​what hip hop made (this) - an ode to pentz & pain

Jan Gaye and yours truly at her book signing for "After the Dance: My Life with Marvin Gaye" (MUST READ!) at LeRoy Neiman Art Center in Harlem, NY. May 20, 2015.

yeah, let that beat play
this is that "here, my dear"
can you hear, my dear? (laughs)
is that enough, baby?​

and so it is this
this what you made me, right?
got the strength of david, so I’m able to fight
and it’s goliath’s night, what a gruesome death
i am the 8 ball, the last mohican left
this is the cards i’m dealt, i get no trade-ins
like i can go from 10-speed to bentley continenz
take the good with the bad
happiness and the sad
mix ‘em together - that’s life
yo, how you figure that?
where i learned patience at
little rock and hard place
grambling to brooklyn
then i left a hard trace
b.a. to m.s., homelessness and b.s. 
kicked out when 'em bricks out 
they didn't wanna see my success
i took a different route, struggled through the progress
they see the duck sail, never see the duck stress
underneath straight paddlin', she hustlin'
they mad again, they mad again, they mad again 
bitch, stay mad then

never let anyone tell you
you don't have what it takes to pursue your dreams
and don't let nothing stop you
keep moving forward
let's get it

this is what it is
we lost the root of it
kill or be killed, so…
the hood tooted it
and that’s my profit right, the blood is on my hands
all this material shit from government’s contraband
i know you like, “damn!”
maybe, “what tha fuck?”
this what i fought for so y’all can run amok?
my two turntables and my microphone
now, it’s bitches, birds, bills, bling, how many blunts you on
you know i ain’t lying – fuck it, tell the truth
still, i’m idolized, example for the youth
this what we going through, tryin' to make it out
hard as fuck on minimum wage, blocks hot, cops guns out
they said i’d never progress, that i would never sprout
man, fuck they doubt, i’m still keeping on
switch the game, fast lane, moving like the autobahn
autobahn, i'm on some other shit
yo, what the fuck you on?

hey jan
don't sue me girl!
you know, if this goes viral
you know, we can split it 50/50
nona, jr. jr. , freddie
ryan austin, baby, where you at?
i've been tryin' to get at you
let's get this money

oh, this is how it is?
the nature of the biz
i used to bring "the message", now i’m discredited
for my impurities and insecurities
misogynists, politicians
imposters tried to ruin me
minor formality, figment of fallacy
reporters not distorters of an unequal reality
far from how it be, and be that as it may
you lost the art of me and gained the next payday
this all you have to say?
repetition killed the cat
you’re on your 9th life, how curious is that?
and i get all the flack, but i know me best
i represent the people - nothing more, nothing less
she born into the jungle, living just enough
for the city, it ain't pretty, but she rough and tough
they want to see me dead, ashes and the dust
the dust, the dust
is that enough, fuck?

​Original song - Marvin Gaye - "Is That Enough" from the 1978 album, "Here, My Dear"
All vocals, keyboards and synthesizers by Marvin Gaye
Drums by Bugsy Wilcox
Bass by Frank Blair
Guitars by Wali Ali and Gordon Banks
Tenor saxophone by Fernando Harkness
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is_That_Enough

Mixed track - Marvin Gaye Hip Hop Instrumental (Ryan Austin ) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMrAruBQluc

Lyrics - Jennifer D. Laws