in that Parking lot. I've had my Lake Street pride for three decades These alleyways, and these streetlights have seen my best days Before I was a germ learning how to misbehave, All the way to the grave, South Side is my resting place Took a right on Lyndale, I'm getting near But then the road became empty and the people disappeared. The clouds ran away, opened up the sky And one by one I watched every constellation die And there I was frozen, standing in my backyard Face to face, eye to eye, staring at the last star I should've known, walked all the way home To find that she wasn't here, I'm still all alone No matter where I am, no matter what I do, I'm always coming back home to you. They can leave me for dead, they can take away my true, I'm always coming back home to you. Through the lies and the sins that ride the wind that blew, I'm always coming back home to you. As sure as the life in the garden that you grew, I'm always coming back home to you. No matter where I am, no matter what I do, I'm always coming back home to you. If only I had known what you already knew, I'm always coming back home to you. From the heaven I've had to the hell I been through, I'm always coming back home to you I wanted to make a song about where I'm from You know Big ups my hometown My territory, My state, but, I couldn't figure out much to brag about, Well, Prince lives here! We got ten thousand lakes! But wait, The women are beautiful! To me they are... And we're not infested With pretentious movie stars... And it hit me, man, Minnesota is dope If only simply for not what we have But what we don't Its all fair It ain't out there! It's in there! It's in the mirror, Behind the breast, Under the hair! "Follow the dream," Doesn't mean leave the love Roam if you must, but come home when you've seen enough I love New York and "Cali" But I ain't movin', Too over-populated Saturated with humans And I'm not big on rappers, actors, or models, If I had to dip, I'd probably skip to Chicago. None of this Is a diss, No one, No where, Like damn I'm from Minnesota Land of the cold air Too many mosquitoes and a fair share of egos But like my man Sabe says "That's where my mommy stays!" So if the people laugh and giggle when you tell 'em where you live Say "shh...", say "shh." And if you know this is where you wanna raise your kids Say "shh...", say "shh." If you're from the Midwest and it doesn't matter where Say "shh...", say "shh." If you can drink tap water and breathe the air Say "shh...", say "shh." Got trees and vegetation in the City I stay The rent's in the mail And I can always find a parking space The women out number the men two to one Got parks and zoos and things to do with my son The night life ain't all that, But that's okay, I don't need to be distracted by the devil everyday! And the jobs ain't really hard to find, In fact, you could have mine if you knew how to rhyme! This is for everyone around the planet That wishes they were from somewhere other than where They're standing, Don't take it for granted. Instead, take a look around, Quit complaining and build something on that ground! Plant something on that ground! Dance and sleep on that ground! Get on your hands and knees and watch the ants walk Around the ground! Make a family! Make magic! Make a mess! Take the stress, Fill your motivation, And build your nest! It sucks that you think where I'm from is whack, But as long as that's enough to keep your ass from coming back. And with a smile and a hint of sarcasm he says "I beg your pardon, but this is my secret garden!" So if the people laugh and giggle when you tell 'em where you live Say "shh...", say "shh." And if you know this is where you wanna raise your kids Say "shh...", say "shh." If you're from the Midwest and it doesn't matter where Say "shh...", say "shh." If you can drink tap water and breathe the air Say "shh...", say "shh." If the playground is clear of stems and syringes Say "shh...", say "shh." And if there's only one store in your town that sells twelve-inches Say "shh...", say "shh." If no one in your crew walks around with a gun Say "shh...", say "shh." And if you ain't gonna leave 'cause this is where you're from Say "shh...", say "shh."

[JE & Blaque] Ooh, ooh Come on, come on, come on 1 - [JE & Blaque] Yo you can always go I'm saying yo If you ain't with it You can split it baby Yo forgive me I am not for you Gotta let you know Baby you can be just like wall Just let me know And you can go [Blaque] Just wanna know why You don't be here like you're supposed to Just wanna know why Do you - and why you drink so much to Just wanna know why You can't be what I want you to be If you want me, oh yeah (Yo, yo, yo, yo) [JE & Blaque] You know, I know You ain't try-na change so You go, I go We ain't gotta stress no more You know we ain't gotta stress no more Repeat 1 [Jagged Edge] Just wanna know why You always trippin' about what I don't do (Why you trippin'?) Just wanna know why You try-na change me When you got at me Don't think that you're better than me Just cause you don't get down me Let a man be a man be a man Or I'mma go, yeah (Yo, yo, yo, yo) [JE & Blaque] You know, I know You ain't try-na change so You go, I go We ain't gotta stress no more You ain't gotta stress no more Baby you can go, yeah Repeat 1 [Jagged Edge] You say you want me Baby now I see That you just wanna change me [Blaque] No, you're not what you said you were So you can get your things and go [R.O.C.] We can go bounce, baby bounce, be out As a matter fact mama wait a minute (Hold up!) This is my house So yeah I ain't going no where so pack yours Have a good life, whoa THAT AIN'T YOURS Forget it I have another White Amara Under the covers baby I'm the R.O.C. Hopefully I'll call ya Yeah sure please do me a favor If you gon' leave twist lock the door And drop the keys, ya know Repeat 1

Though you're lost in me, you have to see When things ain't right Funny memories won't fill this need When things ain't right Safe mistakes I have made Get burnt up inside my head Fatal sees but never believes The love that it saved wants death Though you're lost in me, you have to see When things ain't right Funny memories won't fill this need When things ain't right Friends die hard but lovers conceive The vibe that they hold will please Smothered by sexual needs The fade as the days go by Some things don't go as you want them to Good things, they don't always come to you No, they don't always come to you, hey, yeah Though you're lost in me Though you're lost in me Funny memories won't fill this need When things ain't right Though you're lost in me, no, no, no You're lost in me Funny memories won't fill this need When things ain't right

She's waiting on, She's waiting on that storm to come. Into her heart, into her heart she's waiting. She told me I must hold onto the mo-oment. And when the moments over I'll be all alone. (La le la, la le la, la le la, la le la) Then I'll be all alone. (La le la, la le la, la le la, la le la) Then I'll be all alone. (La le la, la le la, la le la, la le la) Then I'll be all alone And like a bird, yes like a bird, she'll fly away. She never said, she never said she'd stay here. She's waiting on, She's waiting on that ship to come. I cannot fight, I cannot fight the ocean, all alone (La le la, la le la, la le la, la le la) Then I'll be all alone. (La le la, la le la, la le la, la le la) Then I'll be all alone. Now kiss me on, now kiss me on my broken wings. Don't leave me here, don't leave me in the water. She's waiting on, She's waiting on that storm to come. And when the rain comes down I will be washed away. I hope, I hope we meet again. I want, I want to hold you again. I hope, I hope we meet again. I'll know, I'll know until the end. I'll be all aloooone. (La le la, la le la, la le la, la le la) Then I'll be all alone. (La le la, la le la, la le la, la le la) Then I'll be all alone. (La le la, la le la, la le la, la le la) Then I'll be all alone.