[Kendrick Lamar] Lifestyles of a kid that never had shit Living off that bad shit, that shoot shit, that stab shit Rock a flag and don't give a fuck about U.S. flag shit George Bush got some nerve, fuck a war, we tryna serve motherfucking eight-balls till we live at the pool hall and knock billiards out of business, ya bitch That's my surroundings in Compton, have common sense Smell death in the air round here, that's a common scent You know the gunpowder You when your homie barely blink he just done powder, only at seventeen You know the common statistic inspired by Hoop Dreams Now hired by street schemes of getting blood money I try my best to stay focussed and hope the city love me Pray it's not lust, cause if it is I'll be dead in a month Lord forbid, for the good kid, they took his life She want her baby back like a cooked rib, but that's just life where I'm from
[Chorus: Kendrick Lamar] If there's a shining star Hope my city's not too far So we can live again See, where I come from it's hard Hope all over we can start So we can live again, so we can live again
[CurT@!n$] I seen this youngun on the train, I had to pick his brain He said he on his way uptown to get a brick of 'caine He said he needed a come up cause selling nicks was lame He needed a change, so I gave him fifty cent He looked at me like I was crazy, I said listen man I'd rather give you my last to see you live again Just cause you change what you pitching don't make the difference You gotta get off the mound and put the game down Petty thoughts could keep your brain down I leave you with that jewel, go get the chain now, and put it together See, coming up we ain't have shit to keep our mind focussed I love Mike, but it was a hassle trying to buy Jordans My nigga hustled all day in front of the corner store to get a pair, and niggas killed him right in front of the mall Huh, so all that hustling for nothing then I threw my pair on the light pole because of him like, fuck it man
[Chorus]
[ScHoolboy Q] Tryna move forward, though it never stops A mother's son dead, was killed by some kids, popped shots They back and forth Murder for murder, the beef recycled is vital No idols, bunch of 'em read bibles Allies that turned to rivals, niggas turned street disciples Smokers get high as Eiffels Addicted to being fiends cause of Feds, as we pledge to let our plague spread Tiny this, and if it that they banging back as they a-dapt to being black, straps and gang tats, look Rats get mouse traps, can't afford tuition But hit a lick, I bet I earn crack, I heard that Looking at the sky, just hoping that a light will shine Daylight saving time all the time on this block of mine All the time with this Glock of mine Swear to God man it ain't a rhyme, I grind for a piece of mind Co-sign
[Chorus]
[Excerpt of Black Ice performing on Def Poetry] "When you look at my brothers, what's your first impression? Does the sight of us leave you guessing, or do you understand the stressing? The aggression, the look of no hope on my niggas' faces like the Lord overlooked us when he handed down his graces You see embraces fall short on the numb tips of street entrepreneur fingers Stuck on the walls of the project halls where the coke smell still lingers External blingers is all we can be, cause on the inside we've been given nothing to shine on And a gig is harder to get than coke, so niggas get they grind on cause the TV tells us, aim high nigga, make all goals lateral But see that takes paper that we don't have so niggas put they souls up as collateral Now, some niggas reclaim 'em, some blame 'em, make an excuse to sell 'em But when a nigga goes from not doin