Rocking mics was a dream I didnât care about pay
I sacrificed late nights and going out with my friends
Just to stay home alone with my pad and my pen
Had my eyes on my prize, my mind on my goal
As I carved these rhymes out with my hear and my soul
I didnât have a CD; all I had was a tape
On the dole thru my flow was my only escape
From a world where they didnât wanna see my prevail
Didnât wanna see me take it all
Theyâd rather see me fail
Its like â¦
CHORUS
I was down and out
Struggling
Wondered how Iâm gonna make it thru
I got a dream (I got a dream)
Holding old (Iâm gonna hold on)
I canât let go cos I gotta make it come true
Hey yo
I got a dream to make it big in New York
Give up the drugs and alcohol
I didnât want to distort
My vision to be living life to the full
And I wouldnât of made it if it wasnât for you
You picked me up every time that I fell
When I was going thru hell you told me that I would prevail
You said I had exactly what it took to be great
That I was young and in the future would a man I would make
Its like you saw something in me I couldnât see
You said I would succeed and be anything I wanted to be
Iâm 23 and I just wanna be me
Wanna be free
Wanna be everything I can be
But I donât have many choices
Canât afford to be wrong
All I do is try to stay true to the words of my song
Just donât hesitate and wait too long
Cos like a dream when you wake up its gone ⦠its gone
CHORUS
I was down and out
Struggling
Wondered how Iâm gonna make it thru (I had no money in my pockets)
I got a dream (all I had was a pad and a pen)
Holding old (thatâs all I ever needed)
I canât let go cos I gotta make it come true
Hey yo
It was a sunny day and we were feeling high
Jamming the song underneath the baby blue sky
Thinking âbout in the time when we were so poor
âMember the kids used to laugh at the clothes we wore
We always knew one day that things were gonna change
And from that day I was never gonna be the same
I went to sleep that night; I dreamt I touched the sky
And ever since Iâve been trying to keep my dream alive
So when you see this Scribe, dropping the Illâed rhyme
To find how Iâm living mine in this day and time
Iâm working 9 to 5; Iâm slaving over beats
Its hard work living the dream I hardly ever sleep
Iâm in the rhythm deep, Yo just trying to do my thing
Its funny when you shine and people hate to see the gleam
No matter what they say keep on doing what you do
And donât give up cos only you can make that dream come true
Its likeâ¦
CHORUS
I was down and out (I was way out)
Struggling
Wondered how Iâm gonna make it thru
I got a dream
Holding old
I canât let go cos I gotta make it come true
I was down and out â¦
Wonder how â¦
I got a dream â¦
I wonât let go cos I got â¦