Another shakedown, the corners crawling with cops, Take your money and your work like its some insider (?) There ain't no stake now, lost your fork and your plate I had the bank roll slow but they confiscated The minor setback, and I'll be back in a week This money don't come easy, even harder to keep You got to calculate, and come up with a plan My man with front my what I need, I get him back when I can.
Ba-ba-but-bah-ba [repeat ]
You know these bar where built way before my time Those artist with iron bars street with lines (?), Got different neighborhoods, and different rules to abide by, Stay on the sidelines, if you want to slide by Untouched, by all the dirt and grime, Sooner or later you'll be knee deep, open your eyes, And wade through, just like a US troop I'm dodging bullets like a matador cape to the bull.
[musical interlude]
Another setback, I'm back up grip the street, I've got some money in my sock, and I need some relief Cop a ten sack, but that ain't gett'n me far, I put the hammer to the nail, and the nail to my arm And know I'z way slow, blow the Chinese breeze That hit me like a ton of brick and had me down on my knees And that's the last time, I trade a dime for a dime Skipping stones, flipp'n coins, out their grinding my time.