I remember them nights I used

to come inside Late at Night

Mom asking my why I’m coming

in so Late I can’t tell the

real reason why so I used to

tell her I fell asleep at my

homie’s house.  But really I was

on the block…

– Pop

“My Background”

Waking up everyday

In the land of slums

Drugs and bums

Guns with drums

All I know is violence

I became a copy

Following stopped me

Now look where it got me

You don’t know my background

Don’t act like you do

I wanna know, too

If only you knew

“Me”
Marvelous

Endurance

“What If?”

What if I was rich?

What if I got another chance?

What if I didn’t make mistakes?

What if I wasn’t me?

What if I lost hope?

What if?

– 6’10

it’s crazy how many people

I’ve seen leave and come back

When I go home I promise

I’ll die before I let that happen

Jail is a waste of time

I could be doing better things

but instead I’m in here

because of a choice I made.

– Tre

I get high to throw away pain

but rappin bout my life

is like the same thing

some people say I’m lying

I don’t care what they think

cuz they don’t know my story

or the pain that I take

mama wasn’t home

had to raise my sister

not the type to express my feelings

but I really miss her

tryna do better

cuz my little bro

is following my footsteps

and that ain’t the road.

– Tre

Some days I wish

Some days I cry

Some days I hope that I’ll make it by

Some days I wonder as I often say

I’ll be just fine as long as I pray.

– Noh

My life is trapped

In something that’s black

I can’t hear

I can’t see

Where would I be

Somewhere that’s dark

Sound proof walls

I’ve guessed it all

 

But now I see a dim light

Adjusting my eyes while

It’s getting bright

Walking towards it might

give me life

It’s a long tunnel

And I’m leaving my old

Life and bad things

in the past.

– Mas

 

It creeps into your mind unbidden hardly

noticed at the start, your subconscious

recognizes something fine, long before your

conscious takes a look, The night is still and

warm, with windows open for the air, sleep

drifts in corners, not yet strong, so visions still

can dance; again the sound, the wail, dreams,

imaginings take form; to lie in bed at midnight

in the summer, when fantasies catch at throat

and cling to inner eye, these are the moments

that imprint the warmth, the safety, the unbounded

possibilities of galaxies beyond one’s own small,

ordinary space, the yearning tugging at your heart

and at your mind; The music written in your

veins.

– XB

Why they picking on us?

We didn’t do nothing wrong.

Centuries of being targets,

yet we still standing’ strong.

Black men just wanna make it.

Can we please get a break?

Every single thing we get,

White people wanna take.

Authorities killing our brothers

Like it ain’t no tomorrow

I’ll stand up to y’all in vain

Before I fall to y’all in sorrow.

– 6’10

I have about four more days

where I grew up.

I came in as a boy

I leave as a man.  I am going

to miss all those

I have met more than those that

have abandoned me.  Those that

I love like my family.

– #71