Didn't take nothing that I didn't need 'Cause they didn't offer classes in what I want to be They didn't offer manhood responsibility Had to learn it the hard way, earn my degree in the streets
Graduated from hard knocks, I got my education And hard knocks cared a little about the situation Hard knocks, got the bumps and the bruises to prove it Hard knocks
Can't bust through the ceiling without feeling the burn And I ain't got nothing that I didn't earn Chasing that dollar, still hitting the books Studying Donnie and Stevie, I learn to sail the hooks
Talk about those hard knocks, got the bumps and the bruises to prove it Hard knocks, got the rhyme and the reason to choose it Hard knocks out on the streets Hard knocks
Had a real good teacher named Mr. Life Didn't teach no chemistry but he taught me how to fight Didn't teach biology but I learned it from the birds and the bees Said stay close to your friends, closer to your enemies
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah that's right Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, so right
I graduated from hard knocks, I got my education And hard knocks getting in and out of situations Hard knocks, got the bumps and the bruises to prove it Hard knocks, oh Lord
Feeling at my soul, all the heads in pain From my hard knocks I've got the bumps and the bruises to prove it Deep inside, oh yeah