Twelve Candles for Dee

Dee was the first one on the block with a pair of brand new Js Shared 'em with his cousin every other Saturday He could talk his way past any bouncer, any cop Had a laugh like summer thunder, made the whole room stop Then one night in October somebody made a choice Now the corner where he stood just got an echo for a voice Twelve candles on the sidewalk, flickering in the rain His mama on her knees saying his whole name We was supposed to make it out together, side by side Now I'm rapping for the both of us, carrying the ride They painted him on the liquor store wall with some angel wings Kids still stop and touch it like it's gonna fix things I kept his old Walkman, tape still in the deck Same song on repeat, I ain't ready to forget Twelve candles on the sidewalk, flickering in the rain His mama on her knees saying his whole name We was supposed to make it out together, side by side Now I'm rapping for the both of us, carrying the ride If heaven got a ghetto, I hope they let him in I hope he got a front row seat and a pocket full of wind Tell God that he was good, he just was born too close to fire Rest easy, Dee