Chorus: You better watch yourself, Down in the South, We don't take disrespect, Down in the South; You better watch yourself, Down in the South, Niggas here lose their neck, Down in the South. Verse One: It's not the Wild Wild West Down here's, the Dirty South Where we're known for gripping grain And keeping gold in our mouth; Don't come round here talking slick Or you'll get ran out the town, Got a posse full of outlaws Known for putting it down; Quick to put your ass to sleep You won't remember a sound, Have your people looking for you Tucked in lost and found; If you get to talking big Might find you sleep underground, Down here, we play for keeps There ain't no playing around; Roll the dice but roll'em right Know that you play for your life, One wrong step and you can bet You can get smoked like a pipe; Have your picture on a shirt Forever resting in dirt, So much pain from your momma's cries That your soul feels the hurt; We've been marked for death since birth But still we're making it work, Keeping 4-4 by our side While watching niggas that lurk; And police in my area Seem to all go berserk, When they see us coming through They know we put them to work. (Rang the Alert) Chorus: You better watch yourself, Down in the South, We don't take disrespect, Down in the South; You better watch yourself, Down in the South, Niggas here lose their neck, Down in the South. Over Chorus: Down here, down here Verse Two: Saddle up let's take a ride Down here, to my side Where your life could be cut short, In the twinkle of an eye; Where your quick to get locked up Even with alibis, That's just how the world turns Everyday of our lives; Find it hard to keep composure But Lord knows that I try, Do my best to save a nation From it's own genocide; Know for years them jackets lied Since they caused the divide, Got us trying to kill each other Over blue and red ties; Over Black and White lines It's time you open your eyes, Know the devil is alive He's just in a disguise; Putting mad shit on your brain Can't tell the truth from the lies, Got you living your life angry Like the Lord of the Flies; If you think this place is fair Then your in for a surprise, From Wild West to Dirty South And in the East where it rise; They keep calling it a game But never seen what's the prize, While others learn to invest We only learn to survive. (Just stay alive) Chorus: You better watch yourself, Down in the South, We don't take disrespect, Down in the South; You better watch yourself, Down in the South, Niggas here lose their neck, Down in the South. Over Chorus: Down here, down here Verse Three: Niggas quick to run up on you strapped And leave your body in a ditch, God bless your soul, Police frame you and tell you'll get years If you don't become a snitch, Their hearts are cold; Trying to keep your head above water While the rich get even more rich, Chasing that gold, Knowing that they're wrong cause when you Walk by all they seem to do is flinch, Hate takes it's toll; Raised to keep it real, my nigga Know how you feel Where it seems our only options Are to kill or be killed; See another brother murdered Like Philando Castile, All the systematic hatred Signed in bill after bill; Never let them see you scared When they get in your grill, Tell them God made me a man And I'm going to stand a man still; You can try to force your will But your just wasting your time, Know the South taught me resilience There's no stopping my shine. (I'm getting mine) Chorus: You better watch yourself, Down in the South, We don't take disrespect, Down in the South; You better watch yourself, Down in the South, Niggas here lose their neck, Down in the South. Over Chorus: Down here, down here After Final Chorus: God bless your soul, Their hearts are cold, Chasing that gold, Hate takes it's toll.

Under Chorus: Ne-, ver, Give, up; (No) Verse One: I've been cooking all my life, Just to find, the right recipe, Hustling since fourteen On them streets, where them dealers be; Taught to play it cool, When the heat, gets too hot for me, Grown through situations Like yeast, rise to victory; Ridding through the city Getting blazed, with my family, See those haters creeping So I turn, till the coast is free; Hit a back street, Roll a sweet, then turn up the beat, Lay back in my seat, Call a freak, tell her where to meet; They know I go deep, Like sheep, I put them straight to sleep, Be out the next morning To grind, making my salary; Do it every week, To keep, some shoes, on my feet, Stacking up my paper So my goals, can soon be complete; Check up on my homies Give them dap, where the drank be, Pouring up a cup, Of that stuff, like I'm Pimp C; Then back on the road, Bare my load, build my legacy, Before I get old, Grab a hold, of my destiny. Chorus: Forever a hustler, Survivor and warrior, Defying statistics Cause I never will surrender; Haters can't contender, Send them back to sender, Struggling all my life And with my life play no pretender. Under Chorus: Ne-, ver, Give, up; (No) Verse Two: The nights are getting colder As I fight to stay warm, Out here in the streets Trying my best to stay calm; Don't get it but I'm in it Like the eye of the storm, Trying to get some footing When my shoes are all torn; I hear them jackals tell me There's no need for alarm, While they do all they can To bring the most harm; Don't want me to get by Unless I'm buying the farm, Laid, off in my casket Where the magnets can swarm; Prepared to let them have it In these streets I was born, Facing daily mortality Like working the morg; Hardened my emotions Can't resist like a Borg, Entwined with a machine Hope they don't pull the cord; Depression's setting in Where my doubts are all stored, But hope keeps me alive Dreams are life support; I'm going to keep believing Never will I abort, If the ball's in my hands Then I'm owning the court. Chorus: Forever a hustler, Survivor and warrior, Defying statistics Cause I never will surrender; Haters can't contender, Send them back to sender, Struggling all my life And with my life play no pretender. Under Chorus: Ne-, ver, Give, up; (No) Verse Three: If I die, Before I wake; Pray to God, My soul to take; (But) If I live, To see the sun; I will fight, Until we've won; (So) Watch me go untouchable, Goal line and un-rushable, Knowing what you're going to do, Way before you audible; Making moves methodical, Growing like a follicle, Coming for my pot of gold, But know it's not worth my soul; Times are hard but I won't fold, Surviving, these streets are cold, Taking faith and grabbing hold, Hustling even when I'm old; Game so old it's catching mold, But they steady getting bold, Lying through their stories told, Rejecting the games they sold. Chorus: Forever a hustler, Survivor and warrior, Defying statistics Cause I never will surrender; Haters can't contender, Send them back to sender, Struggling all my life And with my life play no pretender. Under Chorus: Ne-, ver, Give, up; (No) After Final Chorus: If I die, Before I wake; Pray to God, My soul to take; (But) If I live, To see the sun; I will fight, Until we've won. (So)

Chorus: I'm tired of that shit you talk, Time you start to walk the walk, Lying in repetition Truth is missing so I call it off; Use me up I pay the cost, Lose your mind I gain the loss, No more time I'm losing Now I'm proving I'm my own boss. Verse One: I get up then I go to work, Work my feet right to the dirt, Work this nine to five Same old jive, just a different twerk; Sometimes I feel like the Jerk, Payday got me feeling hurt, After paying bills, Get some kill, that's my only perk; Nation's got me on alert, Politicians gone berserk, Looking for a spaceship To come beam me up like Captain Kirk; When it comes to eff-, ort, Yes I am an ex-, pert, Been struggling so long, That my life demands and ex-, cerpt; Can't define my net, worth, Priceless like old art, work, But taken advantage By this governmental network; Trying to make my vision murk, Got me going young, Turk, Been fighting for freedom Ever since my momma gave, birth; Keeping track as they advert, Counted on like clockwork, Kiss up for elections Just to treat us like the usual purp; Kingsman like I'm Colin Firth, Know the lies that's been unearthed, I'm not giving power To a coward that will make things worst. Chorus: I'm tired of that shit you talk, Time you start to walk the walk, Lying in repetition Truth is missing so I call it off; Use me up I pay the cost, Lose your mind I gain the loss, No more time I'm losing Now I'm proving I'm my own boss. Verse Two: We grew up on the same, block Together we would duck the cops, Sharing our ambitions Twisting blunts like they were bottle tops; Keeping dubies in our socks, Rolling cigars by the box, Rapping to the cuties With big buddies like Sir Mix-A-Lot; Knowing we would hit the top, Whether we were broke or not, Had me skipping school, To pursue, dreams are all I got; Putting money in the pot, Hoping we would get our shot, Waiting for the chance, To advance, to a record shop; Then one day I'm at the spot, Heard you out there talking big, Saying everything you did, And that I wasn't worth shit; Went out trying to find you quick To see if it was legit, Found out that you had A record deal, with some shady click; I couldn't believe, it, Left me on some fake shit, But I wasn't tripping I know Karma is a bad bitch; Caught my dream despite the hitch, On my way to being rich, Heard you're doing bad, And it's sad, that you chose to switch. Chorus: I'm tired of that shit you talk, Time you start to walk the walk, Lying in repetition Truth is missing so I call it off; Use me up I pay the cost, Lose your mind I gain the loss, No more time I'm losing Now I'm proving I'm my own boss. Verse Three: Why you playing games with me I don't do this shit for free, Giving up my time, And my money while you lie to me; Why you seem to always be, Taking what I do lightly, Then I try to tell you And you yell getting all ornery; Don't know what you want from me And frankly don't give a damn, Don't know who I am Well it's time you get the pro-, gram; Disrespect me, no ma'am I don't disrespect you, Look at how you do, Then you expect me to stay true; I no longer care what you do, Pack your bags I'll pack mine too, Call your girls I'll call my crew Talk about me 'til you're blue; No more late night rendezvous, No more paying bills I'm through, I gave my very best Now avoid my number like the flu; Taking much and giving few, Selfishly you hindered me, Placing all my focus On your nonsense like it's TV; In the dark like Stev-, ie, Wonder why you can't, see, I've been there for you, But you haven't done the same for me. Chorus: I'm tired of that shit you talk, Time you start to walk the walk, Lying in repetition Truth is missing so I call it off; Use me up I pay the cost, Lose your mind I gain the loss, No more time I'm losing Now I'm proving I'm my own boss.

Verse One: Started at the bottom, in the back, Where them hoodlums be, Taught to make my living The only way that they left for me; From slanging to robbery, Doing a shop lifting spree, Getting locked up, Over a kitchen knife at seventeen; Life is nothing what I dreamed, When I use to be a kid, Planning to be a doctor But was hopeless in homelessness; Watching how the other kids Had their families tuck them in Still had my pride, So when they waved, I just gave a grin; Committing sin after sin, Cause my belly's em-pty, I asked God forgiveness All those days, that I stole to eat; Young Black boy lost to the streets, Didn't see no where to go, Survival's my mission That's why my mission's so critical; Looked at like a criminal, Lifted noses looking down, Heartless embraces by smiling faces Say I'm hell bound; But still I won't wear a frown, Or hate like they do to me, I know what I'm worth And what I'm worth, they can't take from me. Chorus: Raised up hood for life It will always be a part of me, Do it for the roses Trying to break, through the concrete; You can always catch me On the block, with my family, Struggling to survive Day and night, trying to get us free. Verse Two: I say this with sincerity, Realness is a rarity, People be so fake, they can break With no gravity; Caught up in their vanity, Caring none for family, Do, what you do, fuck you Is what they say to me; I'm not lacking bravery, I don't need your sympathy Raised to be a man, watch me stand On my own two feet; I was taught respect the street, Hustling nights I couldn't sleep, Dreaming of the day, I can pay My own salary; Charged up like a battery, See how bright my future be, Seeing past the dread, in my head Like Bob Marley; Determined and ballsy, Call it how I see it G, Looking for the answers When the answers are inside of me; Breaking down the chemistry, Creating new energy, Combining molecules in the pools Of my psyche; Now I see reality, Skipping the formality, Getting to the bottom got to solve 'em It's my destiny. Chorus: Raised up hood for life It will always be a part of me, Do it for the roses Trying to break, through the concrete; You can always catch me On the block, with my family, Struggling to survive Day and night, trying to get us free. Verse Three: Going through insanity, Trying to find the man in me My momma thinks I'm useless Make excuses to think bad of me; All I ever want to be, Is successfully happy Can't be myself, I'll get locked up They don't want me free; Trapped inside disparity, Broken with no fear in me They want to see me die, So my life, is revenge to me; Trying to keep my clarity, So I take a puff or three Hold in what's left, till my last breath Ain't no stopping me; Haters filled with jealousy, Wishing that they let me be, Lacking real ambition so their mission Is to worry me; But they'll never worry me Lyrics are my therapy, Pushing through the madness Getting past this like it's history; Knowing it's no mystery, Why they hate to see me breath, They don't believe, there's anything better Than what they see; I disagree thoroughly, They don't know what's best for me, Trying kill my spirit, cause they fear it In the first-degree. Chorus: Raised up hood for life It will always be a part of me, Do it for the roses Trying to break, through the concrete; You can always catch me On the block, with my family, Struggling to survive Day and night, trying to get us free.

Chorus: Say girl you know you got me lookin', (Got me lookin', got me lookin') Body so fine, on my mind, The way you move has got me shook'en, (Got me shook'en, got me shook'en) You're my kind, hit my line; Yeah girl you know you got me lookin', (Got me lookin', got me lookin') Body so fine, blows my mind, The way you move has got me shook'en, (Got me shook'en, got me shook'en) Watchin' from behind, one more time. Verse One: I see you looking fine Fresh and dressed to impress, Got hair and your nails done And know you're flyer than rest; Although it's not a contest You're out here lookin' your best, Walkin' with the confidence That's got these niggas obsessed; And you know I must confess Got my attention when you walk by, Addicted to that smile And the sparkle that's in your eye; And girl I won't lie I feel the stars, when I'm next to you, Don't know what to do Got me so hot, that I loose my cool; More than beautiful, You should be on every centerfold, Straight purified gold From the essence coming from your soul; I know some try to hold But their grip, is inadequate, They can't handle it And get dropped, sometimes real quick; That's how real it get And you seem to somehow stay lit, Depending on no man Cause you always handle your shit; Though you're down for grit You know how to stay a lady too, Always for your man, Know that I would do the same for you. Chorus: Say girl you know you got me lookin', (Got me lookin', got me lookin') Body so fine, on my mind, The way you move has got me shook'en, (Got me shook'en, got me shook'en) You're my kind, hit my line; Yeah girl you know you got me looking, (Got me looking, got me looking) Body so fine, blows my mind, The way you move has got me shook'en, (Got me shook'en, got me shook'en) Watchin' from behind, one more time. Verse Two: Hey lady, what's your name Tell me where have you came, From and where are you goin', To maybe we're the same; You look sweeter than ice, Cream just your smell is entice, (Ing)ling to show you a night Where you shine even bright; (Ter)mined to doin' things right I know you're worth it and more, Than anything I can buy, You're just what I'm lookin' for; Real cause you got that appeal Controlling your fate at will, You give me the inspiration To provide us a mill; Yun, I know we'll have fun, Bathing in waters on a foreign Shore I've seen you before In a past life in another morning; Rise to see, the sun Light shining off of your face, Brace for this Love I won't waste, Time is what can't be replaced; I'm fine with keepin' you laced Up cause I know your Love's real, Tough as the days getting real, Rough on our hearts you won't yield; None of the noise it won't kill, Our will to keep moving toward, Our dreams are that, Important for us to always move forward. (You know it ) Chorus: Say girl you know you got me lookin', (Got me lookin', got me lookin') Body so fine, on my mind, The way you move has got me shook'en, (Got me shook'en, got me shook'en) You're my kind, hit my line; Yeah girl you know you got me lookin', (Got me lookin', got me lookin') Body so fine, blows my mind, The way you move has got me shook'en, (Got me shook'en, got me shook'en) Watchin' from behind, one more time. Verse Three: It was Love at first sight, Your sexy body had me from the start But although you're fine, The way you talk is what stole my heart; You blew, my mind, What we would talk about after dark With no friends around, Seen that your strength never fell apart; Although it's been hard, You keep your hope in those better days I'm more than amazed, How you keep movin' against the grains; In Love with your brains, Just like a zombie it's not a phase Like McConaughey, Got me confused and stuck in a daze; Just like Purple Haze, Got me open like an all-night store Haven't talked a bunch, But can't wait until we talk some more; I want to explore, All of your insights and your fantasies Fears and your joys, Things that define, who you really be; Haven't heard of me, But you treat me like I'm family Got respect from me, Cause you give it so unselfishly; Walk this road with me, We'll go places that we never been More than just friends, I'll be your partner ridin' 'til the end. Chorus: Say girl you know you got me lookin', (Got me lookin', got me lookin') Body so fine, on my mind, The way you move has got me shook'en, (Got me shook'en, got me shook'en) You're my kind, hit my line; Yeah girl you know you got me lookin', (Got me lookin', got me lookin') Body so fine, blows my mind, The way you move has got me shook'en, (Got me shook'en, got me shook'en) Watchin' from behind, one more time.

Intro: Look at me, look at me Verse One: Live the life of luxury Chilling just my folks and me, Being all that we can be Loaded like an armory; Fire's all I keep with me Vodka or some Hennessey, Roll it up then turn it up And pass it to the right of me; Flying like an F-16 Riding in a Lamborghin, Got my partners on the scene Staying down, fresh and clean; I ain't fly, what you mean Been this way since Maybelline, Back then when we sipped that lean Purple Sprite, was my thing; Now I sip what's bubbling Drinking wine, like a King, Taking trips to see the Queen Over C's like letter B; All my peoples family Ain't no need for arguing, Rising like a smoke screen Winning like we're Charlie Sheen; Got the best, on my team Homies down to ride for me, And they know I'd ride for them Bout it like I'm Master P; Mostly cause I had to be Outlived my expectancy, Now there ain't no stopping me Forever like a felony. Chorus: Look at me, look at me Still as fly as I can be, Ain't nobody cool as me Always fresh, always clean; Look at me, look at me Being all that I can be, Haters filled with jealousy Be yourself don't hate on me. Verse Two: Stepping out, looking good Always represent my hood, Making sure it's understood Step to us, wish you would; Rolling grain, that's that wood Turning heads like exorcist, Why not take a picture And make copies of the negatives; What you think's irrelative I'm going to show you how I live, Sweeter than a Swisher Cause you know I'm 'bout that puff and give; While I stay competitive Ain't nobody fresh as me, Know there's some that try to be Imitations obviously; Trying to steal the recipe Don't know the ingredients, Leave them sick and wondering How I keep on doing this; Grimmy like a sewer fish Putting food up on my dish, And plan to keep cooking Till my dishes make me hella rich; Staying above average Won't stop till I hit the top, Always keep a vest protect my chest, From a crooked cop; Any hater trying to plot, Wanting to see my body rot, I'm going keep on shinning And don't care if they get mad or not. Chorus: Look at me, look at me Still as fly as I can be, Ain't nobody cool as me Always fresh, always clean; Look at me, look at me Being all that I can be, Haters filled with jealousy Be yourself don't hate on me. Verse Three: What you going to do When you see us rolling through, The Art Of Sun Tzu Take out all your whole crew; You'd rather catch the flue Then to catch us in your view, Watch your attitude Before I start, getting rude; Laid back like the Dude But these haters intrude, I keep my fortitude That's one X like Family Feud; I did it how I do Now they want some gratitude, You can't put on my shoes Cause they weren't made for you; Hard knocks I had a few But you see I'm steady standing, Raised to do my by best Because this life, here's demanding; Hold on to my balls Because I'm shooting like a cannon, Up into the clouds Like a real live dragon; Puffing so I'm lagging Proud but I ain't bragging, Come up from the bottom Took some time but now it's happening; I breath like I'm rapping Or rap like I'm breathing, These bitches be deceiving Don't know what, they be breeding. Chorus: Look at me, look at me Still as fly as I can be, Ain't nobody cool as me Always fresh, always clean; Look at me, look at me Being all that I can be, Haters filled with jealousy Be yourself don't hate on me.

Verse One: For so long in my life Every day's been a fight, Fighting against myself Trying to get things right; I've made my bad choices And I've paid my dues, Learning from my mistakes So this time I won't loose; No more hitting the snooze Time to get up and eat, Been sleeping for so long When I stand I feel weak; Gaining some foundation Standing firm on my feet, Ready to face the world Make'em feel when I speak; Hitting the concrete, Seeking out a new, avenue, Bring in new revenue, Earning goals that I pursue; Crowded at the bottom At the top, they act brand new, When you're on the rise Watch out for the things they do; I was raised, to be, true, And won't let the money get to me, I've got all I need, Got my Bible and artillery; Banking like I'm Hillary Fresher than an ice tea Synonymously known for breaking pain, When they hear me. Chorus: Raised to be a soldier By surviving the streets, So many lost their life, May they all rest in peace; So many lonely nights Couldn't get any sleep, Trying to raise some hope Where dreams lie six feet; Raised to be a soldier By surviving the streets, So many lost their life, May they all rest in peace; So many lonely nights Couldn't get any sleep, Trying to raise some hope As I break through the grief. Verse Two: My back's against the wall But I'm standing tall, On the bottom so long Not afraid to fall; So, long on my own You don't have to call, I'll be gone til' November Out here having a ball; I'm always on my mission No escaping it all, Forever on my grind There's no going AWOL; Tired watching time waste So I breaking the stall, I learned to keep my pace When I still couldn't crawl; I'm making a withdrawal Get the money then I'm out here, Got to feed my family From East to Western hemisphere; Shinning like a chandelier Jah's the only thing I fear, Niggas catching cases Trying to prove that they can hack it here; Life's a bitch it might appear, Play it wrong it'll disappear Your people reminiscing Got your homies pouring out a beer; 'Fore my momma shed a tear I'm Putin' work like Vladimir From here to overseas Then I'm breaking through the atmosphere. Chorus: Raised to be a soldier By surviving the streets, So many lost their life, May they all rest in peace; So many lonely nights Couldn't get any sleep, Trying to raise some hope Where dreams lie six feet; Raised to be a soldier By surviving the streets, So many lost their life, May they all rest in peace; So many lonely nights Couldn't get any sleep, Trying to raise some hope As I break through the grief. Verse Three: Tighten up my laces, Searching for oasis, No more looking back Straight ahead until I make, it; Others try and fake, it, Better keep it real kid, Seen niggas talk big Just to turn and get their wig split; Streets not meant for playing in, Talking shit, guard your chin, Lose or draw, better win, This is life it's not pretend; Know just what your getting in, Always fun before the end, Learn to pump those breaks, 'Fore you drive right off the deep end; Now I'm on the road again Ridding with my best friend Along with Mary Jane So you know we're on a high ascend; Throwing worries to the wind, Relaxed like my name was Zen, Always stay prepared When them haters try to do me in; You might see me with a grin, Won't portray the pain I'm in, Raised to be a soldier, So you know I'm going all, in; Attention when I'm falling in, Dangerous when I'm speak, -in', Breaking their control While waking others from sleep, -in'. Chorus: Raised to be a soldier By surviving the streets, So many lost their life, May they all rest in peace; So many lonely nights Couldn't get any sleep, Trying to raise some hope Where dreams lie six feet; Raised to be a soldier By surviving the streets, So many lost their life, May they all rest in peace; So many lonely nights Couldn't get any sleep, Trying to raise some hope As I break through the grief.

Chorus: I, don't, know, why, people, hate, Me, But, I, know, that, they, won't, brake, Me. Verse One: I hit the ground, running Always stay on my game, Up early in the late night To increase on my gain; My life has been a hard one But won't hear me complain, Converse with Mary Jane To help me ease, my brain; I'm torn between two lives, But I'm taking the strain, My goal is for success And not including the fame; They tell you life is tough And I can tell you the same, Seen people lose their lives Shooting drugs in their vein; Seen people going crazy Just to snort some cocaine, Losing jobs over pills, Their lives fading away; I guess that they lost focus And don't know who to blame, Looking for an escape, From their guilt and their pain; It gets, hard to maintain, Do your best to stay sane, Stop doing the same, thangs And expect things to change; Must overcome your demons Keep your fear at a range, Must learn to build up character Cuz life's just a stage. Over Chorus: They trap me with their lies But I'm seeing the truth, They'd rather see you die Then see you making it through; Raised in a battlefield Got to watch what they do, Them cowards on the hunt And their target is you. Chorus: I, don't, know, why, people, hate, Me, But, I, know, that, they, won't, brake, Me. Under Chorus: I, don't, know why, They hate, me, But, I, won't let, Them brake, me. Verse Two: Most my homies paranoid Always keeping their strap, I can't say that I blame them In this country we're at; Watching out for these niggas Trying to lower your cap, Then hunted by the police Cuz your skin colors black; And then I heard it's like this All up over the map, From China to Africa Then Brazil, and back; The world is full of haters That ain't trying to hear jack, All them cowards want to do Is to see you fall flat; Like Judo with no mat Except they're on the attack, Our life has been a war zone Like those born in Iraq; That's why we smoke so much And that's a matter of fact, Don't know the way we're living On this side of the track; Kids have to go to school With just a prayer and snack, That's why so many fail And then they fall through the crack; For years been at the government They slow to react, Because the majority's Not releasing the slack. Over Chorus: They trap me with their lies But I'm seeing the truth, They'd rather see you die Then see you making it through; Raised in a battlefield Got to watch what they do, Them cowards on the hunt And their target is you. Chorus: I, don't, know, why, people, hate, Me, But, I, know, that, they, won't, brake, Me. Under Chorus: I, don't, know why, They hate, me, But, I, won't let, Them brake, me. Verse Three: They see me as a menace Cuz I look this way, Look at me like I'm trash, Cuz of where that I stay; As if I had a choice, Where I live everyday, Or like I had a say, Where my heads going lay; Don't live off in the suburbs, Don't make enough pay, Don't have a big degree And I don't sell any yay; I'm trying to make the best, As a part of the fray, From outside looking in, At the rich folk play; I want to see the world Can't even go to L.A., All I do is pay bills All my money away; And when I try to save Here comes another delay By the time I get to travel I'll be old, and grey; Ignoring conversations Why they need to repay, All the sweat, tears and blood That's got them wealthy today; Creating special privileges To have it their way, While they're watching and laughing At us led to the grave. Over Chorus: They trap me with their lies But I'm seeing the truth, They'd rather see you die Then see you making it through; Raised in a battlefield Got to watch what they do, Them cowards on the hunt And their target is you. Chorus: I, don't, know, why, people, hate, Me, But, I, know, that, they, won't, brake, Me. Under Chorus: I, don't, know why, They hate, me, But, I, won't let, Them brake, me.

Under Chorus: Don't, Sur-, ren-, der. Verse One: Told that life's about take and give And that's how we're supposed to live Do your best to stay positive, hold your own Stay strong and you gotta learn how to forgive; Facing the alternative, viewing fake smiles Since a child had my mind lost, going wild, Out of line not a single file, see them living foul, They haven't spoken truth in a while; Know I had to change my style, Let my money pile up then come for victory, Here I come there's no stopping me, Too long at the bottom and it's time that they let me breath; Keep an Ace or two up in my sleeve, Like a poker thieve, prepared for whatever's in store, Know exactly what I'm living for, hit the door And I'm gone, before the shit hits the floor; Forever staying real to the core, can be sure Nothing more, than a man, doing the best that he can, Broken down with the will to stand, following the plan Til' my dreams are in the palm of my hand; Feel them slipping through like sand, Don't understand, giving much while I'm taking less Snatch the breath right up out my chest, Saying keep working God, bless and to hope for the best; Trying to fight through, the stress Got to pass this test, I've been failing my whole, life, Learning lessons through the darkest of night, people fast asleep While I'm hustling with a pen and mike; Running hard with the finish in sight, Got to get it right there's no reset or try again, Opportunity's a busy friend, It only knocks once staying ready to let it in. (It won't come, again) Chorus: The world is starting, to closing in Looks like I might meet, my end, (Where do I begin) Keep fighting got to get, it in, Til' the day I can't breath, again; (Please forgive my sin) Many want to see me wither and die, They don't want to see me soaring, high, (Watch me reach the sky) Devil's at me and I won't even lie, It's a miracle that I'm, alive. (Struggle to survive) Under Chorus: Don't, Sur-, ren-, der. Verse Two: Don't know how much more I can take Everyday I feel I'll bend and brake, People close to me lying and fake, Trying not to flip and go off for my children's sake; It's like everybody's lost in the hate, I'm trying to escape, make a break, for an open door, Can't be all, that we're living for, Through the expanse, of the universe, know there's more; Got me damaged, right to the core, Heart dropping to the floor, and nobody's going to pick it up, No surprise, that they don't give a fuck, History repeats, know they'll kill you just to make a buck; Some might say, that I'm down on my luck, But never giving up, cause I ride, for my family, Everyone, out there just like me, Not, on the outside but inside, where treasure be; That's the wealth, that will set, you free, Positivity, mixed with truth, you will never lose, Life's all about what, you choose, Make the wrong choice, and your anthem, may be the Blues; Prepared, for the good and bad news, Tighten up my shoes, when they come to try to knock me down, Foundation built on solid, ground, Recognize I'm a king, even though I might not wear a crown; Never scared, when them haters come 'round, Lights, and the sounds, of a gang, trying to do me in, Cause they never want to see, me win, If they had their way, I'd be cooked, just like Uncle Ben; Trying hard, but I won't pretend, Broken from the start, and my heart, is in misery, Hoping God, will remember me, When my body's buried or my ashes, sent off to sea. (Come and burn with me) Chorus: The world is starting, to closing in Looks like I might meet, my end, (Where do I begin) Keep fighting got to get, it in, Til' the day I can't breath, again; (Please forgive my sin) Many want to see me wither and die, They don't want to see me soaring, high, (Watch me reach the sky) Devil's at me and I won't even lie, It's a miracle that I'm, alive. (Struggle to survive) Under Chorus: Don't, Sur-, ren-, der. Verse Three: At the crossroads, of my life, Hearing songs, being sung through the night, Sometimes, think I'm losing my mind, Losing track of time, and my focus so out of sight; People say, "It'll be alright", Say it like they know, but don't know, just, how, deep, this pain goes, My depression hit an all time low, No matter how much, I drink, I can't get off of the floor; Now tell me what I'm fighting, for, If I can't afford, to be free, Lady Liberty, My islands made of poverty, Full of broken dreams, with no, prosperity; My homies help to carry me, When times, get dark, give a spark, help light up my heart Day ones, got my Love from the start, No matter how, hard they pull, they'll never tear us apart; Ride the wheels, right up of off, this cart, Been around the track, won't hurry, to getting back, It's time, that I pick up my slack, Stop wasting time, on those, who choose to stay where there at; Trying to keep me down in the crack, Let my soul glow, show more, there's a chance to soar, Above, all the hatred galore, A peaceful place, where they're free to let their minds explore; Discovering what else is in store, Reach, for the top, get your chance, then you take your shot Make or not, just don't ever stop, Got to keep moving, rolling stone gain no moss; Surviving at any, costs, One life, to live, everyday's, like a new beginning, As I cruise, putting smoke to the wind, Staying well aware, of the hearts, of these evil men. (You will never, win) Chorus: The world is starting, to closing in Looks like I might meet, my end, (Where do I begin) Keep fighting got to get, it in, Til' the day I can't breath, again; (Please forgive my sin) Many want to see me wither and die, They don't want to see me soaring, high, (Watch me reach the sky) Devil's at me and I won't even lie, It's a miracle that I'm, alive. (Struggle to survive) Under Chorus: Don't, Sur-, ren-, der.

Verse One: Born to a world of hate Hopeless right up out the gate, Finding no escape, Left me in a broken state; Wondering my fate Knowing no one's there for me, I was a casualty Of a broken family; What was I to be Homeless with no food to eat, On the streets Where at night it was so hard to sleep; I prayed to God Fighting tears, holding pain inside, Facing my fears Acting tough, feeling terrified; Questioning suicide Who would care if I was gone, A Black male With no place left to call my own; Just fourteen And I'm out here living like I'm grown, Can't get a job So I pan handle all day long; Had me asking God Why did you forsake me, I treated others right Went to church religiously; I didn't understand God had a much bigger plan, He taught me how to stand Raised me up to be a man. Chorus: Forgive me Father For the days, that I doubted you, The times I blamed you For the things, that I went through; I thought you left me But found out, you were always there, I didn't see you I was blinded and I didn't care; Forgive me Father For the pain, that I caused your soul, Though life's been cold Gave me discipline to never fold; Paying my toll Knowing one day, the earth is mine, I keep my faith in you Cause Heaven ain't too hard to find. Verse Two: I use to ask Lord Why you hate a brother so, I went to church, sang in choir Played piano; Now got no where to go Out here sleeping in the cold, A bad dream Everyday feeling I'm going to fold; It took a long time Before I figured out the truth, I lost so many years Allowing lies to steal my youth; Following the wrong minds Spitting venom from the booth, Before I realized Following the wrong group; Had me demoralized Ready to give up my soul, Killing the man inside Focused on the wrong goal; All I could do is cry When Riyah didn't make it home, Slug to his chest Just a teen, now my homies gone; I prayed to God That he'd help me find a better way, Left all alone Because my parents didn't know how to stay; And now I'm grown But it never took the pain away, Forever scarred And I hope my kids don't have to pay. Chorus: Forgive me Father For the days, that I doubted you, The times I blamed you For the things, that I went through; I thought you left me But found out, you were always there, I didn't see you I was blinded and I didn't care; Forgive me Father For the pain, that I caused your soul, Though life's been cold Gave me discipline to never fold; Paying my toll Knowing one day, the earth is mine, I keep my faith in you Cause Heaven ain't too hard to find. Verse Three: Prayed for the answers Almost all, my, life, God, did all he could To help me turn, out, right; Gave, me knowledge Helped me shine, my, light, Now I only look back To acknowledge his might; Should have been dead But I'm still, a-, live, Still, holding to pain, Got me feeling deprived; I won't complain You won't see, me, cry, Knowing you feel the same Hope we all can fly; Going through this valley Seeing death, in my rear view, Creeping up, on me from the back It's inevitable; Never bend, never live in fear, Know you got my rear, When I'm weak, add an extra gear Get me out of here; Never scared, always stay prepared, Just give me the word I'll be there, knowing life ain't fair, But that's not a care; Had my share, put one in the air, Like a warning flare, Stop and stare, becoming aware You were always there. Chorus: Forgive me Father For the days, that I doubted you, The times I blamed you For the things, that I went through; I thought you left me But found out, you were always there, I didn't see you I was blinded and I didn't care; Forgive me Father For the pain, that I caused your soul, Though life's been cold Gave me discipline to never fold; Paying my toll Knowing one day, the earth is mine, I keep my faith in you Cause Heaven ain't too hard to find.

Chorus: When life gets hard, I'll help you carry on, Yes, you will see, Cause you're my family; Take my hand, I'll help you understand, That, you and me, We are all family. Verse One: Feels only like yesterday When you came to me, So much beauty brought into life Through a pregnancy; Just look at those hands and feet So much bigger now, Use to burp you and change diapers Your much older now; Don't know if you ever knew this Your the best of me, The first time I saw your face Knew it was destiny; It made me so happy To become your dad, Always took it serious Cherished the times we had; I know they don't last forever But the memories do, There's no words that can express How much I Love you; Reminiscing your first steps And your very first words, The way you would put together Your pronouns and verbs; Now the road has split apart Wish you were here with me now, Keeping faith we'll be together In the future some how; But till then I'm living for you All the days we're apart, You will always have a special place Right here in my heart. (Daddy Loves you) Chorus: When life gets hard, I'll help you carry on, Yes, you will see, Cause you're my family; Take my hand, I'll help you understand, That, you and me, We are all family. Verse Two: I know that it's been hard All those years that you tried, To make our family work With all that pain inside; My momma might not have seen it But I saw, your hurt, How you gave all that you could While treated less than your worth; Did your best to give us the Love That you never had, Growing up without your parents Still you made a good dad; You never had much to give But your wisdom and time, Remembering all those days You had to keep me in line; And your words come back to mind Now that I raise my own, You use to say I'd understand And I thought you were wrong; But they keep me holding on When this world's on my back, Gave me building blocks of a man And I thank you for that; No matter how hard this road gets Know I'll be there for you, Doing whatever I can To help you make it through; That's the least that I can do Know I appreciate, All your selfless sacrifices That you chose to make. (For my sake) Chorus: When life gets hard, I'll help you carry on, Yes, you will see, Cause you're my family; Take my hand, I'll help you understand, That, you and me, We are all family. Verse Three: I know that we have our differences And times are tough We all share this planet together Though some make it rough; With multiple mass shootings What's become of us here, Greatest country in the world Filled with greed and fear; Reflect as I shed a tear All the lives we've lost Too invested in politics While our kids pay the cost; See through them clearly like Voss Hearts consumed by gold, Preoccupied by positions That they buy with their soul; And their games are getting old It's time to shuffle the deck, Only giving those our time That's treating us with respect; I'm fed up with the neglect That goes on in our streets, No justice, no education So we can't find peace; Our tension needs a release Why we lashing out, Use to go and throw them hands up Now they shoot'em out; Products of our circumstances Where chances are given slim, But I'll be there for my family No matter how grim. (Til the end) Chorus: When life gets hard, I'll help you carry on, Yes, you will see, Cause you're my family; Take my hand, I'll help you understand, That, you and me, We are all family.

VERSE ONE: Been fighting most my life Just to find, where I'm meant to be, Mentally, spiritually, Searching for the man in me; Trying to keep my pace While these demons keep surrounding me, Hounding me, unhallowing, Dash but they keep following; Living through a nightmare Like a story told from Stephen King, I'm barreling, down the stream Life is just a bad dream; Holding on to all I know Until the missions been complete, Read and eat, get some sleep Tomorrow's our victory; Play a little tune, In my head, just for sanity, Clarity, sincerity, To ward off the disparity; Keeping close my sword And my shield, I refuse defeat, Protect my feet, shade from heat Knowing that they can't compete; With my mind focused On the goal, I will never fold, Always bold, never take my soul That's in God's control; Heading down the road With the memories, those who died before, I won't ignore, all your sacrifices That's worth dying for. CHORUS: Terrorize my life But they won't, see no fear in me Fear in me, fear in me Marching towards victory; Plotting on my death But they won't, get the soul in me, Soul in me, soul in me Even when they bury me. VERSE TWO: Trying to find my freedom But they trap, and they shackle me, Deceitfully, Strategically, Putting us in slavery; Killing off the strong Or the ones, who show bravery, It's cowardly, selfishly, Separating family; Told me how to talk Saying reading is no good for me, And if I read, I will bleed And maybe they'll kill my seed; Some agreed To just stay in line, and just wait our time, Guess they're fine, with slowly dying But that's no life for mine; So I find Ways to teach myself, gaining true wealth, Putting self, up upon a shelf Learning ways to help; Tired of getting welts, Protect children, and the elderly, Follow me, let's get free And take back or family; Unity, That is what they fear, just take it from me, Stand with me, you will see How quick they will run and flee; To victory, I will stand a man, til I've dealt my hand, And rest in sand, all to my help my people Find their promised land. CHORUS: Terrorize my life But they won't, see no fear in me Fear in me, fear in me Marching towards victory; Plotting on my death But they won't, get the soul in me, Soul in me, soul in me Even when they bury me. VERSE THREE: I'm on my knees at night Praying Lord, bless my young seed, Many bleed, in the street Looking for a chance to breathe; I won't believe Help can't be achieved, they just don't believe, We can dream, bigger things So they kill us on the scene; TV screens Won't reflect the pain, from our children slain, Made it plain, it's no game Scheming for our last refrain; It's insane How many have died, call it genocide, When they fire, on our kids Even when they play outside; Hold them tight All the memories, of lost souls tonight, I'll stand and fight prepared to lose my life, When the times right; Raised through strife So that's all I know, they won't let us grow, We've tried before, Greenwood, Oklahoma Burned it to the floor; They still ignore All of the injustice what they take us for, If we're all, equal then why's my people The ones mainly poor; You won't ignore None of your skeletons, no, not anymore, We'll stand for more, let our voices soar, That's worth fighting for. CHORUS: Terrorize my life But they won't, see no fear in me Fear in me, fear in me Marching towards victory; Plotting on my death But they won't, get the soul in me, Soul in me, soul in me Even when they bury me.

Chorus: Mr. A-K's coming for you, There's nowhere to run or hide, Mr. A-K's coming for you, Better take your kids inside; Mr. A-K's coming for you, And he's putting you to sleep, Mr. A-K's coming for you, Pray to God your soul to keep. Verse One: Know you heard of Mr. 4-4 I'm his cousin A-K, Cut from the same cloth Cause I let my words spray; So better get out the way Unless you want to be left wet, My words been known to have A lullaby, effect; Cause people go to sleep When I speak, it's hypnotical, Go another round And they run, out hysterical; Some might say I'm cynical And don't have a heart, Better watch what you saying Before yours gets torn apart; I haven't read Sun Tzu But my war is an art, Been shredding competition Since my very start; Done tours overseas From Vietnam to Iraq, Now I'm finally back home And I can't seem to stop; The tighter they hold me The more my mouth get hot, Don't make me get loud Cause then I'll shut down the spot; And I ain't afraid of no cop, They can catch some heat too, I was built for combat And I'm the best at what I do. Chorus: Mr. A-K's coming for you, There's nowhere to run or hide, Mr. A-K's coming for you, Better take your kids inside; Mr. A-K's coming for you, And he's putting you to sleep, Mr. A-K's coming for you, Pray to God your soul to keep. Verse Two: Posted with my homey Cause some niggas having beef, Last week they jacked his ride With his stash under the seat; My homey sells that white girl But he ain't no, pimp, Even though his bad knee Makes him walk with a limp; When we ride he keep a grip, By his side I keep it lit If you run up on my nigga Then I'll leave you bloody quick; I keep a loaded clip, On my hip at all times I'm equipped for survival, Dropping niggas like dimes; Guess they thought I was lying, As I creep up from their rear view Taking on their whole crew While leaving them all critical; Whimpering and pitiful, Crying like them pussies do Think I might have killed a few, Ducking from the boys in blue; Lay low for a month or two, Then I'll leave the states Got my homey making deals Paint the car and change the plates; I don't need a murder case, But I couldn't let that shit go With me it's ride or die And now them bitch niggas know. Chorus: Mr. A-K's coming for you, There's nowhere to run or hide, Mr. A-K's coming for you, Better take your kids inside; Mr. A-K's coming for you, And he's putting you to sleep, Mr. A-K's coming for you, Pray to God your soul to keep. Verse Three: Watching cops roll by, through the night, I get paranoid, Thinking that their close, while my homey Calls a convoy; Pressure gets tight, when a knock, Is heard at the door, Heard them say police, didn't speak, Then they knocked some more; Then they finally quit, walked away I seen one of them, Knew they ran in packs, so I looked Out the back again; Then I saw the cop, and he stopped Looking right at me, Before he said freeze, homey squeezed He was history; Now there is no mystery What lies in our fate We knew it was time to run Nothing was left to debate; Running out to escape The other cop rang a shot Got homey in the head All I could do was drop; They took me to the station Walked me through like prop, Parading me like a prize Before they put me on lock; But before I was booked There walked in a cop, He snuck me out the back To put me back on the block. Chorus: Mr. A-K's coming for you, There's nowhere to run or hide, Mr. A-K's coming for you, Better take your kids inside; Mr. A-K's coming for you, And he's putting you to sleep, Mr. A-K's coming for you, Pray to God your soul to keep. Chorus Bridge: Mr. A-K's coming for you(×4)

Chorus: Set your, mind free, and come, with me And you, will see, a place Where all, your dreams, come, true; Just sit, relax, come on, kick back Take off, some slack, cause that's, What we, all need, to, do. Verse One: No matter how bad things get Everyday there's a new sun shine Every night there's a new moon light, So make to sure to start out right, And be grateful don't waist your time; Sit down and just ease your mind Lay back, and just feel the vibe, And see how much peace you find, Drink tequila don't forget the lime, Spark it up until you feel just fine; Cause tonight we forget the grind, Have fun with some friends of mine Two step down a country line, Having laughs with a bottle wine Keep my cool, till she give me a sign; Let her know, that she's one of a kind, Way better than a fantasy Because this is in reality, Come on and take a ride with me, Letting go, like no gravity, Until both mind and our body are free; An exploration into ecstasy, Take you to another galaxy Where ever that you want to be, And you know that you can trust in me, Cause I'm from a different pedigree; Staying above all the insanity, Like a spree, they can have it all Cause we know, that, the bigger they fall And as for us, we will always stand tall, Blowing hard, but won't tear down our wall, Ever need me, then you know you can call; I'll be there to help you through it all, Good or bad, know I gotcha back Giving support, like a posture strap, Keep you calm, when it's hard to relax, Earning stacks, take us around the map; Knowing soon, as when we, get, back The world, will be ours, to take All the Lovers that I know can relate Time for us to make our own fate, We'll have something, that they never can break, No matter, how, heavy the weight. Chorus: Set your, mind free, and come, with me And you, will see, a place Where all, your dreams, come, true; Just sit, relax, come on, kick back Take off, some slack, cause that's, What we, all need, to, do. Verse Two: I try to hide my pain away, Know these scars, here forever will stay, And they hurt me in the worst of ways Used to think, It was just a phase, Then found out, it's for all of my days; Up in smoke, till I'm lost in a haze Feeling lost, like I'm stuck in a maze Know my part, but can't find the stage Left my girl, couldn't handle the rage, Didn't like the story so I turned the page; Know my life's been strange, Ever since a young age, All I dreamed was making a change Raised up, watching Eyes On The Prize, That's when I first, realized How I'm seen, from the other side's eyes; So I started wearing camouflage, Seeing straight, through the fake mirage Play the part, till I get what's mine, Digging deep, when I'm stuck in a bind Looking deep inside my soul, And a soldier you'll find; Got me facing, a paradigm, But I'm stepping, outside the lines Ace of Base, know I saw the signs, Got my glasses so I read them fine, And when I seen the truth Know it blew, my mind; But I survived the shine, And now I'm seeing much clearer Now I see the whole, design In the Matrix trying to get offline Had me crossing, the border, line Even though they said it was, a crime; But I stay on my grind, Cause you never know, just how low Some people make the choice to go, Sometimes it's best to just Hans, So-lo Hyperspace, where nobody would know Drop the shades, and turn off the phone; In a spot, where your left alone A peaceful place, just to call your own, Somewhere in an outer, zone, Something like a second home An atmosphere, where you know you belong. Chorus: Set your, mind free, and come, with me And you, will see, a place Where all, your dreams, come, true; Just sit, relax, come on, kick back Take off, some slack, cause that's, What we, all need, to, do. Verse Three: We're good together feel the chemistry Against the world, it's just you and me, Unwoven from the tapestry, Finally knowing what we have to be, A light, shining for human-ity; Bright enough to set some spirits free, On display, for the world to see Higher than the highest canopy, Way above every Hyperion tree Reaching farther than an ocean or sea, For an eternity; Eternally inside the memory, That lives on, in the children we seed, Once a lonely and forgotten breed Won't forget about these tears we bleed Give them direction that we know, they need; All to help them proceed, Let them know it won't, be, easy But it's needed to stand up on their own In a place, where they want us all gone, Show them how to fight and be strong, Let them know, that this land is our home; Know the future isn't written in stone Always a chance, to make up for your wrong, Trouble might, come, but won't last long, Hold your head and keep moving on Don't like the music then you change the song; Know it's always on, From the moment sun comes up, Till the moment that you see your last dawn They say different, then you know it's a con, Don't, let'em, make you a pawn Break their ties, or your soul's their bond; They'll have you chasing crumbs, When you earned, most of the pie Then stare you down, when ask them why Making promises you know are a lie, They're quick to shake your hand, So they can spit in your eye; It's just another episode In what we call life, And I'm giving you these jewels To help survive the night, I know it might seem Hope is far, from sight, Just be there for each other And you'll be alright. Chorus: Set your, mind free, and come, with me And you, will see, a place Where all, your dreams, come, true; Just sit, relax, come on, kick back Take off, some slack, cause that's, What we, all need, to, do.