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What it Means to be Young (Prod. Alex B)

from Based on a True Story by Top Billion

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about

Shoutout to A.B. for putting me onto Alex B. R.I.P. J-Dilla

lyrics

What it Means to be Young

(Verse 1)
Yea, what it means to be young,
You’re looking at life more bright than the sun,
Your hopes in the future before it comes,
The world’s not cold enough to make you numb,
Not yet, and you don’t have enough done to regret,
Anything… so you make a lot of missteps,
Mistakes and catch some bad breaks,
You experience love & heartache… just wait,
Life is a long road. Before you travel this path there’s a lot to know,
But, when young, a lot of keep our ears closed,
Like “I don’t want advice from them old folks!”
“What do they know?”
We’re so headstrong… thinking everyone we know has a halo,
And that’s dead wrong,
But, you learn and you live and we use the excuse “we’re just kids!”
A take and give: gotta take the good, take the bad,
Give up childish things as time goes past,
But make it last don’t let it go fast

(Chorus)
A lot of times are great (What it Means to be Young)
You’re gonna make mistakes (What it Means to be Young)
But youth is the moment of truth when you find out who are you
That’s what it means to be young
Times are great (What it Means to be Young)
You’re gonna make mistakes (What it Means to be Young)
But youth is the moment of truth when you find out who are you
That’s what it means to be young!

(Verse 2)
I’m 20 years old feeling too ancient but at 15 I was too anxious,
To be a grown man. Oh man! If I knew what I know, man,
I wouldn’t wanna grow, man,
The pressure piles on as you get older,
Feels like I’m lifting a boulder,
More responsibility, less possibility,
The world gets colder the wind is chilling me—burr!
But, when I was younger everyday was summer; never was a bummer,
If that’s not true the bad times are few and far between, know what I mean?
Writing raps in class and still I passed,
My first girlfriend then had the fattest ass and back then,
I never had a lack of cash,
Pops always kept me laced like coke and hash,
And you’re gonna laugh but my comic book stash in its own class,
What a youth I had…

(Chorus)

(Verse 3)
Young nigga dumb nigga but I had more sense than some niggas,
I’m not stuck in the place I’m from, nigga,
The truth: some people can’t let loose of youth,
They would deny they’re not stuck in time,
You’ll find they don’t act their age they act their shoe size,
They’ll spend each dime getting high or fly,
They’re trying to forget they’ll die,
Clutching to the past like it’s all they have,
If it would keep them young some wouldn’t take baths,
Growing old is the goal what they don’t understand,
They’d rather be a boy than a man,
The wise, on the other hand, enjoy the Early Years,
Learn with their eyes and ears-- move to the Wonder Years,
Become men and women with kids and careers,
Then retire in France in the Golden Years,
Everyone, raise a glass to the roof,
I wanna make a toast… “TO YOUTH”

(Chorus)

credits

from Based on a True Story, released February 22, 2011
S. Hill, Alex B

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about

Top Billion Miami, Florida

Born 9/14/90. From Monroe, LA. I started taking Rap seriously at 18. I rap about things that happen in my life and what I see going on in the world around me. I like making and releasing new songs because you can never have enough music. There's atleast one album you'll love here... guaranteed. ... more

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