Tell Me Yours

(album: Crimson Cord - 2014)

I'm honestly not looking for thank yous because I don't deserve them
I didn't earn them
But you can thank South Central
Thank the San Gabriel Valley
Run up PCH and go'n and thank Lake Merritt
Every TurfWalker and scraper bike
When you see one say "Thanks for Prop's music"
Poseidon, who made sure the bar was high in cyphers
Krystal, Kevin and Corey, the other Black family in Belinda
Thomas Polkinghorn he's why I even like rap
Thank the foundation, I.E., the hardest battles I've been in against
Triune, Dead Eye and Ishues
Breuman, Zaragosa, Wilbur family introduced me to the gospel
Reynosa and Coleman, Whitenhill, Robles tried and my Sri Lankan twin Holden
Ronnie David Robles
He the first to put a spray can in my hand
And my imagination expanded
That's why my art is ambidextrous
I owe you one hermano!
Trujillo, Montez, Sales, Carrasco
I told you I grew up with vatos
Leon, Myren and Junie
Miss Venita Shells, Uncle Ray, Aunt Fannie Mae
Vakaa Rose and Aunt Ethell
Mr. Jeffrey, Ms. Cronan and Palicki came to get me
When I was ditching US History
Trying to keep up with Trevor Penick
Thanks David Utley
He told me he thought God made black people by smearing them 'em feces
And Brad Sutton, who called rap "jungle jive"
True story
It's what drew me to the scriptures
And years later offered ya'll Lofty
Dr. Anderson, David Rojas, Mr. Singer
Doug Thigpen, Ms. Monje and Herrera for turning down my advances
Lol! I would've never met mi Alma
Thanks Silvana and Ms. Jenna Kamp
The most outside-the-box teachers that knew that kids could learn
And ain't buy that "at-risk" rhetoric
Nicolette and the Wilson's, an adopted clan of twelve
I witnessed troubled abandoned kids get loved into success
Huizars, Neyda, Dahlia and Graciella Conchas
I was there when your pop died and I still got that bracelet
Cynthia Saldana. Oh! Patience and both Uplands
Tiffany, Kaamill, Spencer
Masonry, Bianca, Uyen
Nick Luevano and Raphael Cala
These kids were the fuel for at least three albums
Thank the Blowed, A Mic and Dimmed Lights
Up the street, round the corner
Where my heart was best kept
Thank Best Kept and Shihan
They're why I love poetry
An encouragement of mi Ate
Irene Fay Duller, who told me to try my hand at poetry
Hey, what's up with Jodel, how he doin'?
Thank El Taco Naco
Where Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas
Accidentally kicked me in the tooth
That's why it's chipped to this day
True story
Thanks Zane One, Sareem Poems and Ozay Moore
Rosario Ortega, Shames Worthy, James, Janice
Nichole Petty and Thomas Joseph Terry

These deserve your thanks
If you see them, tell them I sent you
I didn't know then, but I know now
What I cannot ignore is my Crimson Cord
Don't tell me yours, tell me yours, tell me yours
Tell me yours, tell me yours
Tell me yours, tell me yours
Tell me yours, tell me yours
Tell me yours, tell me yours
Crimson Cord