Dear Lord As we down here, struggle for as long as we know In search of a paradise to touch (my nigga Johnny J) Dreams are dreams, and reality seems to be the only place to go The only place for us I know, try to make the best of bad situations Seems to be my life's story Ain't no glory in pain, a soldier's story in vain And can't nobody live this life for me It's a ride you all, a long hard ride
[2Pac] Somebody wake me I'm dreaming, I started as a seed the semen Swimming upstream, planted in the womb while screaming on the top, was my pops, my momma screaming stop From a single drop, this is what they got Not to disrespect my peoples but my poppa was a loser Only plan he had for momma was to fuck her and abuse her Even as a little seed, I could see his plan for me Stranded on welfare, another broken family Now what was I to be, a product of this heated passion Momma got pregnant, and poppa got a piece of ass Look how it began, nobody gave a fuck about me Pistol in my hand, this cruel world can do without me How can I survive? Got me asking white Jesus will a nigga live or die, 'cause the Lord can't see us in the deep dark clouds of the projects, ain't no sunshine No sunny days and we only play sometimes When everybody's sleeping I open my window jump to the streets and get to creeping I can live or die, hope I get some money 'fore I'm gone I'm only 19, I'm trying to hustle on my own on the spot where everybody and they pops trying to slang rocks I'd rather go to college, but this is where the game stops Don't get it wrong 'cause it's always on, from dusk to dawn You can buy rocks glocks or a herringbone You can ask my man he's a mind reader Keep my nine heated all the time this is how we grind Meet up at the cemetery then get smoked out, pass the weed nigga That Hennessey'll keep me keyed nigga Everywhere I go niggaz holla at me, "Keep it real G" And my reply till they kill me Act up if you feel me, I was born not to make it but I did The tribulations of a ghetto kid, still I rise
[Ta'He] Still I (still I) I rise (I rise) Please give me to the sky (the sky) And if (and if) I die (I die) I don't want you to cry
[Hussein Fatal] I stay sharp as always Running ya bricks with blitz, through ya project hallways Dumping crews like two's, nigga all day Secrets of war prepare me for the worst A life that's lavish full of cabbage or a life that's in a hearse But now my dreams it seeems though, be placing triple beams and things bro Diamond pinkie ring got the loot poppin out my jeans
[Outlawz] Now I plan to keep my glock cocked If trouble was searchin for me then why not? Show em what I'm made of plus raised on, on my block Chancellor Ave, where many turn to the street, thugs snatching bags We out for power, making cash it wasn't fast it'll make me mad I'm just like, pimping My homey on the corner with his gat tucked, in Youngest they bucking somethin the life he leads the life he don't need, don't we all know He trying to rise up and we just go doe, still he rise
[Outlawz] Dreams of lost hope I hit the strip broke where the fiends get coke and still I rise now I float cowards ghost Whenever we come around, I'm running down clutching a pound, live as sirens, ducking the sound I used to hustle with my moms till the sun came My homey Harm doing time from this drug game Stolen cars, war scars, born a Outlaw Behind bars, go to sleep just to see the stars Freedom is ours, though we trapped on a firm block Crackheads only ten learn to duck cops
[Khadafi] In ninety-six my glock's my plastic, passion for blasting bastards No faces for open caskets, peeling ya cap backwards Ya cowards ain't prepared