To my nigga
Who brought me in this world
Ha, that's right nigga
My ol' dad important to the family structure, provider, a God
My moms a queen, that universal team civilized us
My pops maybe was late but always came home
My moms would put us to bed and she would wait on
Soon as he walk in the door she barking
I turned down the Johnny Carson
Jumped out the bed, we grabbed both his legs
Me and my brother, not knowing the pain he gave my mother
Night after night, fighting, yelling at each other
My poppa played the street all day, mama was either home
Or at work, while we played inside the hallway
She sacrifices all she got to feed us
When she was alone she cried by the phone peeping out the window heated
But still I didn't see it, mama hid it from us
We was kids younger, 'til we got bigger, on to
Bigger things that we knew what the time was
That daddy was leaving his crib and my mom's love
Poppa was a playa, playa was in poppa
Poppa loved the ladies, never got enough of
The pretty brown round, running round town
"(Sh!) Don't tell your mother what's going down"
Poppa was a playa, playa was in poppa
Poppa loved the ladies, never got enough of
The pretty brown round, running round town
"(Sh!) Don't tell your mother what's going down"
So many kids I knew, never knew who pop was
That's why I show my pop love
He was still around when I popped up
He could have left my moms pregnant, shook to death
But stayed, watched me crawl 'til I took my first step
To the first grade, to my first fistfight
Right behind me he would stand
No matter how big or tall, he made me fight you like a man
Throw dirt in ya eye, swing my right, scoop your ass and slam
He watched me so I wouldn't get jumped by shorty's fam
Roaches of weed all over my crib, him and moms relaxing
Next thing you know he packing, so then I asked him
"What's this white shit on that plate and your face?
And, Poppa, why you butt-ass from the waist
And, who's this lady I'm facing?
Dark skin, you're not my mommy!"
He grabbed me up to run some smooth words by me
Promise me things that he would buy me
If I kept my mouth closed and don't tell mommy
He said one day I'll understand, "Little me
What's in you is inside me"
Poppa was a playa, playa was in poppa
Poppa loved the ladies, never got enough of
The pretty brown round, running round town
"(Sh!) Don't tell your mother what's going down"
Poppa was a playa, playa was in poppa
Poppa loved the ladies, never got enough of
The pretty brown round, running round town
"(Sh!) Don't tell your mother what's going down"
Pops told me hold my own
Pops told me value home
Could I help it poppa was a rolling stone?
Who loved the pretty brown round, outta town bound
Trumpet in his jazz band, he touring
At home I play his latest recordings
And it's strange now how I do my thing now, I'm in the game now
Inherited his brainpower, to pull strings and gain power
From weed habits are the same now
No white lines, no trumpets, just tight rhymes
And beats that be pumpin, 'fore he left, he taught me something
A child's young years the most important time to be there
That's why he stayed 'til we grew up, respect is still here
I'm older now, see what having a father's about
One day they can be in your life, next day, they be out
It's not because of you, you know the deal
Him and your moms feel
If they stay together then someone will get killed
I love you still, always will, 'cause that's my nigga
Although you felt you was wrong, I still feel you kid
Life goes on
---
Poppa Was a Playa - Nas
