It’s been a long time since I wrote anything over a beat much less with a rhythm that’s outside of my head. This piece is written roughly around the instrumental for “Don’t Worry” by G. Herbo and Bibby. I took the “I’m Determined” cut and used it as the title. Although the entire instrumental carries the framework the true meaning of what’s being said is captured with those 2 words.
I was just trying to live
But I didn’t understand shit
Best of the best sitting on a cliff
Cut my strings
So I had to hand over hand it
For a little bit
Came back to my senses
Stuck in a harsh life
They said I was destined
So I didn’t understand it
How did they build me a castle on sinking sand
On one hand was the claim to my birthright
But I was standing
On the other hand
So I sit
Answers
To questions I’ll bury in a shallow grave
Like why me
I was a good kid
I behaved
Every step out of that darkness
Left me with all of this rage
My mother gave me a book
Said put it all on the page
So I got reborn too mature
Body young and healthy
But I was older than my age
Grew too fast
Couldn’t diagnose
I suppose
They couldn’t find the dose
To stop my growth
So they threw me off the road
Cornered
Trapped where I am
A giant locked in a cage
What am I supposed to do
Pull guns
Rob banks
But when I look around
I see stories and they’re all the same
So what am I supposed to do
Afraid to tell them to follow me
But I know they’ll surely die
If they follow you
So I’m searching in the Garden
Looking for the tree
So I can give them the same fruit
You gave to me
And the bearer of bad news
I hate to be
But I talk to them
And say
There are some things
You’re going to hate to see
I don’t know any other way
But know that
I walked through
The valley of the shadow of death
To set you free
This is not the same
History repeats
Is not my aim
History teaches
That we should avoid the frame
The picture perfect
Will leave you with an empty skull
And a wandering brain
All over your dashboard
Podium
Fancy suit
It’s all the same
History repeats
So I’ll watch my aim
History teaches
That the setup
Has to be picture perfect
Or this’ll end the same
You’ll miss the mark
Another generation lost
Wondering who they are
Where they’re from
Because we left them with no history
Left them with a slaver’s name