Ohh yeaahhh
Whoaaa-ho-ohhhhhhh
I wonder what my life would be if I
Had that paaaper (Ohhhhhh)
I'm just a ghetto boy
A little ghetto boy (Ohhhhh)
They tell me it's like
The money, power, money and power
How can this world rotate without this money and power?
If I had money, I'd keep my peoples outta poverty
'Cause ain't no more starvin' when y'all around me (Shiiit)
This what it gotta be B, and every playa got paper
Shinin' like a superstar, with matchin' minks and gators
Keepin' our family off this poor table
Cause ain't no food on it
And every crab up in this bucket gotta move on it
I'm just a ghetto boy
Livin' in this ghetto world
Stayin' with' this ghetto chick
Hopin' to have a ghetto girl
And after all, ain't no spaces for that
How can we live up in this world, when ain't no place for the blacks?
Cause every dollar got a dream behind it, we seem to be blinded
Malcom X, he had to dream to remind us
Believe me, havin' money can have this world f**ed up
But it can't answer yo' prayers, when you get down on yo' luck
I wonder what my life would be if I
Had that paaaper
I'm just a ghetto boy (Ohhh yes I am)
A little ghetto boy (Ohhh)
Now if I live on top of the world
Shinin' like, diamonds and pearls (Diamonds and pearls)
Still a ghetto boy (Yeaah)
A little ghetto boy (Mmm)
I done lived my life up in the, ghetto
Mama workin' hours
Tryina feed a, family
Daddy's in and out
Takin' baths with' broken showers
Next-door neighbor gave us the vapors
Callin' cops, cause we known to plot
Break in they home, on some bogus capers
But I never thought that it would affect me later
Until I seen the hustle, when n***as ridin' stretch Navigators
But, more now then later, I should come up
Cause I seen my homie on the block, slangin' rocks
And then his spot get gunned up
I never visioned it'd be homicide
Because they told me he'll live
That's what they said when my homie Boosie died
Could all these millions bring my n***a back?
Could all these millions feed children?
Could all these millions make my spirit fat?
Would all my friends become my enemies?
When my family becomes astonished
Will my strengths becomes an enemy?
Is this "pretend to be?
A vivid and magically?
A vivid and magically
I wonder, I wonder
I wonder, whoooooaa-ooohhh-oaahhhhh
I wonder what my life would be if I
Had that paaaper (Had that paper)
I'm just a ghetto boy (Ohhh, ohhh)
A little ghetto boy (If I liiive)
Now if I live on top of the world (The world)
Shinin' like, diamonds and pearls (Diamonds and peaaarls, yeah)
Still a ghetto boy (Mmm)
A little ghetto boy
Back in the days, when I was poor
I'm not poor anymore
But somedays
I said I wish that I was poor again
Back in the days, when I was poor
I'm not poor anymore (Da-da-da-da)
But somedays
I said I wish that I was poor again (Ohhh)
I remember when I stole deep
When it was cold outside
Sellin' packs and holdin' heat
Run up and I fold in the street
Penitentiary moldin' me
And the city get as cold as, thugs
I wonder will I come up? Get gunned up?
Turned up? Or anotha' sta-tistic
And my mama just goin', ball-istic
Realistic-ally, don't wanna do the caper
But I gotta get the paper, n***as ballin'
'Cause the county judge is callin'
And the lawyer keep stallin'
Why my n***as keep fallin', victim
To the same old theory?
Another bad outcome, leavin' mothers just out-done
Then it suddenly just sinked in
That my n***a just died last weekend, tears rollin'
And I'm goin' off the deep end
But I gotta stay stong, for the mothers and the kids
Just standin' there lookin' at the chalk line
In his hand was a co*ked nine
Now should I walk a straight line?
'Cause "Time After Time"
I just wanna rewind, and talk to you
At the grave site, gave it to 'em every day and night
But it's alright, and I really wanna talk to you
I really wanna talk to you (Just really wanna talk to you)
Wa**up junior, I've been waitin' to say this for a long time
I love you n***a, and I miss you
I wonder what my life would be if I (Whoooaa)
Had that paaaper (Whooaa)
I'm just a ghetto boy (My life would be)
A little ghetto boy (If I liiive)
Now if I live on top of the world
Shinin' like, diamonds and pearls (Diamonds and peaaarls, yeah)
Still a ghetto boy (Mmm)
A little ghetto boy (Ohhh)