[Intro] Damn, take a ride to my block My block, that's right! Hehe 'Round my motherf**in' way [Verse 1] They got a n***a sheddin' tears, reminiscin' on my past fears ‘Cause sh** was hectic for me last year It appears that I've been marked for d**h, my heartless breast The underlying cause of my arrest, my life is stressed And no rest, forever weary; my eyes stay teary For all the brothers that are buried in the cemetery sh** is scary, how black-on-black crime legendary But at times unnessecary, I'm getting worried Teardrops and closed caskets, the three strikes law is drastic And certain d**h for us ghetto ba*tards What can we do when we're arrested but open fire? Life in the pen ain't for me, ‘cause I'd rather die But don't cry through your despair I wonder if the Lord still cares for us n***as on welfare And who cares if we survive? The only time they notice a n***a is when he's clutchin' on a four-five My neighborhood ain't the same, ‘cause all these little babies going crazy and they suffering in the game And I swear it's like a trap But I ain't given up on the hood, it's all good when I go back Hoes show me love, n***as give me props Forever hop, ‘cause it don't stop – on my block [Hook] Living life is but a dream Hard times is all we seen (on my block) Every block is kind to me But on the block we still pray But on the block we still pray [Verse 2] Now sh**'s constantly hot on my block It never fails to be gunshots Can't explain a mother's pain when her son drops Black males living in Hell; when will we prevail? Fearing jail, but crack sales got me living well And in a sense I'm suicidal with this Thug's Life Staying strapped, forever trapped in this drug life God, help me, ‘cause I'm starving, can't get a job So I resort to violent robberies, my life is hard Can't sleep, ‘cause all the dirt make my heart hurt Put in work and shed tears for my dead peers Mislead from childhood where I went astray 'Til this day I still pray for a better way Can't help but feel hopeless and heartbroke From the start I felt the racism ‘cause I'm dark Couldn't quit, the bullsh** make me represent Hit the bar and played the star everywhere I went In my heart I felt alone, out here on my own I close my eyes and picture home – on my block [Hook] Living life is but a dream Hard times is all we seen (on my block) Every block is kind to me But on the block we still pray But on the block we still pray [Verse 3] And I can't help but wonder why so many young kids had to die; caught strays from AK's in a drive-by Swollen pride and homicide don't coincide Brothers cry for broken lives; Mama, come inside! ‘Cause our block is filled with danger Used to be a close knit community But now we're all cold strangers Time changes us to stone, them crack pipes All up and down the block, exterminating black life But I can't blame the dealers; my mama's welfare check has brought the next man chrome wheels sh**'s real, I know you feel my tragedy A single mother with a problem child, daddy free Hangin out, picking up game, sippin' cheap liquor Gaming the hoochies, hoping I can get to sleep with her It's a man's world, staying strapped Fantasies of a n***a living phat but held back Pipe dreams can make the night seem hopeless Wide eyed and losing focus – on my block [Hook] Living life is but a dream Hard times is all we seen (on my block) Every block is kind to me But on the block we still pray But on the block we still pray [Verse 4] And block parties in the projects lasting way past daylight A young n***a learned to break, right? Used to play fight with my homies, but they stuck in the pen I send them ends, but it's tough on a friend In my mind I see the same motherf**ers ballin' Alcohol will make a lazy n***a slip and fall, miss his call I know the young n***as understand this Growing up in this world where everything is scandalous I reminisce on the fast times, past crimes Tryin' to cop a slice of pizza with my last dime Can't explain, just what attracts me to this dirty game Gold chains, some extra change, and the street fame And what's strange is everybody know my name Swear they all know me, and lots of cash make a n***a change I hit the green just to maintain, feeling pain For all the n***as that I lost to the game – from my block [Hook] Living life is but a dream Hard times is all we seen (on my block) Every block is kind to me But on the block we still pray But on the block we still pray [Outro] Rest in peace to all the motherf**ers that pa**ed away From all the blocks that I'm from 112 street, 7th Avenue, New York, Uptown, knahmsayin'? 183rd and Walt, my block – that's right 122nd and Morningside, my block – that's right Decatur Avenue, Baltimore, my block – that's right And the Jungle, Marin City, that's my block – that's right Los Angeles, haha – that's my block too Oakland, can't forget Oaktown – that's my block for sure And all the other blocks around this motherf**er Houston, Florida, St. Louis, Tennessee, Miami, Chicago All y'all n***as stay kickin' up dust Represent the motherf**in' block