[Intro: spoken] People, The world today is in a very difficult situation, And we all know it, Because we're the ones who created it. [Chorus:] What's wrong with our future? [x4] [Verse:] Bust this How long will this last? A friend to the end, a memory in the past You think you're big, cause you walk with a shotgun I got new for you, your days are numbered, son Why don't you get yourself a job? When your kid grows up, do you want him to rob? Look at your mother, teardrops She just received a phone-call from the cops "Your son will do life, 'cause he wigged a man's wife Shot her with a gun and stabbed her with a knife.", or Take a look at your mother's heart torn She just received a phone-call from the morgue "Your son is dead from three shots to the head. The k**er left a note and this is what the note said: "Never be bigger than you are. Never try to pose like you're a superstar Next time you rob somebody, and you give him the d**h-wish. When you pull the trigger, n***a, don't miss." Is this how you wanna be Dead on the street or locked in a penetentiary? It's cool to be free And it's alright for you to be you and for me to be me Look at you, 15 years old Coolin on the corner with a can of Old Gold Whatever happened to school? Yeah, sure you go to school, but you go to be cool To sport sneakers that you took from somebody To talk about the kid that you bucked at some party Life is a gamble, and you're losin Before it's too late, brother, you better start choosin Left from right, right from wrong Or you'll be singin that old blues song (Yo, you gotta buck em, or else you're soft) Some I knew thought the same, now they're way up North You ain't soft, cause you didn't buck a shot Put the pistol down, throw up your hands, see what ya got Old Johnny Walker from around the block Was livin' rather large 'till he got knocked He had "Livin' Large" on his Jeep plates "Livin' Large" on his real estate He even bought a diamond "Livin' Large" name plate He used to look at cops and smile in their face Drive a BMW and pump the ba** One day, he made a move for a friend The f-r-iend, the voice said, "Yo, I need ten.", Johnny said, "When?" Later on that day, Johnny went to play the game he normally plays To do a favour for a chum You see, a friend is a friend, but then, some are none Cause when he got to the spot they were supposed to meet All he found was a police-infested street I guess havin a friend is rough Cause now Johnny's up north, doin push-ups, gettin buffed You see this chain I've got, I've got it, honestly You see the clothes I wear, I've got it, honestly You see the Jeep I drive, I've got it, honestly I work hard, it ain't easy being me Never had an excuse for life Just did what I did, now what I do, I do it right "Jumbo, Jumbo", they cry on the block. 5.0, 5.0, lay low, here comes the cops Man, your lifestyle is petro On your knees again, because Jumbo said so "Free Mandela", you cried But you still sell dope to brothers and sisters outside Martin Luther King had a dream (ooh yeah) That's exactly what turned his dream into a nightmare Malcolm X said, "By any means necessary." He didn't mean just for you, brother, he meant for everybody Maybe if we were still slaves, we'll be closer; however Pickin cotton was bad, but we picked it together I pray for you, and you pray for me Sincerely yours, the overweight lover, Heavy D [Repeat chorus to end]