Explain [Verse 1 - Fashawn] It happened today, 1988 Pops was out to skate Momma said she was late Even with his absence I had to adjust With the madness grew up A little quicker than your average Let me taste cause I ain't had none A young black kid Brainwashed by rap and rock VCRs, I had the Magnivox High school, we had the campus locked Non grad, sad to drop out but We needed something to believe in We're living for the weekend Teacher said we wouldn't be shit Not bad for some heathens
[Hook] Thanks for the lack of faith In judging what I do This generation Ain't nothing I can say What can I tell to you This generation
[Verse 2] They say we ain't playing with a full deck They let us down, why they upset Nothing but the naked truth, I feel undressed 21 gun salute for young vets Rodney King did what he had to Now these white girls get to date black dudes Shorty's into rosaries and rap feuds Young niggas with snapbacks and tattoos We fast forward, sell a lot of kush If you rap dude, getting hella push This the Reagan era, but we got Bush Talking 'bout the same spot that Barack took My generation on some other shit Getting faded while we waiting on the mothership And not dependent on the government To teach this generation how to love again
[Verse 3] We used to read guns and ammo Crack cocaine left the hood in shambles On the streets of Linwood Gang bang insane, the gang was in hood Paroo, crib Don't ever let your Jerry curl drip When the winters don't end When the homie's big brother just shot his best friend Get it right through the chest At the school, at the crib, playing Russian roulette And you wonder why we do what we do for the set Any given moment homie, you could be next It's what we do for respect Cause this generation got a noose on its neck We let it all hang out Society wouldn't let us in so we banged out