XV - Pictures on My Wall

This song in particular really hammers home the underlying reason why I choose to allocate some of my spare time to this blog. Role models can show a sliver of hope in a world full of hurt. In verse 3 XV tells his story of an abusive father who tries to crush any and all ambition, luckily with no avail. To appreciate the power of music, and even more so than that, idolize those very artists who are capable of opening a door where pain can subside is a remarkable feat. I love the song, I love XV's ability to simply yet eloquently get his point across, and even more so than any of that I love the fact that having rappers to idolize got this man to where he is today.

Lyrics: XV - Pictures on My Walls

I can't breathe in this place thats filled with your sound

Can't call a spade a spade in this town

Dug a hole that I can't get out

I can't figure it I can't figure it out

Out

Out

It was a pinup

The magazines were print up

That made me pick the pen up

That kept a nigga's chin up

That turn loosers into winners in that moment that we would give up

Couldn't die down the expectations they thought that we would live up

It was everything most parents hated

Nigga's with dreams wearing bling screaming that they made it

New York rappers said son
West coast niggas said cuz

Midwest dudes said fam

Damn no wonder why I related

Relayed it to my grandmother that bought me comics

To be honest it didn't bother her as much as momma

Drama expected like the nomination of Obama

Kept me hiding out in my room like Osama

Stepfather didn't dig it

They were shoveling dreams to an underage teen

Whose real father couldn't visit

So I put on those headphones and just listened

As the murals on the wall turned a kingdom from a prison

I hear em singing

Keep your head up high keep mine above the ground

Hide away the love that I found

Its a world that I can't get out

I can't figure it I can't figure it out

Hanging pictures on the wall

Always on my mind

I can't figure it out

I know its crazy to think my pictures talked

And we created a rocket

I got it in and it and lifted off

When maybe the latter was kinda gone

And the former was kinda wrong

So all I have is these songs and posters up on the wall

Sometime I took them to school to feel cool

Couldn't bring the cd the case was a jewel

And I refused to burn money

I'm saving green and my room you walk in and think it was ferngully

And beef wasn't allowed

Pac was next to Biggie and Dre was next to Easy

The idea was profound I'd turn the music loud

And put on my own recital

In a room full of my idols and feel less suicidal

Trade a pencil sharpener for urban marketing

Lawyer doctor in for street scholarin'

White collar for police collarin'

Mom and pops hollarin' but I just tune it out

The tune as loud as I begin it says

Keep your head up high keep mine above the ground

Hide away the love that I found

Its a world that I can't get out

I can't figure it I can't figure it out

Hanging pictures on the wall

Always on my mind

I can't figure it out

Knocks on my door came from the same fist

That just knocked me to the floor

Punch me in the chest and then clock me in the jaw

Whats wrong with dad

I haven't done a thing school that was this bad

His ass doesn't care

Trying to fight back but it doesn't fair

Why'd my mom let this nigga come in here

She'd begins to come to tears

I'm screaming it's all your fault

He says whats this bullshit up on your wall

As I look up to the ceiling to weak to respond

With these posters of mere mortals thats seeming like Gods

Trying to stand up to my feet to just even the odds

But he just knocks be back down and screams at my moms

He starts seeing a bond between me and these pictures

He says look at these niggas what are they father figures

Now its hard to ignore

That all I live for is now balled up on the floor