Featuring: J. Cole

Songwriter: J. Cole Fashawn

Producer: J. Cole

[Verse 1: Fashawn]
The ghetto is pitch black and we all wanna shine
So a third of us rhyme
The other half about math, flipping birds, we intertwine
There is no words to describe my habitat except hostile
40oz. brews and trips to the hospital or Wasco
Get locked in solitude surrounded by darkness hoping some light shine through
Cause we used to DVD boosting, crack rock producing, business suits claim we're useless
And won't give us jobs, and wonder why their ass get robbed
Wonder why my young brother stuck on reefer
Because the state refuse to pay good teachers
While the rich kids watch from the bleachers
I ask Jesus let some light creep in

[Hook: J. Cole]
May I kick a little something for the G's and cold hearted niggas that's freezin'
Everythang happens for a reason
But why a nigga stuck shit, this ain't nothing for the radio, nah this ain't nothing for the radio
Nah, this right here what you've been waiting for, hey this right here what you've been waiting for

[Verse 2: Fashawn]
Why is it me that this dark cloud follows?
I probably drown in this Belvedere bottle
Ugh I get my hymns from him it's a revival
The limits keep my hands spinning like a gyro
I need a chiro-prac, cause I feel like I'm alone in this world
Who got my back?
They tell me find god like I don't know where he at
And if he lost why we following him
Just acknowledge the fact that a father exists
And the devil's alive, I'm just caught in the mix
Before he shines his light on me I was out on the strip
Holding it down till I discovered my gift (got talent bro, I'm telling you)
It felt more like a curse, in my hoodie, I still made it to church
Just in time they hear the pastor complain like sunshine after the rain, help us out

[Hook: J. Cole]

Fashawn

Santiago Leyva (born October 19, 1988), known by his stage name Fashawn, is an American hip hop recording artist from Fresno, California. He first gained major attention after releasing his debut album Boy Meets World in 2009, which was produced entirely by Exile. The album received critical acclaim and landed him on the cover of XXL Magazine’s Top 10 Freshmen issue in 2010. Since then, Fashawn has collaborated with other artists and producers such as Nas, J. Cole, Wiz Khalifa, Evidence, Murs, Aloe Blacc, Blu, The Alchemist, and 9th Wonder. In 2014, Fashawn performed the entrance theme to WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley’s rematch against Manny Pacquiao.

On June 9, 2014, Fashawn signed to Nas' new label Mass Appeal Records. After years of anticipation, Fashawn released his second studio album The Ecology on February 24, 2015. It ranked among the top 10 most downloaded albums on the iTunes Hip-Hop Chart during its first week of release. Since then, songs from The Ecology have been featured in various forms of popular media.