— “WE TAUGHT OURSELVES”

Yeah… Born in the late ’70s… Raised in the ’80s… Teenage in the ’90s… Before everybody had the money, the phones, the fancy equipment… We had a ball, a dream, and a whole lotta heart. This one for my family… My friends… And everybody who came up with nothing but still found a way to become something. [Hook] We taught ourselves, we didn’t need no team, No fancy uniforms, we was chasing the dream. Back in the ‘80s, then the ‘90s came, We played like champions before we knew the game. From one side of town to the other side, College kids stepped up, we was ready for the ride. Didn’t have the money, but we had that pride, We taught ourselves — and we wouldn’t back down. [Verse 1] Growing up in the ’80s, dirt underneath my shoes, Family and my friends, we had nothing to lose. No private coaches, no expensive camps, Just an empty field and some beat-up lamps. Like The Sandlot, we was young and wild, Making our own rules like a bunch of neighborhood children. Baseball, basketball, football in the street, Whatever ball we found, that’s the game we would beat. Couldn’t afford to play for schools or organized teams, So we built our own squad and started chasing dreams. Somebody bring the ball, somebody mark the line, “Next game, winner stays!” — yeah, that was our time. We didn’t have trophies sitting up on the shelf, But every victory taught us something about ourselves. We learned competition, learned how to fight, Learned how to lose — then come back the next night. [Hook] We taught ourselves, we didn’t need no team, No fancy uniforms, we was chasing the dream. Back in the ‘80s, then the ‘90s came, We played like champions before we knew the game. From one side of town to the other side, College kids stepped up, we was ready for the ride. Didn’t have the money, but we had that pride, We taught ourselves — and we wouldn’t back down. [Verse 2] Then the ‘90s hit, now we teenagers strong, Hip-hop in the speakers while we played all day long. Different side of town said, “Y’all can’t compete,” We showed up with confidence and fire in our feet. They might’ve had experience, they might’ve had age, But we had something different — hunger on the stage. College students pulled up thinking they were kings, We said, “Bring your best,” and we handled our business. No scholarship dreams, no stadium lights, Just neighborhood battles underneath the streetlights. Family in the stands, friends yelling our names, We weren’t playing for money — we were playing for the game. Every loss was a lesson, every win was a memory, Every teammate beside me became part of my history. We didn’t need somebody telling us what we could be, We looked at one another and said, “Watch and see.” [Bridge – slower, nostalgic] Those days don’t come back… But the memories never leave. We didn’t know we were building something special. We were just kids… Trying to have fun. Trying to prove ourselves. Trying to be the best we could be. [Verse 3 – harder flow] Now I’m looking back like, damn, we really did it, Started with nothing but we stayed committed. No expensive gear, no coach on the sideline, But everybody knew when our squad hit the timeline. We learned from each other, passed knowledge around, Built our own little league on the streets of our town. And when somebody doubted us, we answered with play, Didn’t have to talk much — let the scoreboard explain. That’s the part of my childhood I’ll always defend, Because family was family and a friend was a friend. We didn’t have much, but we had enough, A ball, a field, and a whole lotta love. So here’s to the ‘80s, here’s to the ‘90s, Here’s to the kids who were broke but still shining. If you grew up like me, then you already know— Sometimes having less makes your determination grow. [Final Hook] We taught ourselves, we didn’t need no team, No fancy uniforms, we was chasing the dream. Back in the ‘80s, then the ‘90s came, We played like champions before we knew the game. From one side of town to the other side, College kids stepped up, we was ready for the ride. Didn’t have the money, but we had that pride, We taught ourselves — and we wouldn’t back down. [Outro – spoken] To everybody I grew up with… My family… my friends… The ones who played until the sun went down… We may not have had much money… But we had each other. And back then? We didn’t need somebody to teach us how to dream. We taught ourselves. 🏆🔥