Rites of passage

Father knew incarceration
As did your grandfather
Your brother pushes drugs
A neighborhood rooted
In the art of hustling

We would rather
Not hear about it
A blemish on our heritage
It is rather ironic
When it comes to money

Pride and morals
Character and ethics
Take a backseat to greed
This is what you know
It is what you do

We make our money now
We can outrun and outlast
The consequences of this
We are not wearing Levi's again
We are not driving yugos

Life is killing us anyway
Money we do not have
On a college education
Underpaid and overworked
We can open businesses

Be a clothing designer
Start a record label
Open a few stores
Get out of the drug race
Everyone else has done it

There are other ways
How to get this money
Want the same things
Piece of this country's dream
Doubt in your right mind

You will take this route
Yet in your passage
Into manhood towards
Masculinity, innovation
Concerning solutions

How to best navigate
Around obstacles, creativity
Mental limitations, to
Exercise, ponder, best
Way out of this hell