"Yo Nate, sh** is crazy, I shook hands with mad dead n***as yo, all the n***as that used to be on the block, Ill Will, Marty, Black Ed, yo Son Mad n***as is gone, rest in peace though." Verse 1: Fifty-Two blocks, Gazelle frames Bald heads and heavy chains Somehow caught in the game Back in '83, before cable TV When these so called thug n***as played in the street I used to hear the stories Live n***as here before me Like the Rich Porters, the Fat Cats, the Pauly's Outlaw league, from the street to the Pen Eyes glossy, n***as only speak when they bent Off the perfect mixture Forcin' down herbs and liquor Only hot slugs 'll hurt ya quicker Think it out and elevate, I gave years to the state As a 92-R-7478, it set me straight The changing of a stubborn cat The one that used to hustle on the block mad hard and loved to rap In goose down coats and wool hats, the youth in me I guess life on the streets ain't what it used to be Chorus I remember! (echo) When n***as used to live it up, live it up Flashin' dough all night I remember! (echo) When n***as didn't give a f**, gettin' drunk Shootin' guns all night Verse 2: Straight shots of Hen with no chaser Mo' paper, stubborn, hard headed like Joe Frazier The Gremlins, the pack that I come with Keep gats by the stomach Act up and stack hundreds n***as don't want it, see me I be the ring leader, Lion tamer Do the bankhead and Macarena A black entertainer, bottom line Ya'll n***as know who got the hottest rhymes Face it, I got the whole globe on some Nate sh** Straight from the corners to the covers of the latest Rap Pages Turn the Projects to black Vegas Don Kingin' n***as, make 'em sign blank papers It's the American way, do my enemies pray or is it just me? Hustlin', hopin' the fiends trust me Talkin' to us, hold up, let me walk you through this Wannabe pimps, hoes, often shooters n***as need to know what the truth is f** the sarcasm I miss my n***a Mark but God has 'em When I see his flics I start spazzin' I learned to let it go But I guess livin' this life a n***a never know Chorus Verse 3: I used to love Starters, thug garments Boppin' into Spofford, R.O.R. on drug charges Writin' on walls, florescent markers and krylon Savin' my loot to buy a firearm Broken safety, borough hall and Jay street Hopped the train not knowin' that a fall awaits me Problems came when I started slingin' Late night I hear revolvers ringin' The echos cause cops to start Rodney Kingin' Many riots, is there any silence? Everybody sipped Henny, hustled with many clients Growin' up on the same block my Pops was raised Rocked waves, blend tapes playin' on hot days Brought the speakers out Police made us put the wrieffer out Peep it, I was too young to leave the house I'm tryin' to see the World, runnin' the streets without a care I remember it well cause I was there Chorus