The Roots - Criminal lyrics

[Chorus] Monday they predict the storm Tuesday they predict the bad Wednesday they cover the gra** And I can see it's all about cash And they got the nerve to hunt down my a** And treat me like a criminal [Black Thought] Look, it is what it is Because of what it was I did what I did Cause it does what it does I don't put nothin' above What I am, what I love My family, my blood My city and my hood Hater for the greater good I'm back from Hollywood And I ain't changed a lick Though, I know I probably should But, what I'm doin' is not a good look I never did it by the good book, as a lifetime crook All the petty crime took a toll on me I look around at my homies that's gettin' old on me But still somethin' gotta hold on me Maybe it's faith If it's comin', yo I'm willing to wait I'm not runnin', I done ran through the mud I done scrambled and such I done robbed an odd job and gambled enough Till I'm put up in handcuffs And pissin' in a cup If there's a God I don't know if he listenin' or what [Chorus] [Truck North] Yeah, it is what it is And that's how it go Get treated like a criminal If crime is all you know Get greeted like a n***a If a n***a saw your show A public enemy, to send a eye in the scope My city like a island where you can't find a boat Have you wishin' for a raft And praying that hope flows Some real ethnic cleansing going down no soap Who lookin' for a chair and some real strong rope Just to end it all here Screamin' "f** the mayor" He see the faces at the bottom of the welfare They act like I'm somethin' to fear Trapped in urban warfare And pullin' triggers at a college career Can't ignore the call of the wild That's drawin' 'em near Try to make fast money last long some years Try to laugh it off Still couldn't lose the tears To the rules, I will not adhere Break the law, yeah... [echoes] [Chorus] [Saigon] Who wanna challenge mine? I'm sick of St. Valentine I did the violent crimes That's why I got this style of rhyme Seek repentance to spittin' them sentences To senseless experience is the difference You can't convince this In a crime sense, n***as is infants I'm like a senior citizen Still livin' but gettin' benefits Put emphasis on hittin' my nemesis in high percentages Crooked a** cops is the reason for my belligerence And it gets deeper than that Remember nights I used to sleep with a gat With a package of crack under my sneaker strap D's sneak attack and raid me It took a week for that Beat the rat, but you're sayin' "look, he think he the mack" f** y'all! n***as who thinkin' they might try us Watch us inside riots Blue cars and light fires We already been knocked, scrutinized Plus, cops rush to brutalize us America's polluted by lust Who could I trust? If I can't trust you, then I might touch you If I ain't got love for you Then f** you! [Chorus x2]