[Verse 1]
This is for my family, from the bay to miami
to the carolina's, you know pep love's finest
friends and foes. my cousins would drink and smoke
in the back, I was too young to even know
the drama that my grandmama was going through
dealing with my arty sons, god please come
I used to hear her say, after giving it last
and calm dissapear in a flash, then reappear in a day
my granddaddy would stay in his room and read
puffing that apple flavoured tobacco ,true indeed
I used to try to sleep in his bed, and read what he read
seeking and hoping to open the secrets he 'd keep in his head
my brother would kick it with Marco and watch dirt ,
he used to be a footballstar, before he got hurt
and then he 's in his wheelchair ,drinking and laughing
going out of his mind, I used to wonder what happened
it was an accident, my mommy told me, then she said
don't go back in there, she boldly would scold me in front of him
and whatever you got don't get fond of him, he was getting drunk
and only cuz his soul was sucking in, but I ain't grudging him
this whole family is disfunction and this is the reconstruction
of my connection with my relatives that live, and those that passed away
this is a dedication to you

[Chorus: Goapele]
All of the things that we've been true
I wouldn't change the
half, I choose; never forsaken
even though you make me blue
always know that I got love for you

[Verse 2]
Now that we've overcome Jim Crow laws,
we need to make it better with our kinfolks y'all
cuz it's been so long, since I've seen little Teddy and Tiff
I remember Tiffany was real allergic to fish, Uncle Ted
I wish I knew you just a bit more, but life tore us apart
cuz this shit's war, it's all fair if the love's there
does it matter where he lain, sunset, or even
where he came from yet, my father was the ?wasere?
of the family in need, he flee, god's ear with he
cuz we never went without, even in the drought he
had it all figured out, that's my that's my no doubt
my uncle Johnny was a G with a good heart
and not a ounce of puck inside of him, country boy
with hood smarts, when Billy tried to hit my pops
with the tyre urn, he's lucky that he missed, missed cuz
I'm glad that it didn't go down like that, but still I'm mad
we get together and clown like that, this is the life that I live
not the life that I lied, Teddy you remember the night that I cried
that was for you

[Chorus: Goapele]
All of the things that we've been true
I wouldn't change the
half, I choose; never forsaken
even though you make me blue
always know that I got love for you

[Verse 3]
Now Hieroglyphics crew ,that's my family too
We done come up from having a vision ,
to seeing it through, I love y'all dudes with the
deepest emotions, even when oceans storm
and the sea is tumultuous, our boats will float
we keeps it coastin', and that's to never spilling a bill
the secret potion, we prevail through our prevails
and any avail there was plenty enemy that trail
but our enemies failed, we battled on the radio
and that was nothing, we battled in between ourselves
for that we suffered, and had to cut off some loose weight
we could've made a crucial mistake, but dues paid
we the new greats, and jay-biz you're my brother to the end of this
just stay strong cuz this shit gets strenuous, my niggaz Jalil,Mack
Anfernee, Marty ; life is real ,much more than a party
our friendship is godly, but it seems as up late I don't hear from you hardly
I 've been following my calling, planning an end to all things keeping
me from my family and friends, for real

[Chorus: Goapele]
All of the things that we've been true
I wouldn't change the
half, I choose; never forsaken
even though you make me blue
always know that I got love for you