If You Only Knew

Never think just for shits and giggles
Do we spit syllable riddles for bits and kibbles
So chicks can wiggles and shake 'cause this image is fake
I'm tryin hard to relate in a place filled with so much hateSome brothers debate, some love or some hate
Whatever the case, it's all about the choices you make
That's the reason your balloon'll deflate, but to relate
We tryin' to take rap back to it's primitive state, waitNo overnight success or runnin' with vets
Just pure, unadulterated work progress
I'm willin' to bet the farm, you'd give your right arm
For a piece of the pie ask yourself, "Why?"If you only knew the trials and tribulations we've been through
But if you only knew, we're real people, homie, just like you
We humble, but don't mistake us for some corny ass crew
What we do is try to give you what you ain't used to
Soul music, somethin' we can all relate toI ams what I am and that's all I can be
Uh, no more, no less, what you're seein' is me
Akil, the MC W-I-S-E, uh, wise, intelligent, God did bless me
Yes, we rock up off the S-B freshly
Especially dangerous rough and deadly
The pimp positioner, tip the Richter Scale
Alone we sink together we sail and prevailThe rum raisin', comin' through guns blazin'
Some of you duns runnin' ones with none savin'
Complainin', me and my clan are unscathin'
From the soul comes somethin' amazin'If you only knew the trials and tribulations we've been through
But if you only knew, we're real people, homie, just like you
We humble, but don't mistake us for some corny ass crew
What we do is try to give you what you ain't used to
Soul music, somethin' we can all relate toYo, how many times I got to hear some fanatic in my ear
Tellin' me I got to keep it real when they ain't payin' my bills
Or feedin' my kids, judgin' me on how I live
If my crib in the hood or if its up in the hills?Have you forgotten who you are, oh, you think you a star
Why you frontin', you ain't nothin', you went from nothin' to somethin'
But somethin' means nothin' if ya people still wantin'
And ya got money and givin' them nothin', flossin' and frontin'Ya game of charades, the way you behave
The image you save, yeah, brother, that's one big parade
I'm sick of your ways, I'm sittin here spittin a phrase
Next time they smile and they wave, will probably be with a gazeIf you only knew the trials and tribulations we've been through
But if you only knew, we're real people, homie, just like you
We humble, but don't mistake us for some corny ass crew
What we do is try to give you what you ain't used to
Soul music, somethin' we can all relate to, soul, soul, soul, soul