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I was born in the shadow of a small and miserable city. //
I was raised Hispanic and proud; taught to never accept pity. //
Grew up at a disadvantage; life is a struggle when you’re poor. //
But I’ve always thirsted for knowledge; I’ve always yearned for more. //
I learned to read and write well before my peers. //
Little did I know how often that would lead me to tears. //
“An outcast, a weirdo, teacher’s pet.” //
I am still haunted by those harsh words that I’ll never forget. //
Kids are cruel, it’s true, but they’re much more vicious in the hood. //
That’s what happens when you grow up surrounded by no good. //
I witnessed violence and crimes day in and day out. //
Went to bed every night wondering what the sirens were about. //
I was only a child briefly; a bastard quickly forced to mature. //
I had to be the example and the caretaker as the oldest child of four. //
My father was never around – he had another family he preferred. //
My loving mother meant well but her beliefs were too absurd. //
My step-father was a nightmare; truly sick in the head. //
I still remember the weird emotions that I felt when I heard he was dead. //
I was plagued by abuse; a victim of neglect. //
I was forced to adapt and hide my intellect. //
Anchored by anxiety, bound in battle with depression. //
I turned to rhymes and writing as a method of expression. //
Hip-hop was one of my great escapes despite being taboo. //
Always wanted to rap and perform but I never saw it through. //
They said I wouldn’t make it – that I’ll end up a statistic. //
Even my own mother told me my dreams weren’t realistic. //
So, I slacked off for a while; admittedly I lost my way. //
I got too caught up in thinking what would people say. //
Dabbled in living lawlessly, I considered joining a gang. //
I had the connections to do it and I knew all of the slang. //
I was going from job to job, growing more restless with each one. //
I faced a tough decision – grab a pen or grab a gun? //
That’s what society expected but I refused to surrender. //
It was time to work my mind and show the world I was a contender. //
Went back to school and go straights As right off the bat. //
I found myself and my purpose despite my hellish habitat. //
I became committed to my studies and started writing again. //
I learned about brotherhood and joined a good group of men. //
Now that I’m older and wiser, I know what I must do. //
Fuck statistics, they don’t mean shit. Numbers don’t make it true. //
I will fulfill my goals; I have ambitions to achieve. //
Where I’m from doesn’t matter – this I now believe. //
