[Intro: La the Darkman]
Word life, Tyreef, know what I'm saying?
I'm tired of all this east coast, west coast, down south, sh**
You know what I'm saying, word up, it's already hard enough to survive
Doing what I'm doing, knowhatimsaying, word up
And all ya'll cats is popping off the mouth, you know
That's all, that's all
[La the Darkman]
I grew up quick, now I know life's a b**h
Then you die, n***as with guns, multiply
Hot lead, touching your skin, definetly gonna fry
Like a knife, kid, slicing a pie
My man Bogo caught a two-five, shell to his eye
Son said he saw his life fly, in the sky
Questioned why, motherf**as wanna act deranged
Do a nickel, come home, ain't a damn thing changed
Aches and pains, seem to corrupt my brain
I can die today, the whole world is insane
But f** that, I'm try'nna live phat, die like a mobster
Bricks in the safe, filled a plate, fish and lobster
But now, I do the best I know how
Cuz my life as a man is from my life as a child
I survived... word...
[Chorus 2.5X: sample w/ ad-libs]
Cuz it's so hard nowadays, just say it now...
Everybody's trying their best to survive
[La the Darkman]
I'm grinding self, since I made it through this drug game
Seen my brother in a casket, now my memory's stained
I remember, we had a hot plate to cook
No stove and no food, how the f** that look?
Pops was shook, nowhere to be found on this peninsula
sh** was getting realer, starting smoking six mill' up
Glorification, rolling up L's is automatic
Growing up around thugs, smoking cess became a habit
A bad one, a bad seed, put here to bleed
In a world of temptation, lust, envy and greed
For the root of all the cops, civil wars, the sequel
I'm keep this real, and send a message to my people
You know, it's about respect and revenge
Let's meet all seeds, and stand up and be men
Get knowledge, and education, so you slip incarceration
And all this mental frustration
Behind black bars, is the place for no man
Big up to Big E., locked down, doing ten
Survive, baby...
[Chorus 2X]