Never Be the Same

[Verse 1]
Shh, quiet down in the movie theater
Sit down, no shuffling, don't check that meter
Let the film roll, let the silver screen dance
Opening scene is a boxer taking his stance
Blood on his face with cuts near his eye
Staring squarely at the face of the other guy
The champion, smirking in an arrogant way
And our challenger has something that'll make him pay
Let the camera pan across his hometown
New York, gritty, black and gray up and down
Underneath the credits trail across, flashing the names
Then finally the title sequence: "Never Be the Same"
We see the title character and protagonist
Sand bag being destroyed by his left and right fst
Monologue heard through the static of an old mic
"My name is Jack. This was the fight of my life."

[Chorus]
If I could press pause, or
fast forward past the hardness
Visions written bring words to life like I'm different with
Memories real, still ill, now I appear crisp like film

[Verse 2]
Next scene black out transition to the past check
Scrawny looking boy looking at his reflection to flex
The coach walks behind him, gives him that look
Jab drill first before we get to the hooks
Jump rope for stamina, speed bag for tempo
Time goes on, sparring, letting the punches flow
Contender for the belt, the old man is proud
Our challenger laid his last opponent down
Blur to fight night with the reigning champ
Uppercut in his chin and our boy's out like a lamp
Next round, he's getting stuck with a jab
Right straights across his face, get a body bag!
Final round, the champ is getting a bit tired
You can see the challenger has eyes of fire
Connect a one two and a devastating blow to the body
The belt is passed and the new champ yells "Try to stop me!"

[Chorus]
If I could press pause, or
fast forward past the hardness
Visions written bring words to life like I'm different with
Memories real, still ill, now I appear crisp like film

Cutting Corners

Everyone told me never to cut them corners
Always had trouble following this order
From pre-school, never had a really steady hand
Cutting down that dotted line was something I couldn't comprehend
My scissors ravaged the page to create jagged edges
That's me, rough around them, but never to repetitive
Or that competitive, concentrated like potent medicine
Even better when I got old enough to be meditative
No sedatives or recreational drugs in my system
I'm cutting class because I never really wanted to listen
Never too much otherwise I'd fall way behind
And a lack of good grades is the death of my rhymes
So I scrap and scrape and tape and shape
Together any piece of work so I can soon escape
From the drudgery and monotony of school
But hell, I'll cut a few corners if it makes me look cool

[Chorus]
One shot to live, one shot to give
Cutting corners here and there but I'll always sieve
Second to none, seconds till I'm done
Cutting corners here and there just for a little fun

[Verse 2]
I'm lazy, undeserving and for more always yearning
At the same time, observing and efficiency conserving
I used to run around in life in perfect circles
But I flipped and cut and switched the reversal
Now I'm out live on five and they're stuck in rehearsal
They're whispering compared to my real verbals
Cutting corners all the same to make it smoother
Using the directions as structure, but it constricts and stupors
Going with the flow? Nah, I just use my own
Get your head in the zone? Well mine's cuckoo nest flown
I'm questioning the idea of well-oiled machinery
Stay too much into it and you'll miss all this scenery
And it seems to me that we're afraid of being original
I am because I feel mine is more digital, less pivotal
But I'll keep my own flight schedule, fly not like a g6
I'm feeling fly like a Martian in wingtips

[Chorus]
One shot to live, one shot to give
Cutting corners here and there but I'll always sieve
Second to none, seconds till I'm done
Cutting corners here and there just for a little fun

[Verse 3]
Cutting corners like how dropouts cut class
These quotes dope like cutting cocaine is cash
A cut above all else when I finish anything
Cutting the crusts off so it sounds good like a wedding ring
Slash on the tracks and a cut of the wrists
Tsk, politically incorrect, I like the cut of your jib
No need to cut and run, I've been here for years
This is the cut as I steer this dear directly to your ears
No cut and paste, all genuine materials
And I don't cut to the chase, bow down to the imperial
Check the serial code, but it's been cut away?
At the end of the day, gimme my cut, I'm on my way
Clean-cut, sleek look, suave and debonair
No cookie cutters. Enlightened like Voltaire
I don't cut-down or dumb down, just smarten up
This is past cut and dry, real sharp stuff

[Chorus]
One shot to live, one shot to give
Cutting corners here and there but I'll always sieve
Second to none, seconds till I'm done
Cutting corners here and there just for a little fun

Higher Learning

Hey forget about that higher learning
Listen to what I'm turning, but no book burning
My memories are blazed in flame and untamed
Savage speech that will reach the top all the same
This is an anthology of ballery that's so polished b
That this oughta be rhyming silver slicked picked: lottery
Stick in the slot and what do you get? Me!
Narrative, essay, epic poems and a testimony

With a chrono trigger flow I've been here since Lavos
Not mad though people claim I'm not rap? Go!
Death came for me and missed it's appointment
So I'm appointed with fourteen points without getting exploited!
Don't you understand I'm here in extraordinary circumstance?
This purpose grand. Deny my services? Can't!
Because I can't read sheets but I analyze music
I don't compose notes but I write quotes and use it!
You've got a sickness? I've got just the remedy
Try this: a free download of my Hip-Hop repertory
Peep the oratory takes you on a wondrous story
I'll paint you a literary masterpiece in all it's glory
I escape from the smoking jaws of guns
Catch me on stage demonstrating anti-choking laws, done!

Hey forget about that higher learning
Listen to what I'm turning, but no book burning
My memories are blazed in flame and untamed
Savage speech that will reach the top all the same
This is an anthology of ballery that's so polished b
That this oughta be rhyming silver slicked picked: lottery
Stick in the slot and what do you get? Me!
Narrative, essay, epic poems and a testimony

Listen to the ominous horns, time to report
I leave things out: I like it sweet and short
Demolish trains and I surprise garrisons
All aboard stopped because of my thought comparison
Annihilates and deliberates pre-determined fates
Then I create my own and refresh my own plate
They say life is worth nothing, then what is death?
I'm making every second counted and every last breath!
This method proves more practical and tactical
Than hanging and serves a purpose quite radical
Cheaper than poison, I hate the toxic scent linger
And more convienent than ending it with my own finger
Finally, more dignified than waiting for disease or time
Dying is the last thing I'll do, until then I'm fine

Hey forget about that higher learning
Listen to what I'm turning, but no book burning
My memories are blazed in flame and untamed
Savage speech that will reach the top all the same
This is an anthology of ballery that's so polished b
That this oughta be rhyming silver slicked picked: lottery
Stick in the slot and what do you get? Me!
Narrative, essay, epic poems and a testimony

Moving across impenetrable mountain ranges
I remain un-phased, timeless, means no changes
Through impossible ravines I trample quite ample
No challenge handed to me is a gamble
Fighting and loving, from dusk to dawn
All in a day's work: from my first breath to yawn

Hey forget about that higher learning
Listen to what I'm turning, but no book burning
My memories are blazed in flame and untamed
Savage speech that will reach the top all the same
This is an anthology of ballery that's so polished b
That this oughta be rhyming silver slicked picked: lottery
Stick in the slot and what do you get? Me!
Narrative, essay, epic poems and a testimony