Growing Pains

(album: Young, Broke And Infamous - 2010)

[Kanye West:]
I'm tryna right my wrongs
But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song, now
I'm tryna right my wrongs
But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song, now

See, I was born into a world of food stamps and welfare
No dollar for the ice cream man and nappy hair
Raised by a single mom, but in the back of my mind
I thought I gotta have my pops, no cereal
Never had a lot, but now I got plenty material
No longer do I wish for money
'Cause being broke made me stronger, harder, faster, better
So now I alphabetically murder every letter, uh
Feel the conviction in my words like a jail sentence
Murder in the first, do a verse, won't be no repentance
Mama, I'm sorry that I left at seventeen
But I had to chase my dream and get this mafucking cream
Only people that I got is the people that's on my team
'Cause when I roll up on the scene I see everyone start to scheme
Talk about they connections, talk about who they know
Then they begging me for a feature, but I'm like "Hold up, yo
If you know who you know why the fuck you ain't blow?"
Matter fact, you ain't fuck with me this time last year though
I was kicking rhymes, but you ain't paid no mind at the soul
And now you on my dick riding like the baddest of hoes
You think it's easy but it's not, see the talent that I got?
Determination keep it fresh, if I don't shine then it's gon' rot
'Cause it don't happen overnight, one hit wonders don't keep the spot
And I plan to hold the torch until I pass it and get shot, what

I'm tryna right my wrongs
But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song, now
I'm tryna right my wrongs
But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song, now

See, this is dedication, running up on radio stations
They would decline and in my mind, they was just hating, he he
Testing my patience they got me pissed like probation
But I had the mind to keep going and the heart to keep racing
And as the world crumbled beneath my feet like a Haitian
I was inspired by them to persevere through dedication
Failure I'm never facing, my lyrics is education
So if you got the tape crank that shit like Jason Statham
Yeah, this is my story word by word as I'm emerging
Just relax and let me open your mind like brain surgeon, uh
Uh, fresh in the game they should sign me to the Virgin
But me and solo know that I would only get to splurging
I see the road to success and now it's time to merge in
Don't forget us when you gone what my homies urging
Don't forget us when you gone, uh I gotcha
You see these Seinfeld rappers talking a whole lot of nothing
So allow me to curb your enthusiasm or something
This is kinda like M.J before his prime when he dunking
'Cause I ain't 23 yet, but when I'm there it'll be something, ha

I'm tryna right my wrongs
But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song, now
I'm tryna right my wrongs
But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song, now

Growing up, there was baby mama drama
Everyday and every way
But not my kids I ain't got none to this day
'Cause a rubber 'round my Jimmy when I consider foreplay
Hey, ha, back in the day West Deer Park where we stay
I was running around while mama was drinking everyday
But it's okay, I wouldn't have it any other way
'Cause it developed me into the young man that you see today
Through dedication, yeah, yeah
Never follow traditions, you see, I had a different vision
I would skip school and write compositions 'bout my home conditions
You know the usual no money and family division
In specific I remember this time in my kitchen
With my sister's man back
Before he went to prison and got into religion
He showed me how to cook crack at 12 and I ain't kidding
After releasing him with ba—he no longer living
And I'm pretty sure his last breath was "Lord forgive him"
Now my nephew ain't got a father that'll keep him safe
All I can hope is he a good boy for his mama's sake
'Cause she never did recover from his father's fate
And if he grew into a man that made the same mistake
Well to be honest, I don't know how much more she could take
So to every baby mama that could truly relate
It is you unto this song that I shall dedicate, yeah