[Intro] What we have to do is deal with it when these individuals are young enough. If you wish to be saved, not in a religious sense but not to constitute what this country at times calls if or which over. We seem to be approaching an age of the gross. We all have this idea that we should move up from our parents' station and each generation should do a little bit better.
[Verse 1- Eminem] Come on, let's cut the bullshit enough Let's get it started, let's start addressing this issue and open it up Let's take this shit back to basement And we can discuss statements that's made on this tape And its whole origin of the music that we all know and love The music that we all enjoy the music you all accuse me of tryna destroy Let's rewind it to 89 when I was a boy on the east side of Detroit Crossin 8 Mile in the border in the hate territory I'd like to share a story, this is my story and cant no body tell it for me You will well inform me, I am well aware that I don't belong here You've made that perfectly clear, I get my ass kicked damn near everywhere From Bel-Air shopping center just for stopping in there From the black side all the way to the white side Okay there's a bright side a day that I might slide You may call it a past I call it haulin my ass Through that patch of grass over them railroad tracks Oh them railroad tracks, them old railroad tracks Them good old notorious oh well known tracks
[Chorus x2] Come on lets go back Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place I once used to call home sweet home
[Verse 2- Eminem] I roam the streets so much they call me a drifter Sometimes I stick up a thumb just to hitch hike Just to get picked up to get me a lift to 8 mile and van dike And steal a god damn bike from somebody's backyard And drop it off at the park that was the half way mark To meet Kim had to walk back to her mama's them dramas after dark To sneak me in the house when I'm kicked out my mom's That's about the time I first met Proof when poof he'd carry on the set Set eyes born in and out some flyers, he was doin some talent shows At center line, I had told him to stop by and check this out sometime He looked at me like I'm out my mind shook his head like white boys don't know how to rhyme I spit out a line and rhymed birthday with first place And we both had the same rhymes that sound alike We was on the same shit that Big Daddy Kane shit with compound syllables sound combined From that day we was down to ride somehow we knew we'd meet again somewhere down the line
[Chorus x2] Come on lets go back Follow the yellow brick road as we go on another episode Journey with me as I take you through this nifty little place I once used to call home sweet home
[Verse 3- Eminem] My first year in 9th grade, can't forget that day at school It was cool till your man MC Sham came through And said that Boom was the brain cuz the clan makes troops It was rumors but man god damned they flew Musta been true because man we done banned they shoes I had the new ones the Cool J, Ice land swayed too And we just threw them in the trash like they yesterday's news Guess who came through next, X clam debut Professor X and glorious exists in a state of red, black, and green With a key sissies now with this bein a new trend We don't fit in crackas is out with Cactus albums Blackness is in, African symbols and medallions Represents black power and we ain't know what it meant Me and my man Howard and ??? would go to the mall with 'em All over our necks like we're showin 'em off not knowin at all We was bein laughed at you ain't even half black You ain&