I've kept my passion stored in bags and boards
since '95--about the time my moms and dad divorced
they passed the torch--dropped it--left me badly scorched
in family courts--and that's the source--ofcourse
X-force--escorted me through ordinary life--and taught me to fight
conformity--in order for me to be this dork on the mic
contort what I write--to keep the rhyme margins tighter
the lines are darkened so they're not hard to decipher
and if they are you've only completed part of the cypher
artist, martyr, and writer--took two bars and started a fire
this sketchbook is a textbook--a direct look at what I am
took a left hook to the eye--now I'm dead--booked at a signin' forever
put these lines together--I'm resurrected through the rhymes and sketches
and knew this sketchbook would get me through to my purpose
cuz every picture's worth sixty-two point five verses--a thousand words

It's the sketchbook of the dead--I've got nothin' left
no disrespect--you know I love my friends
sketchbook of the dead--and once it's read
you'll understand why I want revenge

Compare the scars up my sleeve to the mark that I'll leave when I'm gone
they'll say my life was like an R&B song--gone horribly wrong
I'm an artist so it's partially drawn
from the part of me that's hardly seen and hardly needs to belong
and if you think I wanna leave then you're perceiving it wrong
the pieces never got released and that's the reason I'm gone
still--I scribble pictures for my little sister
hopin' it'll give her just a sliver of my old endeavors
so whenever I'm with her--I wither--but I'm always there
hold me--smear the finish--but show me you care
it's only a tear--compared to this terrible nightmare
wake up--look where I drew--right there
nowadays the space I inhabit is a basement or attic
and this place is animated like it's breaking the habit
outta time and I'm just tryin' to set a positive image
but I'm haunted by the drawings I am not gonna finish

This is the sketchbook of the dead--I've got nothin' left
no disrespect--you know I love my friends
sketchbook of the dead--and once it's read
you'll understand why I want revenge

Got Vertigo as I Marvelled at the Image of DC
when they search through all my art I hope they give it to Jim Lee
he could've been an M.D. but chose scriptin' and pencilling
it was the best thing to happen in comics--I have to be honest
I practiced everyday--they trashed my assignments
put in eighty hours of work and on the back an A minus
the faculty's biased--I never even asked for the guidance
that's the way it is--take this shit--masquerade it and hide it
do what you can--ripped apart the art I used to defend and drew it again
--cuz improvement is the truest revenge
I honed this craft--it's now boarding but'll never take off
so I'm mappin' out the story in sketches and stray thoughts
remember erase often to correct your mistakes
I left the sketches just in case I didn't get to explain
and you couldn't believe what the hell I drew
cuz artists use lies to tell the truth

It's the sketchbook of the dead--I've got nothin' left
no disrespect--you know I love my friends
sketchbook of the dead--and once it's read
you'll understand why I want revenge