Mathematics Da Way We Were

[Chorus: Mathematics]

It was the good life, we rolled dice, with not much, but hung tough

With grandmas, and grandpas, my Old Earth, my great pops

With hustlers that hustled and pimps that played

And O.G.s that never played, Mac tens that sprayed

From park jams and projects, parades lead to forty

Southside seventeen, Sufton bully shorties

Seven crowns, one eighteen, the Gods we get down

Lakeweed to Inwood, its all good, its my town



[Mathematics]

Back in the days: New Birth, Chi-Lites and OJays

Sang the roots, they hit the stage, they hit the stage

They hit the stage, they hit the stage

It was set in a mack and mo

Yellow Caddy, roof down, deckin slow mo

Grim hat to the side, feather in it

Burgundy, pimpin on a stroll for a minute, now

How you doin this morning, Miss Johnson?

Shes crouchin, snatchin up the weeds from out her garden

I beg your pardon, and catch you down at the pool hall

Where we can play a game, smoke a tray and drink some alcohol

Placin numbers, catch each one as they sprintin

And printin, numbers in there heads like its printed

Fur coats, minks, and canes, pops givin me

Shots on the low, moms blastin Al Green

"Im Still In Love With You", Kool-Aid, hot grits

New skits, fist fights, black-eyes and fat lips

Gangs with chains and motorcycles, family rivals

You fight one, you fight all, if have too

Afros and picks, chicks double dutch

They young, they cry "Black & Strong" as they strut

No more, we shall overcome, they overcame

A Black Panther, black liberation army and

Brothers, who fought to hold the grain

Sisters who bare these pains so there seeds could break these chains

Brain music: Curtis, Marvin and Teddy

The Temptations, plus The Sweet Inspirations



[Chorus]



[Mathematics]

Ladies sung the blues, Smokey hit the high notes

Coolie High lost Cochise a while ago

Its been a long time coming

Funny how things changed, Superfly Priest just left the game

Cotton came to Harlem, last weekend

Its peeking, fiends around nottin, creepkin and sleakin

Eyes the sice of watermelons, grits the size of fists

Searchin for the next fame to stick

Slick daddy with the heroin, dust if you must

Herb, free basic, you lust

Goalie left his hoes on the stroll, dipped on the low

Stabbed Pretty Tone and watched him blow

James died in a car crash, J.J. felt the blast

Penny got furnished beneath the cast

Who seen our moms, last, baby, Im back though

Whats Happening? Barettas on the block with the four-four

Him and Kojak fuckin with Lamont and Rollo

Some things never change, son, maybe tomorrow

Or the day after, another chapter

Wishin, aww shit, Huggy Bear, fuckin snitchin

Chop his throat with them razors they be tuckin

Thats for talkin, they hung his tongue and kept walkin

And headed down to the Bar Lounge

To hear some soulful sounds, and drown a few rounds



[Chorus x2]



[Outro: Mathematics]

What, nigga, what...
[ Da Way We Were Lyrics ]