Verse 1:

When I was 10 I used to ball a lot/
Killer crossover they would call me ruck/
Leader of my school team I rarely missed a shot/
I was short but made sure I always made the squad/

See my parent's used to fight a lot, so I would hide a lot/
Shooting on the black top/
Neighbours would complain, saying that I need to stop/
That kid bouncing the ball needs to call it off/

My dad would storm out the home/
Into the garage, puff cigars all alone/
I'd be shooting free throws I could hear him on the phone/
Making ends meet cos he feared us being broke/

Your basketball shoes are on the way now/
Dad how much longer do I have to wait now?/
Sorry mate, it's late the cars about to break down/
I need it for my job otherwise I don't get paid now/

My commissions coming soon and ill get paid out/
When's it coming through cos mums about to break down/
He could see it on my face now/
After that its you Ruck, I promise we will take you out/

In primary school as kids/
We played with chain nets, it was the sound of the swish/
It was more than lunch time it was a chance for me to win/
It was more than just an exit it's the only way I lived/

Chorus:

So I'd run into the night/
No one else knows that I'm here/
Aint No shadow by my side/
But there ain't anything that I fear/

I'd shoot on into the night/
No one else knows that I'm here/
Ain't No shadow by my side/
I Guess I ain't going home.../

Verse II:

Man, I worked so hard one summer/
Sweat through all my tees, i was draining all my jumpers/
Play without fear, no better way to show the hunger/
I was in a state of mind, I only wanted state numbers/

Then came the day we had our try outs/
I was possessed, eyes focused on the prize now/
I made it through, impressed everyone/
But the one guy I worked so hard to prove it was my time now/

Young coach with acclaim/
Newest to the club I guess he wants to make a name/
Saw me round school, figured I could take the blame/
And hated flashy kids even with, a good game/

There were guys here I know that couldn't last/
See I was taking shots when he told me I should pass/
Yeah we know you made them, we won't ever let your start/
You possess all the moves, but you need to check your heart/

Youre not ready for our style, join the little leagues/
Speechless in the moment he was crushing all my dreams/
Points me to door, tells me I should leave/
Then in front of everyone goes and cuts me front the, team...

Bridge:

Cigar smoke blows out the garage door/
Talking on the telephone making all the calls/
God bless the kid I hear bouncing the ball/
Somebody send a miracle before I lose it all/

Verse III:

Yeah, So I put it in my poems/
That same coach is the critic saying i cant write a song/
The same DJ that won't ever put me on/
The same fucking manager that went and tried to rip me off/

I won't settle down, I should have never given up/
I should have walked back in the stadium and beat the fucker up/
Instead I went home, sat in my backyard/
Tears rolling down my cheek as dad puffed on his cigars/

As I reflect on my scars/
I don't have regrets to what happened in my past/
Some of us need lessons that will tell us who we are/
This music was a teacher telling me to get back up/

Even when I'm beaten down, I ain't throwing in the towel/
And fuck the cool kids that think I shouldnt be around/
Believe in yourself, that's my oath, its my vowel/
Young king fighting lions, I ain't lying to myself/

Chorus x 1