E-40, Dr. Cornel West, Michael Marshall - When Life Shows Up lyrics

What kind of human beings are we really?
What has gone into the shaping and
Molding of who we are
Both as persons as well
As communities and traditions?
The inescapability of traditions
For me the greatest tradition is spiritual
Fortitude in the modern world
Which is the black musical tradition
There's never been a tradition on such
Intimate terms of catastrophe and
Still able to generate such unbelievable
Forms of creativity, compassion
And fortitude

When it was my aisle turn to
Get up and view the casket
Couldn't hold my tears back, it was automatic
When the reverend started preaching
It was sad
After the funeral, I hugged his mom and dad
Paid for the memorial, 7000 dollars cash
Only time we get together
Is when somebody pass
The story of many people I narrate
Hella hate divide and conquer, separate
When I was born, momma didn't feed any baby
Food to this infant
She fed me collard greens
Dressing, candied yams, and fried chicken
In the trenches, we trippin'
Got trials and tribulations
Renovation, they forcing us out
Gentrification
Living in the Bay, it's expensive
It's hard to bargain
2500 a month to rent a 1 bedroom apartment
Cancer don't care how old you
Are or who you are (no, no, no)
Live your life every day
Like it's no tomorrow (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Health can be your best
Friend or worst enemy, could be ruthless
Lou Gehrig's Disease, leukemia, and lupus
No Medi-Cal insurance so we self-medicate
Eat tomatoes 'cause it helps
Protect the prostate
Some of my potnas vegan
Some just watch the way they eat
Substitute ground turkey for ground beef
No red meat it's mainey outchea
It's murkish and it's sick
Everybody outchea carry and pack a pogo stick

Life for us it's just different 'round here
(It's different)
Yeah, life is much different 'round here (Uh)
But we don't give up in God we trust
When life shows up around here (Shows up)
Sometimes it's unfair around here
(It's unfair) but we still rise up (Uh)

Every day somebody fighting for they life
Every second it's a body put on ice
Maggots, flies, vultures, parasites
Tag on they toe without a price
In the middle of the slums rockin' crumbs
Secondhand smoke all in our lungs
Weikel's, Smart & Final, Target
You liable to find me
Up in Chavez Supermarket
The homie's kids and his nephews tryna rap
Say that's the only way to
Get up out the trap
Gettin' on somethin' they only content
I tell them they can be
An astronaut or an accountant
Can't wait to get papered up with
Designer belt on my pants
Do the money dance with the
Money phone in my hand
Loved ones in a situation and need some cash?
Send it through Square Cash
They'll get it fast
When I finally catch a break, it's voodoo
Every time I catch a break, it fall through
Life is against me, the devil's on me
He shady, he janky, he ain't my homie
Temptation is vicious
You gotta watch all these bitches
They'll line you up with no clippers
Do anything for they niggas
Life is an assignment, it's a test
Repent, thank God, and confess

Oh, life for us it's
Just different 'round here (It's different)
Yeah, life is much different 'round here
(What you say?)
But we don't (we don't) give up (give up)
In God we trust
When life shows up around here (whoa)
Sometimes it's unfair around here
(It's unfair)
But we still rise up (look here)
Life for us it's just different 'round here
(It's different)
Yeah life is much different 'round here
(it's so different round here)
But we don't give up
(it's so different round here)
In God we trust
When life shows up around here
(when life shows up)
Sometimes it's unfair around here
(life shows up) but we still rise up (well)

'Cause, I'm a Jesus loving free Black man
But, I was in deep solidarity and remain so
With the focus on those poor, precious
Priceless children even today
One out of two black and
Brown children live in poverty