Times was simply plain I knew they'd eventually change
Let's take a trip down memory lane
With the game talker, native New Yorker
Gators on my feet, formerly British walker
Yes love, that's how it was before
When you was funky fresh or down by law
Parlay with your crew at the corner store
Carrying a boom box ‘til your arms were sore
We be wildin' on the corner free stylin'
Or politickin' ‘bout doe we see piling
Or either girls we be getting with, how we be hitting it
Lying bout skins that we didn't get
Slow moving at paces through the rat races
The Jordache look and fat laces
Making moves any type of way
I remember it like yesterday, hey

Chorus
Here's to you
That's how it was before
When you was funky fresh or down by law
Way back in the days how we used to do
Thank you for the good times y'all
Repeat

Dj vu, things ain't nothing new
Shorties make me think how we used to do
When you couldn't be sleeping, if you plan on keeping
Hold of your sheepskin, heads do be peeping
Think it can't happen to you, now could it?
Came to school wearing Puma's went home barefooted
And on the weekends when everybody click
To slide to the deuce to check Karate flicks
Come back around the way after dark
So the crew could embark on the jam in the park
What would happen that night, was to scrap in a fight
Only way to break it up was playing Rappers Delight
And as I sit back watching you
Shorties out there doing what you got to do
I feel for you being sincere
Cause where you trying to go I already been there, yeah

Chorus

Ain't nothing but love I got to give
I don't playa hate cause we all got to live
That negative lifestyle I prohibit
Good life I got to live it, bubbly I got to sip it
Now I'll admit that I sort of be flashing
But yet and still I do it in an orderly fashion
Bring on the honeys and watch me mack these, stack cheese
Go on with your bad self, Black Caes
Just when the game got the stakes set high
Straight from Bed Stuy, the return of the Jedi
With a jewel cause I'm tired of seeing
Charges being brought up, on brothers getting caught up
Now it's about time we connect, organize and collect
A new wold order's in effect
I send this out to the shorties in the hood
I wanna see you all live good