Dear Mom (8-2-2016) [Live in Chicago]

(album: i was born in detroit on a very very very very very very very cold day - 2018)

Dear Mom
When I was young me and Mom had beef
17-years-old kicked out on the street. I deserved that
I'm ashamed of the way I used to speak to you
Wish I could but I can't reverse that

Especially to you
Your daddy told you a woman's place is in the house and not in the school
You paid your own tuition, got your own degree
Started your own business, and then you had me
How can I repay the lady that looked me in the eyes when I took my first breath
Held my little hand when I took my first step
I can't wait to sell out that arena on my own for the first time
You always told me
It's not your first try, it's how many tries after that
I mean how lucky am I
That I was born and you were mine?

Life's crazy
You know, my parents used to worry about me
'Cause I barely talked to anybody
Just made beats
Now isn't it ironic I get paid by the syllable?
I gotta thank them though, I know it can be difficult
As I tiptoe in and out of zip codes
All on a mission to love that's what I live for!
I got big dreams Ma, I got big goals!
You see my old ones now because I lived those! Whoo!

You gotta admit Ma
I told you I'd get into Duke, and I did Ma
I told you I would get signed, and I did Ma
Look at this Ma!
Look at this Ma!

But as I get older, you do too
Our time gets shorter, and that's just truth
So I leave with three words
They are not eloquent
They are cliché
And they are not clever
They are:
I
Love
You