Once upon a time there was a man named Jose, he was Dominican
One of the biggest hustlers in the 80's
Uptown, early 80's he met a little lady
Her name was Mercedes that's Spanish for Mercedes
Late 80's, Jose and Mercedes had a baby
Born right after Raegan's era
They named her Jesenia
The cutest and the calmest thing
She barely cried, Little Jessie was born in '89 at the dawn of spring
Jose was proud 'cause he comes from nothing
All he knows is hustling, grew up barefoot, Dominican Republic
But now he make sure they always have the fresh kicks
Jose pushing Lexus, they always have the best shit
So life was good, Jose did everything he could
And Mercedes never worked, he was moving all that work
Things are looking up
Life was good, Jose did everything he could
And Mercedes never worked, he was moving all that work
But fast forward '94 when little J was only five
The same month that I was born, mid-July
One day just changed her life
Her dad got caught up in the heights
Tragic, sad shit, in the whip, mad bricks
Got sentenced to eleven
And right after got deported
But I'll save shit for later
'Cause right now it's not important
Mercedes didn't know what to do
Mercedes didn't know what to do
All she knew was trap dollars
Couple months past, spent what was left of dad's guala
She was scooped young, and
Never worked a day in her life
They got evicted, living
Shelter to shelter, dinner nothing but rice
Little Jessie, stomach grumbling, her nose in the book
And they pretending, but she could read the troubling looks
After 3 years they got
An apartment with her aunt and her family
Nothing crazy, a one bedroom in the Bronx
Mercedes worked 80hrs
Two families of eight
In a one bedroom, never had her own space
Only space in her mind, books were her escape
Who knew that'll be the thing that make her great
'Cause she got into Harvard
She's Harvard bound
She's Harvard bound
Yeah, Harvard bound
Things are looking up
She went to college full time
Worked fifty hours weekly
Got through it, two jobs, straight A's, it wasn't easy
Now little J is grown and she's got some kids herself
Trying to make it on her own and she's trying to build some wealth
But her fam asking for loans, and she feels she's gotta help, not
Everybody made it out
She just gave without a doubt
But know it's getting out of hand, it's f*cking up her plans
They don't seem to understand she can't get the upper hand
3K for bail, cousin, commissary for her brother jail, it's nothing
Mom Mercedes always getting tied with shark lenders
And J would always help, but she said she won't help her, fed up
But they know the crib J live and all her business ventures
Wasn't cool, sent her pictures of her kids at the school
Told her pay up, we know where you and your kids stay up
You on the hook for your moms or
Something's gonna happen
Now, J hates Jose
J hates Jose for her life
J hates Jose for trapping