The Boy With No Name Lyrics

[Substantial]
[HOOK]
I once knew this youngin, I forget was his name was

[VERSE 1]
He was the oldest of 3
Lil' sis and a little brother
Same old song, raised by a single mother
His schoolin' is third rate
Only in second but he should be in 3rd grade
Or was it 4th? Can't remember it escapes me
Didn't have a clue that his little life was crazy
All I knew, was in class
He would spaz
Could sit for a minute
Throw a fit before ya' finish
Wanted the best for him
And I was tough on him
Until my boss told me the deal
His momma worked hard
Scooped the kids straight from her job
And would black out soon as they got home
No spouse
He was the little man of the house
Fix'em dinner and put'em to bed on his own
How?
So in school, when he would act wild
It's because it's the only he had to be a child
Wow

[HOOK]
I once knew this youngin, I forget was his name was

[VERSE 2]
He was a lil' playa
Some say a trouble maker
Cause he would act a fool
Came to see me after school
Said, he wanna change
Told him that it's never out of range
Long as you ain't scared to work for it
Fast forward
He was in a gang fight
Over something petty, it ain't right
But he came clean when he came to me
So I tried to get his folks to let him stay with me
At the center
Said I could work with'em, help to prevent a
Situation like this from happening again, but
His step-dad wasn't trying to hear me at all He was fed up and said that it was the last straw
Tried to check up on'em they wouldn't return my call
What's that about?
When we spoke, man, we had it out
Cause they told me that they him committed
Hurt me to my soul, man, I have to admit it. Damn

[HOOK]

[BRIDGE]
It feels like the world's against you
And I can't imagine the hell you been through
When they put you down
Don't give up!
If they knock you down
Then you gotta get up, get up!
I struggle to remember your name
But just know I never will forget your pain!
When they put you down
Don't give up!
If they knock you down
Then you gotta get up, get up, get up...

[VERSE 3]
Ain't too many days I meet...
A young man, that's born with HIV
I was there speaking on diversity and poetry
But, you seemed to be more into art
Asked you to write what you felt, didn't know where to start
So, you chose to draw from the heart
You were a young man in the body of a child
Who wouldn't let a disease rob you of your smile
Nowadays, that type of courage is rare
The words that you hear
Can never compare
To the struggle you face, day in and day out
Every single day, prayin' for a way out!
See there's one too many youth like the 3 I spoke on
No one cuttin' slack but fightin' to hold on
Maintain youngin's in these troublin' times
And I care because your struggle is mine. One love!

[HOOK]

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