Feels like a dream but I just made it to 17
Got ice cream cake; chocolate and vanilla cream
The people in my life are black, white and in between
Yea I got culture in my genes bustin thru the seams
My RNA comes from close and faraway
Where my ancestors came from it’s hard to say
It’s cuz they culture was stripped away
But now that culture is hip today
I’m talkin the hip-hop I grew up on
From Kane to Biz, Cool J to BIG, Ye to Jig
Back when we would play as kids
Music been in my cells, in my veins to live
And I got Pittsburgh in my blood
Grandpa passed I never met him
Know he’s chillin up above
I got love and I respect him
Sanity never left him
Humanity never left him
Even when the world was out to get him
They said be free black man but never let him
White neighbor had told him “nigga get goin”
But he stayed, he ain’t run, and that’s why it’s where my Dad come from
It’s not subtle I got struggle in my flesh and then some
I got skills that’s honed inside my bones
Ready for sticks and stones and student loans
Unapologetically I’m me
Heritage the reason why I’m free
Feels like a dream but I just made it to 17
Got ice cream cake; chocolate and vanilla cream
The people in my life are black, white and in between
Yea I got culture in my genes bustin thru the seams
My RNA comes from close and faraway
Where my ancestors came from it’s hard to say
It’s cuz they culture was stripped away
But now that culture is hip today
So many family ties on my mama side
You get hypnotized
But it’s no surprise
You can’t generalize
Black is vast so it hurts when they try to stigmatize
But I got strength in my core so I’m always on the rise
I put my culture on the mantle for guests to see
It’s a trophy and it’s lowkey the best of me
And the rest of me has roots in NYC
Don’t need DNA test to see the recipe
I know my grandpa from NIG–
–ERIA
Too much ground to cover, it’s an ongoing highway
They say “tell me more,” I say “nice to meet ya
But now I’m finishin up like the crust of hawaiian pizza”
And yes, I was shipwrecked too
Sometimes I-I feel like I got left too
It was like my life–it was split in two
But I made it thru and never let my face get blue
And it
Feels like a dream but I just made it to 17
Got ice cream cake; chocolate and vanilla cream
The people in my life are black, white and in between
Yea I got culture in my genes bustin thru the seams
My RNA comes from close and faraway
Where my ancestors came from it’s hard to say
It’s cuz they culture was stripped away
But now that culture is hip today
But I got love in my heart
Even when it’s torn apart
I feel like struggle is an art
And issa struggle from the start
I got gold in my soul
I got cotton in my spirit
I make diamonds outta coal
This my story hope you hear it
Justin Robertson is a senior at Lower Merion High School.
