Dear Dad, the class began, hands were held and arms were open/
Moments stolen from the globe and life’s blood was always spoken/
One was chosen for another. Broke my will against your wisdom/
Pushed my face towards the light so I could cultivate the vision/
Made decisions for the unit. Hard times, you moved us through it/
By each word and every movement, you’re the one who showed me what truth is/
Thanks for the blueprint passed down. I’ll grip it by the cover/
Plus you showed me how to love my wife by the way you treat my mother/
And Mom, you sacrificed your body, scarred beneath the weight/
To usher my soul into the universe, human contact, you were first/
Through the worst I had to offer, caught His mercy in your stare/
You were there. Patched my wounds an protected me with your prayers/
Gave me food when I was hungry. Gave me love when I was empty/
Gave me a look of knowing solitude when I said where God would send me/
Thanks for the days and the nights, the laughter and the fights/
Teaching me wrong from right, Mom, the first woman in my life/
To my brother, thanks for the beatdowns and the harassment/
In you I learned to express my views with heated passion/
Followed your footsteps good or bad, so please get the facts straight/
My big brother introduced me to this and gave me my first rap tape/
I watched you grow up, thrive, prosper and self destruct/
Find the jewel in circumstances that sucked but still you stuck/
A husband and a father, a brother and a son/
Kevin, I’m so proud of the man that you’ve become/
Pam, Jeff, Billy, Cliff, Paine, David, Terry, Chris, Ricky/
The names stick with me, the names stick with me/
Jason Lee, Ben Heaton, Josh Cleveland, Eric Sartain,
Trent Gibson saw the best and the worst I’ve ever given/
Sintax, I’d bend back the sky and shift the balance/
I thank you for your strong mind, your friendship and your talent/
Your example to all that witness ‘cause there’s no “I” in crew/
You inspire me brother ‘cause I can see Christ in you/
Dust, where to start? The art’s answer to my question/
Blessed from lessons together that’s always led to progression/
This profession needs your genius to show cats what it’s about/
You keep making the music and I’ll keep running my mouth/
Playdough, Harry Krum, enough heart for every alias/
Thanks for helping me carry the torch as we take these kids/
Listener, Illtripp, Fred B, Recon/
Rabbi, Manuel, Sev Statik and Sivion/
It’s on until we change the face and finish what we started/
I’m thankful that you’re all a part of this/
Yeah it’s on until we change expression, finish what we started/
Deepspace5, it’s never stopping/
Mary, I don’t have the words to get across my feelings/
I breathe a purer form of oxygen when I’m staring at your face/
I can rise above my limits and break through this vaulted ceiling/
I’m a better man today because you occupy my space/
I hit the road, you hold it down and shun the glory/
I’ll be the mouthpiece for your heart and I’ll tell the world our story/
Thanks for bearing our children. Thanks for sharing your life/
Thanks for saying, “Yes,” May. Thanks for being my wife/
To my daughters and all unborn and future seeds/
I look at the world through your eyes and you always help me see/
Inspiration in your innocence and the future in your face/
I write these songs so I can make your world a better place/

And that’s all to say that all that I am is a collection of souls/
That God has used to touch me. Changed a reflection/
Made a man from a simple stick-figure/
And if I’ve ever met you, then you helped Him paint the picture…
(Repeat 3X)