[Hook: D-Loc]
Now mama never told me it would be this way
A hard lived n***a, so I had to find out the hard way
And I shoulda seen it comin'
I was startin'
To think you don't see, eyes closed, mouth runnin'
I shoulda seen it comin'
[Verse 1: TraytL]
Aye, I left home at the age fourteen
Thought it was slick, like momma didn't know a damn thing
See, you wanna be grown, I'm a go on and let him be
No matter what, you can always come back here with me
Man, she knew what kind of hood my cousin Faye lived in
Plus I can't get into sh** that I'm already in
All the n***as in the hood and n***as I hang with
Stayed fresh everyday and got paid in grip
And I'm lookin' like Lil Bunny from slang by the bail
Wearin' JcPenny clothes, lookin' lame as hell
So I came up with a way for me to make me some meal
Cause I'm all cold fronting, I need a ounce of Yayo
And the money came in bills like bails of hay
Got knocked doin' paper cause where I am today. (Where you stay?)
I'm back at the crib, but my mama found it only drama, she took me back in
[Hook]
[Verse 2: D-Loc]
I know the lows might get ugly sometimes
I shoulda did what my momma told me
But instead, I chose to do my thing
I never seen a sign until my time came
Head hard as wood, won't listen
Spent a little time in prison
Now I'm standin' at the Crossroads
A life out of sight, didn't know what I was in for
I tried to make a change, but still the same mistakes
[Verse 3: Dirt Dawg]
Strap on your backpack, grab your lunch box and pencils
Dirt Dawg gon' take all y'all to school
Ain't it ironic, karma repeats herself your whole childhood
But you had to grow up to find out it was true
Now I'm the same age she was, when she tried to learn me something
And I find myself telling my kids the same thing too
Life is redundant, they don't listen like I did
But I know they are a blessing, so I pray and have some patience too
Plus I'm older now, wrap my son up in the hand me downs
Jacket of love cause the world is colder now
And I'm a hold him down for free, like momma did me
Til' he's old enough to start his own family tree
See, time repeats its self, so like I did my mom
He'll probably call my house one day, asking me how to raise a family
Son, your grandmomma didn't raise no fool
I ain't raisin one neither, just be a believer
[Hook]