[Intro: Saigon]
Mark Ron. Saigon. Paint the windows black. It's over now
[Verse 1: Saigon]
Finally home from up north, sh**. Already, talk leaking through the faucet
‘Cause I ain't slinging horse sh**, they think that I'm on some soft sh**
Whatever, God. I'ma work hard to find me a job
If that don't work, let them be the first jerks that I rob
But no, I'm trying change it around. Tired of being chained to the ground
From Africa, we came with the crown
When you locked down, your mind frame remaining in town
You hardly ever had nightmares of getting slain on the Nile
Fast as they release me, I done turned on my man
Who want to piece me with a key, see, to flip it whenev it easy
But now I'm job hunting, feeling the more aggravation
Knowing when they seen "Convicted," they tore the application
They probably placed it in the wastebin
While I'm at the crib, pacing, waiting impatient for a call they ain't making
And if I baked a cake, then my momma be stressing honesty
Here and now like, “Honey, what happens is what you promise me.”
“Mommy, honestly, look: I got strikes first. With a n***a, second
They think I was living hectic ‘cause I got a prison record
You think they believe I did dirt, but was disinfected?
No, they just neglect to tell me if I come in there, I was misdirected.”
[Chorus: [?]]
From the street corner to the jail cell block
Lost souls, crack fiends, and crooked cops
Crime sprees, cheap wine, trees, and drug spots
They say it's all good when it's really all not
Someone is crying. I feel your pain
Swallow your tears and call out my name
A lifetime of sorrow gets burned in the flame
The sun comes tomorrow to chase away the rain
[Verse 2: Saigon]
Yo, how couldn't I serve fiends? There was fifty-six in my building
I even hit the souper with something for fixing our ceiling
I was the only kid at thirteen out at four in the morning
n***as was in they mirrors. I was on the corner yawning
Running with kids that was wanted—murder ones and beyond. The
Police reacting off any info the informants respond with (Where was I?)
Captivated by garments, Rugers with the chrome compartments
Teenagers with keys to they own apartment
Young king. My corner park bench
Told this n***a Drab, 50 slabs, just got out his sixth rehab
The f** did I care? The hell of a hole in his cerebellum come
Dummy wanna smoke jumbs? Dammit, I'm selling him some
That was my attitude after that street life molested me
Listen so you can see how sh** indirectly affected me
Same n***a Drab who I told you I sold them slabs to
Needed more to maintain and was down to do what he had to
Walked up on this old lady, put his hand in his pocket
And told her, “Give me the purse!” She screamed, hoping the coppers would roll up
He grabbed the purse, which was strapped to her opposite shoulder
She hit her head and leg when she fell, but her noggin was swoller
Before anyone could stop to console her, Drab was showing me what he got in his hold-up
Noticed my mother wallet—hold up!
My brain blanked, swore before God
Looked to see one of my old report cards splattered, drabbled over the court yard
No, my ma never recovered from my backless war
Fractured skull. Said she might walk again, but they ain't sure
Drab moms still wanted relentlessly
When they sentenced me, she requested that I get no less than infinity
All of this is fiction, but just as well could've been real
What they call k**ing four patients with one pill and it's ill
But it's real
And it's ill, but it's real, but it's ill, but it's real…
[Chorus: [?]] (x2)
From the street corner to the jail cell block
Lost souls, crack fiends, and crooked cops
Crime sprees, cheap wine, trees, and drug spots
They say it's all good when it's really all not
Someone is crying. I feel your pain
Swallow your tears and call out my name
A lifetime of sorrow gets burned in the flame
The sun comes tomorrow to chase away the rain