Stay up Hold ya head up It's hell in the streets boy Hold your head y'all, livin' cause it's there [Boondox] I'm sittin' in the courtroom, stomach full of bu*terflies Somebody help me, cause my life is in the Judge eyes They got me for a Humbug, and that's some bullsh** I should've listened to them preaches in the pool kid Stressin' to help me, seemed like I was born by mistake While the races dominate, got me victim to the Legislate' I'm playin' for kicks, hustle and rob reefer, it medicate-ed My mind, f** the World, we cried My mamma died in '92 so crazy, what the f** to do? Daddy smokin' hard, and I know one day it currupt him to chillin' I'm starin' at the celin', can't take too many blows The pain be k**in', got the silence up through my nose, oh These people want to hurt me, my momma dead so f** 'em A small timer on the rise, so nothin' I feel To my n***as in the county, I might do a bit with ya Boy, in the streets I don't care with ya my n***a [Chorus] 'Cause it's hell Livin' off a thug, money things ain't swell Don't believe me, go and ask my boys in jail When we cryin' keep a knock for the cops 'Cause ain't no sunshine for boys or blocks (my n***a) 'Cause it's hell What we gotta go through, and only time will tell When the pain is over, I'm down on my knees Lord keep watchin' over I'm lookin' for a better way I that's all I gotta say [Boondox] Now I was born broke, but I'll be damned if I'm a die that way Love my momma, can't deny that face And as a child, everynight I prayed For a rap record deal, man sometimes, twice I'd say "Lord save me, take me, away from here" 20 to 9, and I've been sellin' yay' for years But why we had a house, and couldn't keep it? Why we evict'? Why we get more pink slips than Victorias Secret? Why I gotta rob? Why my pappi ain't gotta job? Why I ain't graduate? Why through high school I didn't have a date? Why I had to masturbate? Wea, wea, hand me their hands Why so many not it jail? Why I let my family down? Why my uncle died? Wish it would've been me He ain't rob, he ain't hustle, should've been me Preacher man, could you pray for me, faithfully? When God comes lay him his herbs, tell him wait for me [Chorus] It's hell Livin' off a thug, money things ain't swell Don't believe me, go and ask my boys in jail When we cryin' keep a knock for the cops 'Cause ain't no sunshine for boys or blocks (my n***a) 'Cause it's hell What we gotta go through, and only time will tell When the pain is over, I'm down on my knees Lord keep watchin' over I'm lookin' for a better way I that's all I gotta say [Boondox] He just keep layin' his hands on my momma again Family ties, this is where the drama begins Tellin' by momma on the floor, b**h this and b**h that Locked in my prayin' to God, "Please let me get back" He's trippin' like he's outta control So he had to of been smokin' the herb to croke Through the wall, she was gaggin' and chokin' 11 years old, and I don't need to be seein' this sh** But in my tape deck, 8ball talkin' about beatin' a b**h It got me confused, but damn, you shouldn't of popped her that hard And when them folks come through, that stupid a** be droppin' the charge Whippin' her a** like a man, right and left with his fists And when he blows to the dome, now she sliced her wrists I'm hyped and I'm pissed, so I wipe the blood holdin' her limb It's gonna be all right, I was with in her bleedin' guilt She pa**ed out, eyes rolled back, I'm tryin' not to panic Stepdaddy walked in, saw my momma, then he went in a frantic Blood leakin', it won't stop, him and the rush of the fever She almost died, of loss of blood I knew my momma wouldn't leave me She don't deserve to live in pain, she just wanted to be happy Feelin' like a p**y, I didn't help her when she ain't needin' my daddy She's back at home, and puttin' his hands on her again Livin' in the turn of fire, where drama doesn't end It's hell Nobody knows, than Lord, my soul's hope Nobody knows, than Lord, my soul's hope [Chorus x3 to fade] It's hell Livin' off a thug, money things ain't swell Don't believe me, go and ask my boys in jail When we cryin' keep a knock for the cops 'Cause ain't no sunshine for boys or blocks (my n***a) 'Cause it's hell What we gotta go through, and only time will tell When the pain is over, I'm down on my knees Lord keep watchin' over I'm lookin' for a better way I that's all I gotta say