Where I've Been

(To all the youth in the world that thinks nobody understands... Well I understand that) It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at I grew up as a 70's baby Brought up in poverty and sin Makin' jokes at the crazy lady Never acred how she was dealin' within I knew all the words to Micheal Jackson's album as a kid And when it came to the biggest crusher No he wasn't my man At the age of seven years old A strange thing happened to me Before I even saw My life had flashed before me And I've got the mark to show And it became a thing of beauty So I gotta let you know That my life, that my life It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at Now mama's workin' hard all day And she said this before she left home Take care of your little brother Have the place cleaned when I get home All these priorities Me and Tanya had to learn to be grown But at the time for me Being grown had seemed so lone Woke up and I'm seventeen With nothing going for me Except the fact that I sing You know it hurts so much From all the sights that I've seen From abusin' the hole in trust You probably couldn't take some of things That I've lived in my life It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at It's hard and the street's a jungle (I'm telling you, I'm telling you) Especially with your pretty colors (I'm telling you, I'm telling you) So stay low and keep it humble (I'm telling you, I'm telling you) Black women hold it down, keep your feet on the ground Black men keep searching and you'll be found It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at In this world of continuous bullshit and full clips Seems all we have to pass down is being useless Broken homes, babies all alone, parent's never there No food, no clothes to wear, anger everywhere Ain't no values being taught, no productive thoughts Jealousy rules the world, take shit at any cost Gotta change our state of life, keep it worth livin' God gave us voices to speak and that's our way of givin' It's so much bigger than the furs and the jewels What about encouragin' the youth to do well What about givin' back what about unifying Shit we all black get it together Everybody's got their trials and tribulations Learn to change the negative to positive situations Don't hold the lessons that you learn Pass it on and except the blessings that could earn It's been hard for me Trying strugglin' in the streets But where I've been Is no longer where I'm at And where I'm going Is not where I'm stoppin' at --- Where I've Been - Mary J. Blige and Eve