"WHAT IF?"

WHAT IF WE ALL TREATED ONE ANOTHER WITH RESPECT?

LOVED HARD WITH NO REGRETS!

WHAT IF RACISM NEVER EXISTED AMONG THE PLANET?

AND WE STOPPED COMPLAINING

TOOK TIME TO SOAK UP GOD'S BEAUTIFUL GIFTS N TOOK ADVANTAGE

THEN WOULD WE ALL BE ABLE TO CO-EXIST?

MAYBE NOT!

TELL THE TRUTH

CAUSE NEXT UP TO BAT IZ OUR YOUTH

WHAT IF IT RAINED FOREVER N THE SUN NEVER CAME OUT?

ANOTHER FLOOD TO WASH US AWAY TOO N OUR SINS NO DOUBT

THE RIGHT OF PASSAGE CAN SHINE THROUGH US ALL

BUT SOME OF US CHOOSE TO STAY STATIONARY N NEVER EVOLVE

WHAT IF MOST OF US WAS REALLY WILLING TO CONQUER OUR FEARS N DIE FOR A WORTHY CAUSE?

AND WHY DOES IT SEEM ALL THE POSITIVE WE DO DOESN'T OUTWEIGH OUR NEGATIVE FLAWS

WHAT IF YOU WERE BLIND N DEAF?!

STOOD ON STAGE 

FELT THE AUDIENCE 

BUT COULDN'T SEE OR HEAR THEE APPLAUSE!

WHAT IF WE COULD SEE PASS EACH OTHER'S SHORTCOMINGS, HURTS, LET DOWNS, SUFFERING, AND PAIN?

INTO THE HUMAN HEART

SEE DA PASSION IN ONE ANOTHER'S EYEZ N THE LOVE WE COULD SPREAD

INSTEAD OF POINTING FINGERS OR BEING MISREAD

SO DA SCENE YOU FLED WIT NO THREAD ON DA TIRES YOU TREAD

LABELED A RENEGADE 4 FOLLOWING YOUR OWN RULES FOR FEAR OF BEING MISLED

OR COULD IT BE THEY FEAR DA KNOWLEDGE DATZ IN YO HEAD

NOW YOUR DA TARGET N YOUR THEIR MISSION

WHAT IF WE TOOK DA TIME TO HEAR N LISTEN?

AND BE NOT SO QUICK TO JUDGE

YOU WAS A LIL' RELUCTANT ABOUT JUMPIN OFF DAT BRIDGE SO I GAVE YOU A NUDGE?

KEPT STOMPING ON YA FINGERS, BUT YOU WOULDN'T BUDGE!

SO NOW YOU DEAD N WANNA COME THROUGH MY T.V. CAUSE YOU HOLDIN A GRUDGE

WHERE'S DA LOVE?

I THOUGHT I DID YOU A FAVOR

NO MORE BLOCK HUGGIN,

NO MORE WORRIES OF PAPER

NO MORE ROBBERIES OR CAPERS

NO MORE BABYMAMA DRAMA

WHAT IF YOU PLUNGED IN FRONT OF A SLUG TO SAVE A STRANGER'S LIFE?

WOULD DAT SAME JUDGE GRANT YOU LENIENCY?

AFTER ALREADY TAKING ANOTHER MAN LIFE N RAPING HIS WIFE

WHAT IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE THAT KNIFE N STICK IT IN DAT MAN? 

LAYING THERE IN HIS OWN POOL OF BLOOD N SOME OF IT ON YOUR HANDS

WHAT IF YOU N YA WOLVES NEVER PULLED UP TO DA LIGHT N CARJACKED DAT LAMB

NOT GIVIN A FUCK! OR IGNORANT TO DA FACT HE JUST WORKED A DOUBLE-SHIFT N HE JUST WANNA GET HOME TO SEE HIS FAM

DAMN!

BETTER YET WHAT IF GOD NEVER FORGAVE YOU FOR ALL YA PAST CRIMES N YOU KNEW YOU WERE STILL GOING TO HELL N YET YOU STILL STOOD IN DAT LONG AZZ LINE

WAITING TO GET THROUGH HEAVEN'S GATES

COULDN'T MAKE IT RIGHT SO NOW IT'S TOO LATE!

BUT LIKE A DUMBAZZ YOU STILL CONTINUE TO WAIT

IN NO RUSH TO SEE THE DEVIL'S FACE, 

BUT ON DA EARTH'S SURFACE YOU WAS EAGER TO RUN BESIDE hIM AT A STEADY PACE!

MULTIPLE CHANCES GIVEN, BUT YOU CONTINUED TO WASTE

NOW YOU IN DA PIT HOLLERIN LIKE TONY DA TIGER FOR FROSTED FLAKES

TRYING TO GET SATAN TO TURN OFF DA FIERY LAKE N INSTALL AC TO COOL OFF DA BURNS YA CHEST HAS EXHAUSTED YO FLESH TO INTAKE 

BUT WHAT I WANNA KNOW IZ WHAT IF WE COULD ACTUALLY BE SET FREE FROM DIS TORTUREOUS HORRID PLACE?

WHAT IF YOU KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO DIE?!

WOULD DAT NOW CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR N MINDSTATE?

OR WOULD YOU CONTINUE TO RUN AROUND N BE A "MENACE TO SOCIETY" LIKE LARENZ TATE?

WHAT IF YA GIRL PERIOD CAME LATE?

WOULD YOU STAND BY HER SIDE N WIPE DA TEARZ FROM HER FACE

HANDLE YA RESPONSIBILITIES LIKE A MAN

OR LEAVE HER ALONE TO TEND TO HER OWN FATE?

DAT VERY SAME YOUNG LADY YOU LAYED DOWN WIT N A OFFSPRING YOU HELPED TO CREATE

DIS IS A TRAIT DAT CANNOT BE TAUGHT, IT HAS TO BE INSTILLED

PRESSURES OF LIFE BUST PIPES OR BUILD CHARACTER IN YO LANDFILL

WHAT IF KEEPIN IT REAL! WASN'T REALLY KEEPIN IT REAL!?

BUT INSTEAD CHOSE TO KEEP IT RIGHT N CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES IN YO LIFE

OUR CREATOR SAID, "THOU SHALL NOT STEAL OR TAKE NO LIFE"!!!!

BUT DEEZ HATERZ COME OUT DA WOODWORKS N TRY TO CHANGE DAT PLIGHT?

TO BE HONEST IT HAS NO BEARING IF IT'S LIGHT

BUT

WHODINI WAS RIGHT!

"FREAKS COME OUT AT NIGHT!"

GO AHEAD!

ROLL DEM DICE!

SEE WHAT YOU COME UP WIT 

AND TELL ME IF YA SOLUTIONS ARE DA ANSWERS TO DA WHAT IF'S N SOMEHOW OVERRIDE ALL DIS SHIT DAT I HAVE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU IN DIS LIST

MOST OF OUR URBAN COMMUNITIES ARE CONCRETE JUNGLE'S AS WE ARE SURROUNDED BY MURDEROUS SILVERBACK GORILLAS AWAITING TO ATTACK IN DA SHADOWS OF DA MIST

FUCK 
IT!

Y'ALL DON'T HEAR ME THO!

NIGH 
ROLL DAT SPLIFF!!!

"WHAT IF?" By Ra Shine McKoy