"My Environment is the 1st song that was written and recorded for The Bandwagon....Director's Cut album. I think the chorus best explains the message behind this song; we as human beings are who we are as a result of everything that exists within the parameters of where we ourselves exist.
The final product that is our lives is a direct result of who, what, where, how, and when we are raised. But that very product is also influenced by how we react to the when, how, where, who, and what raises us."
lyrics
Vs 1` Shorty (shorty) rock (rock) standing on the corner (corner),
hustling them rocks (rocks) know he don't wanna (wanna),
be like his peers having fun playing sports,
but he got a mother with a crack habit to support (port).
Little (little) man (man) big drug runner (runner),
very little plans (plans) living in a slumber (slumber),
big hopes, little dreams trapped on the corner
with the rats and the cats selling that marijuana (wanna).
Baby (baby) girl (girl) started off good (good),
every (every) day (day) walking thru the hood,
met a guy who seemed nice seemed right so it seemed like,
two years later baby girls in that street life.
Cause seemed (seemed) like nice man got a plan (plan),
shorty (shorty) rock (rock) eating out his hands (hands),
little (little) man’s (man's) bringing in his money
and baby girls got a baby girl in her tummy (tummy).
Chs: Im’ma (Im’ma) product of my environment,
I import the product into my environment,
I be on the block till the cops come a firing
cause I support the conduct of a survivalist
Im’ma (Im’ma) product of my environment,
you want it then I'm selling it you got it then I'm buying it,
I don't got the elements to worry bout retirement
cause I support the conduct of a survivalist.
Vs 2' Young (young) motherfucker born in the suburbs,
pussy like a carpet eater, ziggins call him rug burn,
wanna be a thug (thug), so he gets a hammer,
plus a colored bandana now he's caught behind the slammer (slammer).
Young (young) motherfucker’s brother was a follower,
big brother boxed young motherfucker followed up,
overdose of halo and grand theft auto,
almost left without a halo or a chance to see tomorrow (morrow).
Teenage mama (mama),
2 little children by 2 baby fathers (fathers) in the same building
building up a bad rep, for be-ing a ho
said she wanted kids early now she's reaping what she so (so).
So (so) many (many) souls (souls) lost (lost)
in the (in the) struggle buried alive without a shovel,
cause young motherfucker and his younger fucking brothers brother
both boxed cause of lack of love from teenage mother (mother).
Chs:
Vs 3: This is what its like in the ghetto
where the only ones who make it are the ones who never settle,
where the clouds are always gray no trees or green meadows,
only greenery, scenery's the weed that we pedal (pedal) (pedal).
Kick pushing flipping kush while the kids looking,
stuck firm upon the strip like a pin cushion,
chicks whips kicks all gotta be good looking,
but not too good cause in the hood you'll get your shit tooken.
Tattoos, thoughts captured in smoke capsules,
broken bottles liquor makes the struggle so attractive,
see the hood will keep your soul captive,
till the reaper soul snatches, that's why we're so un proactive.
So imagine if your soul (soul) was traveling,
with no physical or emotional attachment
this is (this is) this is real life this aint a movie no attractions,
stay in tune cause in this life there is no closed captions.
credits
from The Bandwagon: Director's Cut,
released October 27, 2010
-Written by J Gantt
-Produced by S.K. the Great for Hitz R Us
James “SoSoon” Gantt - a New York City Hip-Hop artist, producer, scholar and educator. The moniker SoSoon, an acronym for
Sound Of Something Out Of Nothing represents the heart of Hip-Hop culture, which was developed by people who lacked access to outlets for creative expression.
Soul-searching hip-hop from this Florida rapper, with lyrics that dig deep and take an unflinching look at life’s questions. Bandcamp New & Notable May 1, 2023