[Chorus: sample] All my life, it's been one big struggle Born and raised... in the slums of trouble, I'm all... [Ghostface k**ah] Yo, I was born and raise in New York City The home of the Yankees, the Jam Master Jay's and the Biggie's Ralph Icey's, Jet mags, cops surveillance, it's high tech Our appearance is we still in the grind, and direct But on my side of town sh**'s gorilla, phone booths is broke Behind the building n***as on post What up Doc? What up Lord? I'm chilling These motherf**ers got my name and my face Placed up in every building You see what that do to the children, that ain't right I've been raised in these projects, damn near, all my life And these f*ggots wanna do this to me, I'ma lay low And blow that cop, son, you watch, no lie, word to my momma, dunn They don't want the drama, thunn, 'member me in '86? Knocked out four cops, got knocked on the outer bridge Bagged me with two clips, a fifth of Bacardi Dark I spared them, cause all of them left with they body parts I'm not crazy; I'm lulu, I will Larry Davis these spades You spill a little blood on the NARC's Fubu The Culture Pound'll go thru dude, and ricochet off his shoulder Miss the teeth and hit his Lo Mein noodles f** it.. [Chorus] [Ghostface k**ah] I'ma tell ya motherf**ers something, my struggle is real Threw ketchup on my rice, cause there was no meat with the meal My dog was better off alone, he ate when I ate, if not days later Two weeks old cold sh**, straight out the refrigerator Ran away a few times, then boom, went to Dee and fried them Prior to that, burning rulers, we was getting high in the Hill So many cracks we done crushed up in dollar bills It's a shame, didn't smoke once plain; don't pa** me that I had escaped that, then dust took over Hit bags of red devil, bundels leaking, had put the hood in a coma Hustling backwards and off balance, turkey and cheese hero's And nutriments, kept a n***a belly full Fresh cut and fresh kicks, thinking it was cool, now I'm telling you A grown man still in the struggle, vouch for my brothers too And sisters, all across the globe, f** the past Fix the future, I'm sent here to spread the message, come on [Chorus]