streets; tee series

i remember you was conflicted

I was growing.

My daddy showed me the pull of the streets; money, power, respect.

(guns, knives, drugs)

I was never good, but better than the house next to me.

So I guess it was worth it.

Until we lost it all.

Daddy lost himself to vengeance.

He took me to my uncle's funeral, we planted a flower for him.

Two nights later I caught him with the strap.

("i would expect you to do that same")

then we lost him to the streets.

(shot in the back by peacekeepers, some bullshit)

i planted a flower for him

(it grew)

i was drowning in resentment, drowning in pain

and that's how the streets found me.

(you put in the work for them)

it saw i was powerless, so it promised me power

it saw i was poor, so it offered me money

it saw i was aimless, so it put in a knife in my hand.

(too young to make a better choice)

Selling on the block, making some money.

Fighting some opps, getting some respect.

Having a purpose.

Saw Marco selling on our block, he don't belong there.

("fuck that, let's get him.")

Chased him down, held him down.

("fucking do it, tee!")

Put my machete in his gut.

stabbed him again for good measure

so fucking stupid

but i put in the work

cos i ain't tyrese no more, i'm tee.

Just Tee.

I didn't think about the pain.

Didn't think about Marco's family.

Too full of resentment to care.

(too hungry to power, too thirsty for respect)

I lost my daddy to the streets.

I lost myself to the streets.

I lost.

But the money still comes. The beef don't stop.

(caine stabbed your brother)

So I picked up a strap.

Ran him down.

Shot him in the back so he fell.

(just like daddy)

I stood over him.

He begged me to make another choice. Begged me to let him live. Cried down the barrel of the gun.

("i'd expect you to do the same")

Bang.

just like that

lost myself all over again

lost myself to vengeance

trapped in that cycle now

I wonder if there's someone out there planting a flower for Marco and Caine.

I wonder if they're living on.

Will I live on?

(who cares?)

That's the thing with the streets.

You can't plant no flowers.

There's no soil for anything to grow.

You can't grow, only evolve.

tee can only evolve.

(...)