Back of the Class

Used to sit back of the class

Hood up

Hands in my sleeves

Whole room look right past

Like I ain’t got lungs to breathe

Notebook full of bars

Teacher thought I doodled in ink

They corrected my grammar

I corrected the way that I think

I was plotting escape routes

Line breaks, bank routes

Every little daydream

Turned big when it played out

They was talking ’bout homework

I was writing my own work

Turned every “you can’t”

To a “you gon’ learn”

I came from the back of the class (yeah)

Now they all watching me pass

They graded me F for a future

I curved that and changed up the math

Kept my head low in the past

Now the whole room feelin’ this swag

They said I’d be stuck in the last row

Now they chant my name when I rap (when I rap)

Mama said “clock in, be safe”

Pops said “talk less, be brave”

I was tryna do both

So I clocked in words on a blank page

Clock hands spinning, I stayed

Late nights, circles under my eyes

Everybody posting their wins

I was pushing through all of my whys

Friends hit me like “bro, you changed”

Truth is, I just dropped dead weight

Had to clean up the circle

If you small-minded, that’s dead space

Now I step on a stage, heart loud

Mic check, whole crowd in a wave

Same kid from the back row

Just refused to stay in his place (hey!)

I came from the back of the class

Now they all watching me pass

They graded me F for a future

I curved that and changed up the math

Kept my head low in the past

Now the whole room feelin’ this swag

They said I’d be stuck in the last row

Now they chant my name when I rap (when I rap)