[00:02.27]Dear Lord[00:03.95]As we down here, struggle for as long as we know[00:07.64]In search of a paradise to touch (my ***** Johnny J)[00:10.76]Dreams are dreams, and reality seems to be the only place to go[00:15.23]The only place for us[00:17.31]I know, try to make the best of bad situations[00:21.02]Seems to be my life's story[00:24.01]Ain't no glory in pain, a soldier's story in vain[00:27.62]And can't nobody live this life for me[00:30.13]It's a ride y'all, a long hard ride[00:33.27]Somebody break me I'm dreamin, I started as a seed the semen[00:35.89]Swimmin upstream, planted in the womb while screamin[00:39.79]on the top, was my pops, my momma screamin stop[00:41.81]From a single drop, this is what they got[00:44.02]Not to disrespect my peoples but my poppa was a loser[00:46.44]Only plan he had for momma was to **** her and abuse her[00:49.32]Even as a little seed, I could see his plan for me[00:52.31]Stranded on welfare, another broken family[00:55.00]Now what was I to be, a product of this heated passion[00:58.20]Momma got pregnant, and poppa got a piece of ass[01:00.74]Look how it began, nobody gave a **** about me[01:03.48]Pistol in my hand, this cruel world can do without me[01:06.85]How can I survive? Got me askin white Jesus[01:08.23]will a ***** live or die, cause the Lord can't see us[01:12.43]in the deep dark clouds of the projects, ain't no suns*ine[01:15.21]No sunny days and we only play sometimes[01:18.32]When everybody's sleepin[01:19.89]I open my window jump to the streets and get to creepin[01:22.77]I can live or die, hope I get some money 'fore I'm gone[01:25.70]I'm only 19, I'm tryin to hustle on my own[01:27.80]on the spot where everybody and they pops tryin to slang rocks[01:30.74]I'd rather go to college, but this is where the game stops[01:33.60]Don't get it wrong cause it's always on, from dusk to dawn[01:36.69]You can buy rocks glocks or a herringbone[01:39.00]You can ask my man Ishmael Reed[01:41.13]Keep my nine heated all the time this is how we grind[01:44.41]Meet up at the cemetary then get smoked out, pass the **** *****[01:48.08]That Hennessey'll keep me keyed *****[01:50.21]Everywhere I go ****** holla at me, "Keep it real G"[01:53.41]And my reply til they kill me[01:55.31]Act up if you feel me, I was born not to make it but I did[01:58.96]The tribulations of a ghetto kid, still I rise[02:01.50]Still I (still I) I rise (I rise)[02:04.14]Please give me to the sky (the sky)[02:06.69]And if (and if) I die (I die)[02:09.46]I don't want you to cry[02:11.56]I stay sharp as always[02:13.03]Runnin ya bricks with blitz, through ya project hallways[02:15.80]Dumpin crews like two's, ***** all day[02:17.84]Secrets of war prepare me for the worst[02:19.77]A life that's lavish full of cabbage or a life that's in a hearse[02:22.44]But now my dreams it seeems though, be placin triple beams and things bro[02:26.20]Diamond pinkie ring got the loot poppin out my jeans[02:28.52]Now I plan to keep my glock c**ked[02:30.04]If trouble was searchin for me then why not?[02:31.91]Show em what I'm made of plus raised on, on my block[02:34.15]Chancellor Ave, where many turn to the street, thugs snatchin bags[02:37.39]We out for power, makin cash it wasn't fast it'll make me mad[02:39.73]I'm just like, pimpin[02:41.31]My homey on the corner with his gat tucked, in[02:43.71]Youngest they buckin somethin the life he leads[02:46.40]the life he don't need, don't we all know[02:49.19]He tryin to rise up and we just go doe, still he rise[02:50.78]Dreams of lost hope[02:52.11]I hit the strip broke where the fiends get coke[02:54.60]and still I rise now I float cowards ghost[02:56.89]Whenever we come around, I'm runnin down[02:59.38]clutchin a pound, live as sirens, duckin the sound[03:02.09]I used to hustle with my moms til the sun came[03:04.49]My homey Harm doin time from this drug game[03:07.72]Stolen cars, war scars, born a Outlaw[03:10.15]Behind bars, go to sleep just to see the stars[03:12.93]Freedom is ours, though we trapped on a firm block[03:16.00]Crackheads only ten learn to duck cops[03:18.19]In ninety-six my glock's my plastic, passion for blastin bastards[03:20.78]No faces for open caskets, peelin ya cap backwards[03:23.80]Ya cowards ain't prepared for pistol practice[03:26.05]I send my missiles through your mattress[03:27.67]Leavin holes in your body like a cactus[03:29.53]While me and my crew be boppin more greens than topic[03:31.88]and loot to keep the seams in my motherf****n jeans poppin[03:34.83]Leavin ya spleen to pick up[03:36.47]Half of you ****** is softer than a Snicker[03:40.72]Let's go to war and see who draw quicker[03:42.86]and still I rise, and still I rise...[03:45.03]Still I (still I) I rise (I rise)[03:48.11]Please give me to the sky (the sky)[03:51.18]And if (and if) I die (I die)[03:53.47]I don't want you to cry[03:56.55]Still I (still I) I rise (I rise)[03:59.05]Please give me to the sky (the sky)[04:01.91]And if (and if) I die (I die)[04:04.66]I don't want you to cry[04:09.35]Y'all ****** fake[04:13.25]All day everyday[04:17.17]So now I got roller blades, *****[04:23.83]Thought you knew[04:28.58]Your mouth is rich[04:32.12]C'mon pops, let's go..