I grew up with twisted knowledge

Very little school and of course no college

In a broken home there is no role model

My father figure left me for the bottle

I had to teach myself to become a man

Never to give in to what I didn't understand

The truth is out there, out in the street

My first teacher was a bum with no shoes on his feet

He told me about his life and where he went wrong

He said, "Son, you promise me you'll never sing a sad song"

Two weeks later my friend was dead

The knowledge he gave me is still in my head

Street soldier life just wasn't for me

Where the purpose is killing over territory, I heard

My calling it came in loud and clear

I was to speak my mind and make it my career