Performed by Left Eye featuring Andre Rison
From her 2001 solo debut, Supernova.
(All vocals performed by Left Eye unless otherwise indicated)
Andre Rison:
A quick story from rags to riches
Comin' to you from Supernova
AKA Left Eye
Give it to 'em
Give it to 'em
I'm goin, I'm goin
From rags to riches
Left Eye:
'Cause I can dig it y'all
Verse One:
I started off as an Army brat
Atten-hut!
Seven months old
Class act
I was racin' down the block
As a matter of fact
I could've been a track star
I guess I am
I stack bars
Comin' through ya system in them phat cars
Cross-country isn't that far
It's like I'm in the race
Don't know who you cats are
See, one day I fell from grace
Landed in this place
My innocence erased
From talkin' back to my momma's face
Like I was lost in space
Without a trace
Cuttin' class
Bein' Mrs. Fast Ass
Gettin blasted
With my Dad
Got caught up in the flash
My nana goin' straight mad
Had to make a dash
So I fell up in the streets
And did anything for cash
Do anything to crash
In anybody's pad
Give everything I had
It was all I could grab
Check it
And it was just a bunch of rags
Chorus (Andre Rison and Left Eye):
From rags to riches
From rags to riches
I'm goin' from rags to riches
I bet you I'ma be the richest
(4x)
Verse Two (Andre Rison):
Ding-ding, the bell ring
Landlord causin' a scene
Momma diggin' for the green last dollar
Dollar bill
To pay for the phone bill
Electic bill
Water bill
How you feel
When you make a meal
And move your momma to a house on the hill
With picture frame TV's on the wall
Ball out when she wanna ball
A cell phone for when she wanna call
She ballin' outta control
With her own bank roll
I got her back, though
One for the money
And two for the show
Momma's floors ain't clean
600 green outside
Showin' the many ways that God provides in lives
And who can see the bigger picture
And tell a story of bein' dead broke
To gettin richer
You know I'm gettin' wit ya in this paper chase
Rags to riches all up in your face
Chorus
Verse Three:
I remember sellin' coke
Can't believe that I was poisonin' my folk
Now let my throat be the antidote
Always kept my hopes high
Now Momma, don't cry
Cause I'll be close by
With the most high
I was playin' Robin Hood
In the 'hood
Little Red Riding Good
'Til the barrel pointed where I stood
Yeah, stood
But walked away
Like I was absolutely
Positively sure I could
Attitude on "fuck it"
Two dollars in the bucket
And schemin', steady dreamin'
On a chance to make some duckets
Cause a little ruckus on the sideline
Fully reconstructing every guideline
From the alleyway
To Cali on the Grammy day
Went from disarray
To mayday mayday mayday
Ran away from the sickness
With the quickness
And went from rags to richness
Chorus