Verse 1

You weren’t there, it started in my parent’s basement ,
it was just a home but hip-hop changed it
Give em an mpc and Panik made it
Hip-hop in my crib with dusty breaks in It
And I was there like “man, just take in”
I lived in the moment
Ha, I lived with the Molemen
Imagine Vakill spittin lines to kill
Right in front of you and every line you would feel
Or Juice freestylin, just wylin and vibin
Listening to beats bang in a way that was violent
he’d turnaround and look at me and Yup I was smiling
Rhyme Fest and I could talk shit all day
But I’d crack a few jokes and be on my way
I’ll never forget the day I heard Cap D say
“when’s Panik gonna put you on?”
And in a strange way, that made me the way I am today
I work like I’m insane, I don’t play
I didn’t like the sound of anybody putting me on
But straight up I can’t front, thank you for the guidance
The sessions in that basement, were not the basics
It was next level shit, I had to respect the greatness
It was where the Chicago elite would come to meet
&
Grab a landscape so they could paint away
Just a teen, living a dream
Learning from each

Hook -

You weren’t there
Only I can see …
Plus a few true legends,
Listen, I am ME
Look I paid my dues so Hip-hop is me
And Chicago knows so keep an eye on me
I’ve seen em rise, I’ve seen em fall
Y’all don’t know this culture, I’ve seen it all
Before the net, the streets were here
I was all in them spots and you weren’t there

Verse 2

You weren’t there at my first concert at the Congress
Beatnuts, Organized Konfusion and Common 2
The crowd was crazy not just standin and starin
Reaction! Emotion was apparent 4
The Beatnuts killed it, I remember so clear
that’s why to this day they still get props over here
And either Pharohe was sick or the promoter was on bullshit
But he ain’t show, regardless Po killed the show
Haha and ya’ll think Common is soft?
Shhh … that night he went off!
Some dude pulled his Mic chord
And Yup, it was on!
It was unreal like, “what was I on”
Him and NO ID stomped the whole first row
With Timbaland boots, I was like whoaaaa!
My very 1st show and already, 5-0
But this would set the tone for hip-hop in the go
And I ain’t even spoke on the local shows
Back then it was Humble Quest and on da Lo
Euphonics and Chicago Tribe
Bboys,Mc’s,d’s, kings
4′s and vicelords all in the same scene
Shit was crazy, every week a fight
And to be honest it was no surprise
But I was shocked the night I seen that dude die …

Hook -

You weren’t there
Only I can see …
Plus a few true legends,
Listen, I am ME
Look I paid my dues so Hip-hop is me
And Chicago knows so keep an eye on me
I’ve seen em rise, I’ve seen em fall
Y’all don’t know this culture, I’ve seen it all
Before the net, the streets were here
I was all in them spots and you weren’t there