Lyrics of 'Keep It Live' by Jamal

Verse 1:
Back in the day where I'm from in the slum it was ill
Drive around the corner catch a view to a kill
Move up the block on the O they slang rocks
When niggas get hot they lickin' shots at the cops
Come with me (uh ha) I take you back to 1983
It was shell top sneakers and it was all about me
Me growin' up makin' a man out of myself
Kindergarden's cool I'm thinkin' about makin' to the 12th
Semester went by, by 5th grade I'm strugglin'
My mind was on bitches and smoke I'm not functioning
On waht I need to be to get me through
The world is a school, and me? Fuck it I'm rollin' with the crew
Now boom there it is I'm labelled as
An eleven year old, a 5th grade fast ass
A year went by (uh ha) and I'm still bad as hell
I got a taste of jail nothin' major I'm only twelve
My grandmas pissed off not understandin' what's happenin'
But come with me, creep into the darkening
(Back in the day) It's southwest
Fuck with Jamal you catch two to your chest
Contest if a nigga want to fool
I be the leader of the new school I straight rule
That was (back in the days) the days of wayback
But nowadays it's all about million stacks (word)

Hook (x2)

Verse 2:
It all started on December 25th 1991 on the Illadelphiatic streets
Jamal took a step up and gave his rep to someplay
Prayin' that I make it to this day
I met this female her name was El
Said she liked my style of rap we chatted for a little while
Told me haps on how to make the snaps
She said she lived in Atlanta where business booms like rockets
And she had connects outta sockets
We exchanged numbers and I was off to the crib
Cause January 1st I had to start my bid (for what?)
For being a wild unruling child
A week my granny sent complaints to the juevenile
Finally January 1st, the day I hated
My granny flew away to Georgia I got reinslated
Now I'm off, no more sun for a year of two
No more get high no more lampin' with the crew
(what could you do?) Nothin' so I lamped for about 20 months and a half
Then I got amped (what?)
I'm losing my mind, I can't take (what)
All of this bullshit I'm about to break (Where?)
Atlanta where they got some wealth to share
Hits the poster with my granny I got some tracks to tear
So I did it, soon as I got home I did it
Then I got that bitch Janey Ace to get the ticket and I'm out

Hook (x2)

Verse 3:
A wild little shortie on the straight looney expedition
Gut a nigga (uh ha) who ever thought I'd be in this position
I went from rockin' basement paprtys to placements to all these
Opportunites, I got to GA o.k. and I got situated
Reinstated in school and fell El too
I never forgot my number one plot
Was for me to rock the crowd and make my granny proud
No doubt I had to shape up or ship out
Never to be a failure so I found another route
At last to get the cash
And then massed to meet El in North Cacalac
She had this black little juvenile wild as hell that got busy
It's real so we packed up and bailed to the city
Together to shop around the sound and get down
With my nigga D hooked me up with E and I'm on

Hook (x5