Open Letter - ThatsMonta

Listen, all you New Yorkers Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten From the Battery to the top of Manhattan Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin Black, White, New York you make it happen Brownstones, water towers, trees, skyscrapers Writers, prizefighters and Wall Street traders We come together on the subway cars Diversity unified, whoever you are, uh We doin' fine on the one and nine line On the L, we're doin' swell On the number ten bus, we fight and fuss 'Cause we're thorough in the boroughs and that's a must I remember when the Deuce was all porno flicks Runnin' home after school to play PIXX At lunch, I'd go to Blimpies down on Montague Street And hit the Fulton Street Mall for the sneakers on my feet Dear, New York, I hope you're doin' well I know a lot's happened, and you've been through hell So, we give thanks for providin' a home Through your gates at Ellis Island, we passed in droves Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten From the Battery to the top of Manhattan Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin Black, White, New York you make it happen The L.I.E., the BQE Hippies at the band shell with the LSD Get my BVD's from VIM You know I'm reppin' Manhattan the best I can Stopped off at Bleecker Bob's, got thrown out Sneakin' in at 4:00 a.m. after goin' out You didn't rob me in the park at Diana Ross But everybody started lootin' when the light went off From the South-South Bronx, on out to Queens bridge From Hollis, Queens right down to Bay Ridge From Castle Hill to the Lower East Side From 1010 WINS to Live At Five Dear, New York, this is a love letter To you and how you brought us together We can't say enough about all you do 'Cause in the city we're ourselves and electric, too Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten From the Battery to the top of Manhattan Asian, Middle-Eastern, and Latin Black, White, New York you make it happen Shout out the South Bronx where my mom hails from Right next to High Bridge across from Harlem To the Grand Concourse where my mom and dad met Before they moved on down to the Upper West I see you're still strong after all that's gone on Life long we dedicate this song Just a little somethin' to show some respect To the city that blends and mends and tests, uh Since 9/11, we're still livin' And lovin', life we've been given Ain't nothin' gonna take that away from us We lookin' pretty and gritty 'cause in the city we trust Dear, New York, I know a lot has changed Two towers down, but you're still in the game Home to the many, rejectin' no one Acceptin' peoples of all places, wherever they're from Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten From the Battery to the top of Manhattan Asian, Middle-Eastern, and Latin Black, White, New York you make it happen Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten From the Battery to the top of Manhattan Asian, Middle-Eastern, and Latin Black, White, New York we make it happen N-N-N-New York New York, New York (City, City) New-New York, New-New-New- New-York City Y-Y, Y-Y, Y-York, Y-York Y-Y, Y-York, Y-York (New-New York, New-) (New-New York, New-) New York City

Ahem Sometimes I feel like I ain't s- Sometimes a n- feel like s- Talkin' 'bout some real life s- Goodbye letter, dear life s- So if a n- kill me, hope he mean it I just hope I die for a reason They probably won't miss me 'til they need me Have problems with admittin' that they need me, Lord I'm talkin' 'bout some real life s- Goodbye letter, dear life s- Way too concerned to be conceited I live then I learn, then die tryna teach 'em, Lord Die tryna reach 'em They care more about how much I leave than where I leave it I hope I leave more of an impression on my kids To be destined to have blessings to believe in, Lord Just got off the phone with my son Told him, "You a son of a gun" Just got off the phone with my daughter Told her, "I won't hesitate to f- a young n- up" Lord A few b- left me That only got a new b- elected My old b- was too disrespectful And only get my new b- respected That's power, yes It's now or next Can't lie though, I tried though I'll die tryin', that's a common death We was such a team, we was chasin' our dreams Then it stopped, now I'm outta breath Now they try to tell me I need rest And I'll find love again, I ain't find it yet Oh, but I guess it is what it is As it appears, oh s- The object in the mirror is more near than it appears, oh s- And sometimes I fear who in the mirror That n- weird He done died so many times but still here Why am I here? Dear life What is my meaning? My reason? Naked b- really love ones Sometimes our loved ones don't love us I'm f- more than I'm makin' love Sometimes I make my rubber wear a rubber I just tell my lady, "Nothing's easy" Even though I make it look easy But understand looks are deceiving Lookin' like I'm lookin' for some grievance 'Cause I been through way too much, don't wanna think about it Cranky 'bout it, gotta drink about it Gotta synchronize it, tranquilize it Doctor ain't prescribin' what he ain't realizin' Pain inside me got me thinkin' 'bout me Tryna hang my body, sanctifyin' I'm a gangsta dyin' 'cause all gangsters die Can't deny it, you can't tame my lion I'm a angry lion hangin' by a string I can't describe it Feel like a anchor tied to my finger Got me sinkin' to the bottom of my drink I know a lotta n- think I got a lotta n- There's strength in numbers but there's honor over strength I talked to God the other day, he said he got a n- So, I look death up in her eye and then I wink It's way too real The s- I'm talkin' way, way too real I hope it gave you chills The dirt under your feet could be the grave, you fill You don't know how dead you feel 'til you're dead for real Gettin' high after I paid the bill Lower than a Navy SEAL Show up with them Navy guns I hope somebody prayin' for 'em Price tags on mistakes, somebody payin' for 'em Ice bath when my face numb, no expression What's the life expectancy when you don't expect s-? Mama told me, f- the world and be so aggressive Be so fluorescent, watch these h- 'cause they so obsessive Don't get too high to look over blessings Never come in second, make the most of your seconds They so precious 'Cause if we could buy time every store would sell it If you want me to read your mind, need correct spelling I keep it real, n- better keep it copacetic Where the weed? I feel like I'm getting sober-headed Lookin' in the mirror at the one that know me better I was too busy to talk, I wrote an open letter Dear life What is my meaning? My reason? That's the question I ask the reader God bless the reader Dear life What is my meaning? My reason? That's the question You know, when he told me that Toya was havin' a baby, I say Y'all young, you know y'all young, I said Be the best father you can be, you know And truly, he is that