Check it out, 1, 2, hey yo, hey yo    I came a long way since back in the day  From a teenager trying to make a rap in this way  Ever since I was a kid I had something to say  Rocking mics was a dream I didn't care about pay  I sacrificed late nights and going out with my friends  Just to stay home alone with my pad and my pen  Had my eyes on my prize, my mind on my goal  As I carved these rhymes out with my hear and my soul  I didn't have a CD; all I had was a tape  On the dole thru my flow was my only escape  From a world where they didn't wanna see my prevail  Didn't wanna see me take it all  They'd rather see me fail    Its like ...    [CHORUS]  I was down and out   Struggling   Wondered how I'm gonna make it thru  I got a dream (I got a dream)  Holding old (I'm gonna hold on)  I can't let go cos I gotta make it come true    Hey yo   I got a dream to make it big in New York  Give up the drugs and alcohol  I didn't want to distort  My vision to be living life to the full  And I wouldn't of made it if it wasn't for you  You picked me up every time that I fell  When I was going thru hell you told me that I would prevail  You said I had exactly what it took to be great  That I was young and in the future would a man I would make  Its like you saw something in me I couldn't see  You said I would succeed and be anything I wanted to be  I'm 23 and I just wanna be me  Wanna be free  Wanna be everything I can be  But I don't have many choices  Can't afford to be wrong  All I do is try to stay true to the words of my song  Just don't hesitate and wait too long  Cos like a dream when you wake up its gone ... its gone    [CHORUS]  I was down and out   Struggling   Wondered how I'm gonna make it thru (I had no money in my pockets)  I got a dream (all I had was a pad and a pen)  Holding old (that's all I ever needed)  I can't let go cos I gotta make it come true    Hey yo  It was a sunny day and we were feeling high  Jamming the song underneath the baby blue sky  Thinking 'bout in the time when we were so poor  'Member the kids used to laugh at the clothes we wore  We always knew one day that things were gonna change  And from that day I was never gonna be the same  I went to sleep that night; I dreamt I touched the sky  And ever since I've been trying to keep my dream alive  So when you see this Scribe, dropping the Ill'ed rhyme  To find how I'm living mine in this day and time  I'm working 9 to 5; I'm slaving over beats  Its hard work living the dream I hardly ever sleep  I'm in the rhythm deep, Yo just trying to do my thing  Its funny when you shine and people hate to see the gleam  No matter what they say keep on doing what you do  And don't give up cos only you can make that dream come true    Its like...    [CHORUS]  I was down and out (I was way out)  Struggling   Wondered how I'm gonna make it thru  I got a dream   Holding old   I can't let go cos I gotta make it come true    I was down and out ...  Wonder how ...  I got a dream ...  I won't let go cos I got ...