Talib Kweli - For The City lyrics

[Hook] No one said it'd be easy Living just for the city I'm 'gon be alright (x2) Cuz whatever I do I'm gonna keep looking to you Long as I'm on my grind I'll know I'll make it by [Talib Kweli] Yo, money I'm down by law, we draw long arms B-boy rock steady like Strong Arm Shy by nature I gotta force to get my words out But then I rock monkey bars like a ghetto work out I ain't beefin' But I came up on these same streets and I be seein' these people riding the train sleeping Policemen reaching for they guns offering help You get arrested and your choice is rehab or off in a cell Now let me think: gotta do what you gotta to get by Give me a cell 'cause in rehab you can't get high Now I can't sit by Watch my fam just die Roaming the street while society romanticize We, living like roaches saluting the black flag Thieves in the night like the Ali Babas of Baghdad Pack your guns and shoot the black hawks down Asking "Who wanna back talk now?" [Hook] [Phil Da Agony] We pulled up and it's quarter to eight Ordered his plate Got the whole town on lock from border to state Hate pouring out of his pores Defying the laws Had the fat Cuban cigar bite in his jaws Jaws are sharp - always had hammerheads circling b**h stop tough a** n***as had 'em Urkel-ing Indent - he just want his 20 percent Getting bent paying his rent Lay in his tent Popped out five in the morn' Getting it on While most of ya'll still in bed and ain't even yawn He on the block hot Pot holders holding his rock That he boiled in pot Spoiled his block Mothers out four in the morn' waiting in line Acting like Tita Divine Is freeing they mind Shots came rangin' Old ladies started sangin' Everybody in the hood started bangin' The world we live in: scandalous ain't it? You could spray paint it on the wall That's for all of ya'll The fall of your regime The rise of me and my team It's all love they owe us let's redeem Cadillac the contract Bubble back where my mom's at You know a son go to war and combat Ya**er Arafat in track The steady Aromatic is back So get your Malcom X hats Dust it off the rack Like a Stevie Wonder 8-track Agony, Kweli Chemical, Ali They probably waiting on us we hit heavy The beautiful struggle, the Strong Arm Steady [Hook]