back when breakfast was a bag of chips
between mom and dad, the sadest trips
a young man who had a wish, to have a platinum disc
my parents gave life, the streets gave a family
and with the damage in my life, the streets saved my sanity
was in a room where the dog would shit and piss is where we slept
and soon it was all hit or miss and unfair regrets
no one ever gave a helping hand or ever showed remorse
and dear ol’ dad left us with a tab, we had to pay the cost
of course there wasn’t any helping relatives to lend
a hand or a plate of food
we broke and they like q stay in school
couldn’t play the rules, had to find another way
so while my brother played, i strayed away to get a “j”
and brighten mothers day
i brought the storm cause i was born and raised in ignorance
and with an alkoholic step dad, who gives a shit
in the end it all boils down to one thing
q-unique the diamond in the ruff, now watch the son bling

hook: (2x’s)
these… streets test ya, q-unique under deep pressure
wisdom speaks, who needs a lecture
my soul dark coal, compressed and skuffed
i guess strivin aint enough for the diamond in the ruff

2nd verse:
now i know lots of people in high places
but that doesn’t equal my career spotted in the right spaces
i talk it up with legends and laugh it up with favorites
the momment passes up and then i gotta hit the pavement
no man’s responsible for another man’s path
but in other camps i see other man’s increasin’ other man’s math
a question of loyalty or a question of greed
and if i question the authority they won’t let q lead
cats hold on to they spots like a niga’s gonna rob ‘em
like the world’ll pass ‘em up and what they did ‘ll get forgotten
and i had brothers backs from the beginning
always showed support, and always celebrated when a brother man was winning
and i played the background for too long
wwf put the smack down in a true song
adds to the pressure when i’m rhymin in the cut
mother fuckers is threatened by the diamond in the ruff

hook: (2x’s)
these… streets test ya, q-unique under deep pressure
wisdom speaks, who needs a lecture
my soul dark coal, compressed and skuffed
i guess strivin aint enough for the diamond in the ruff

3rd verse:
and the struggle goes on…
but not without the help of friends who’s friendship
i’m defending to the end
and even after then, if i should see the gates of heaven ahead of you
i’m makin sure that shit is right for you rather than someone instead of you
yo swel, you my heart dog, thanks for always being there
through the ups and downs, you was the one whos always seeing clear
legs put me on revamped the rock steady name
when i started out he helped a niga get a little fame
you was there homie on the day of my seeds birth
and the girl eka told me that q should lead first
ill bill you believed and co-signed
saw skill dropped green so we both shine
and dreamed of the gold rhyme
and even when some spoke against it
ya proved to me that it was more than beats and rhymes and it was all a friendship
so many names i could say this time aint enough
heres a thanks if you deserve it from the diamond in the ruff

hook: (2x’s)
these… streets test ya, q-unique under deep pressure
wisdom speaks, who needs a lecture
my soul dark coal, compressed and skuffed
i guess strivin aint enough for the diamond in the ruff