The Know Songtext
von Locksmith

Yo, yo
Small fish, small pond
Crescent Park in the alley, that′s little Ali John
Mixed parents, apparently my parents preparing me
For the perils to face barrels that kept me calm
Directly spawned from niggas posing and posing
Knowing those with the notion they only chose never let me on
I used to beg for their validation
I entered a maturation of finding my own voice with a deadly song
And I had to sit in my mother's beauty salon bored
I used to dream of the sneakers that we couldn′t afford
I got 'em anyway, anyway I was hooping
Wasn't thinking ′bout music, my sister went on her first tour I had to sit in her room when she would write verses
I used to think it was silly, really like what′s the purpose?
I wasn't conscious that I was being obnoxious
What she was doing then would eventually in me strike a chord
Fast forward, I′m writing more
I started rapping, I graduated, I'm quite mature
I started honing my skills inside a zone I would build
Confidence for that contest inside The Source
I kept it secret to others, I wouldn′t speak it
Hard to let it fly, I was shy, I felt insecure
Here's the cure, fuck what anybody say
You′ll never get your respect until you get up out the Bay


You ain't gotta wait too long
'Cause the days get shorter
Life gets harder
The world we know
You ain′t gotta wait too long
′Cause the days get shorter
Life gets harder
The world we know

Small fish, small tank
Used to play in the alley, now Ali call rank
When it come to rapping, they try to
Summon the trappings of what can happen
When you happen to self doubt and you draw a blank
Drawing angst from niggas claiming they made 'em
Only aim to complain, you get fame and they call you fake
And I used to beg ′em to give me radio spins
But you never get respect when you try to cater to them
I know, I was young, I was dumb and impressionable
I took advice that I knew was unprofessional
And I used to listen to people that was never the truth
And I brought the negative energy with me in the booth
But I had to follow my dreams and what they mean to me
So I left the Bay and I got me some different scenery
And I found peace in the various rhymes that I write
But I lost my job, this is the scariest time in my life
Insecurities tack on
There's no plan B and there′s nothing to fall back on
Sooner or later, gotta face these threats
Try walking a tightrope without a safety net
Try taking the high road when everybody I know
Is jocking these other niggas every day they slept
Every day I wept, but respect is not given, it's earned
But I′ll be damned if I miss my turn, just know

You ain't gotta wait too long
'Cause the days get shorter
Life gets harder
The world we know
You ain′t gotta wait too long
′Cause the days get shorter
Life gets harder
The world we know