00:10When I first met you, I was intrigued. I was in Gangster's Paradise. Then I'd see you were down with
00:16a lot of guys, but not in a bad way. It was an art-making pathway. You were lovable. So
00:23I had to get to know you were discoverable.
00:25I saw how you switched it up, and that you were smart. Grew like a kid up. Then I'd take
00:31part. We became great friends. You met some of my friends, but mostly I met yours. And they were nice,
00:37as sure as sure can be. In fact, I took after them. Together we all listened to Nas and Eminem.
00:44Pac and Biggie, then Exhibit. The Wildest Men, if you can call the men as they were back then.
00:49We listened to Common. So much in common. Lupe Fiasco was awesome. It was said around that time to be
00:56dead. Though I promised to you that you would always be a part of who I am until I'm dead.
01:02I didn't know back then that it was love, but it was. So we got much deeper. Not many people
01:08had what we had. We met many people. They touched us deeply, and also we touched them deeply.
01:14We picked up CDs of Wayne and T.I. Thrift stores. We hit those to get more. We became fiends
01:20in the best way possible. We made music and press play non-stoppable, if you will.
01:25When we hit a rough patch, you stuck around. Truth be told, you were two in the muck all along,
01:30but we stayed together.
01:31Because there was something much greater at play than either of us could have anticipated.
01:36In it for the long haul, we committed to make it happen.
01:39I said some cruel things, but it didn't get to you. And your mood swings, I took cool whenever you
01:44had on your mood ring.
01:46I saw deep down you were human and soothing. I started changing myself for the better.
01:51We stayed strong and stayed close. I focused on the love inside of you, not the little flaws that's trivial.
01:57We were inseparable. Then we had more people come into our lives.
02:02Sky Blue and Ohenie Savant. Lady Paradox and Hobie Wasra.
02:05We connected with Illogic and Carino the God. Christoph Crane. Killer Priest was still doing his thing.
02:11As it turned out, I happened to check out Replicator and the group Futurology.
02:15But now there's Miles Better and Atlas Works, respectively. We would surge with the insurgent.
02:21Exodus Pain was still bringing the pain in a wise way.
02:24How could I not say something about Alex X was a lot like me?
02:28Johnny Cipher. Such a raw MC. And honest as can be.
02:31Mind Bender. Expand the Mind. Encouragement Kid. Tom from Australia.
02:36Frankie D. Pet Niko. Hard as ever. Smart and clever.
02:40And on the Hall of Fame, Miss Yvonne DePaul's name, probably.
02:43So lovely. So through thick and thin. We're still the best of friends.
02:47Holding hands, cause we're soulmates. Damn it feels so great.
02:50Compared to this, there is nothing so nice.
02:52Cause hip-hop, you're the love of my life.
02:55I've beenació.
02:55Be yankum, I love you.
03:01By Merck, I'm a Ray.
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