[Chorus: Shyheim]
Pardon the noise, I'm just a black ghetto boy
Pardon the noise, I'm just a black ghetto boy
Pardon the noise, I'm just a black ghetto boy
Went through the rain and pain...

[Shyheim]
Me and the older gods -- would build for hours
Tradin' stories, about this fucked up life for ours
There was space between our ages, but through pain we related
And they helped me understand, clear picturers they painted
I'mma fall back, with a blank stare and listen, it's true
You can meet your best friend or enemy in prison
Zero two eight, three eight seven three was my den
I brushed my hair like Chicago, trynna get my waves to spin
Read more books than I ever did, from the Art of War and Seduction
To different shit on black heritage
I wrote mad people, who never responded
I was hurt, and disappointed, cuz I felt that we bonded
But you know, out of sight, out of mind, home boy, you know the saying
Shit was all about me, and even I couldn't change it
C.O.'s was hillbilly bastards, devil racist crackers
When I see tattoo's of a noose and a hangin' black kid
One said "Franklin, when you go home, come back with a friend"
The Willie Lynch letter, the slavery blueprint
It's still in effect, that's why at night when I sleep I sweat

[Chorus 2X: Shyheim]
Pardon the noise, I'm just a black ghetto boy
Pardon the noise, I'm just a black ghetto boy
Pardon the noise, I'm just a black ghetto boy
Went through the rain and pain, losin' sunshine and joy

[Shyheim]
Motivation, dedication, impatience would change my situation
I'm about facin', walkin' the other day, towards better days
A double L A H, I be what them letters say
Show and prove that through my ways and actions
Action and ways, used to be a mental slave
Til Supreme Mathematics, broke the chains
Now I'm free, no long confined, I'm doing time
But yeah, guess what, I'm makin' it, worth for me
Educational informations, the key to success
To reproduce is the only reason, I have sex
Wifey's a queen, I put the crown on her dome
My first priority's gettin' home, I put my deepest thoughts
Into a poem, and draw hearts around the paper
To show my appreciation to the art, player
But the stocks is up, 99, point 9 percent, for the haters
My boy homey told me, "Shy stay sucker free
And when you touchdown, holla at me"
That's real talk....

[Chorus 2X]

[Shyheim]
Peace Dad, what up, it's aight in this jail, how is it in that jail?
Talk Mathematics cuz you know these crackers readin' our mail
Pops, I feel pain like you feel, you always be my hero, don't ever feel like you failed
Remember we bumped heads in Transit, back in July
Those shackles, couldn't touch, but we hug with our eyes
I realized, Dad, we had the same sneakers on, with the same size
Same green, same shirt, man that shit hurt
Mommy used to tell me that you was a dead beat
Cuz you chose the wrong people in the midtown street
Jocelyn, hustlin', three card molly
All you ever wanted to give me was Atari
Now we up north, eatin' rice, Jack mac and calamaris, daddy, I'm sorry
I miss you, I love you, it wasn't worth it
Pardon the noise, but nobody's perfect

[Chorus 4X]

[Outro: Shyheim]
Been to hell and back, man, like 3 or 4 times
Man I was up north man, my moms up north
My pops up north, man, this my life, man
Hip hop's my life, so when ya'll miss jewels in this shit, man
I take it personal... so don't be suprised man
If I start snatchin' ya'll drugs, snatchin' ya'll mics at the shows
Cuz I take it as you're mimickin' my life, like ya'll mockin' this shit, man
Like y'all makin' fun of me, man.... Man, listen, my niggas
Man, let's get money, let's stay g'd up, man, let's go, to the top, man
Bottom Up, straight like that, but that's my shit, you heard?