Everybody got a story - let me tell mine
Let the world see me for the 1st time
Used to struggle with feelings of being insufficient
Would've prayed to God - but wasn't sure He'd listen
So many doors down memory lane
Allow me to open up a few and show you the pain
Of a young boy struggling to be a man
Just for clarity we'll call him S.A.M.
4yrs old separated from my father
Mama got married - he didn't bother
Should've never told that man he had to go away
If you knew that you wasn't gonna be a man and take his place
Sunday mornings everybody looks fine
Sunday night everybody's home crying
I thought the head of the house should've been a hero
But it's a super villain behind the scenes that we know
So we go on and we're screaming in silence
Ain't nobody got a clue how we be suffering violence
I'm a young boy trying to figure out in my mind if
There's a better way to make it - so I finally decided
To stand up - be the man that Mama needed
Raise your hands up again - I guarantee you'll get treated
Demanding respect - all the years of neglect
I'm out searching for a way to get it all off my chest
Young 14 introduced to the bottle
Smoked a little weed - then the street life follows
Mama working overtime to make that dollar
I get it, split it, and flip it - the street role model
But Mama raised no fool
I had to get myself together - go and finish school
No love in the streets - brothers gone too soon
Thinkin bout what I'mma do - decided to move
Pick a spot on the map where don't nobody know me
I'll make it if I made it in a home that was lonely
Got 2 duffel bags - don't tell none of the homies
I'm on a greyhound lookin back at the old me
I can't lie - I fell asleep on the ride
Woke up in a new place with the same old mind
Stopwatch - I'm trying to reset time
I'm starting over but the pain is still here - right inside me
I HOPE THIS PAIN I GOT INSIDE ME GOES AWAY
Take 2 - I'm making moves and I'm finishing school
And I planned to be a manager as soon as I'm through
No chance to advance so I switch like auto-
Matic - how I'm spending like I hit the lotto
My girl told me that I might have a problem
Need to settle down cause now I'm a father
Umm, that's something that I didn't have
So I'm out there paper chasing trying to get that cash
If you want to advance you need the heart of a servant
I had a whole lot but I didn't deserve it
Damn - then I lose it all
Point my finger to the sky and say "it's all your fault"
So broke no joke - couldn't feed my son
Then the babymama come around - we have another one
I confess I'm a mess - I got so many issues
Mama said don't give up God will bless you
Put all these things here just to test you
Pray and wait for the next move
Uh, my girl's back around - next thing you know I'm moving back in town
Ain't perfect but I got my kids every weekend
Next thing I know I got full custody of them
Now it's time - to be a man - deep down inside - I'm not sure I can
No father figure to picture - I didn't picture or figure
That I would ever need this type of help
But my kids still love me - and my girl she trusts me
So I'm trying to be a better man
But every other weekend I'm out drinking like a veteran
Caught a couple small cases - I seen the pain on their faces
So I made a decision that I would shut up and listen
Now every problem I face it
And that's what we do - we face our problems
S.O.S. - Story of S.A.M.