[Hook: Chris Martin] Tryin’ hard to speak and Fightin’ with my weak hand Driven to distraction So part of the plan When somethin’ is broken And you try to fix it Tryin’ to repair it Anyway you can
[Verse 1: Swizz Beatz] The time was the late 80's Every block had a stray dog with rabies Fiends threw away their crack babies Arguin’ with my brother to see who pick the mouse up Walk by, open up the oven door to heat the house up Everyday, police would swarm Comin’ home from school, your brains on your uniform I wish I could fly away on a unicorn I'm from the ghetto and everyday a human’s born So who cares if I'm stretched out on the scene? Surrounded by homicide forensic team Yellow tape, haters glad that I'm dead Pedestrians walkin’ by and they just shakin’ their heads saying
[Hook]
[Verse 2: Swizz Beatz] What's hot, what's not, what should, what shouldn't be Come on y'all who to say what couldn't be? Look at me, I'm nicest not the iciest Sometimes I wake up and ask God, who life this is? I look at these eyes, I'm only in this body If you only could understand the vision that I carry White actors will be like Puff Daddy when he interned Men play with fire, men get burned To talk about this, the only thing I earned I can rap, I’m talkin’ about killin’ you like this Or puttin’ a hole in your head the size of that But that would be cheatin’ myself and I can't do that, man
[Hook]
[Verse 3: Swizz Beatz] Man, it all ends up on a back street In abandoned buildings where the crack heads meet All you hear is and lighters flicking Busy smoking, baby dead, rat poison in the kitchen They so high, walkin’ by, thinkin’ she asleep Don't even put her in the crib, just cover her with a sheet This is me in the building 17 with the bundles and a gun up on me And I shoot any nigga run up on me And for 2 years my momma lookin’ for me Cryin’, runnin’ up on other kids thinkin’ it's me By now I ain’t got no heart Nigga, I'm a gang member, suited up and I’m ready to start