Dear Lord

As we down here, struggle for as long as we know

In search of a paradise to touch (my nigga Johnny
J)

Dreams are dreams, and reality seems to be the
only place to go

The only place for us

I know, try to make the best of bad situations

Seems to be my life's story

Ain't no glory in pain, a soldier's story in vain

And can't nobody live this life for me

It's a ride y'all, a long hard ride

[2Pac]

Somebody break me I'm dreamin, I started as a
seed the semen

Swimmin upstream, planted in the womb while
screamin

on the top, was my pops, my momma screamin stop

From a single drop, this is what they got

Not to disrespect my peoples but my poppa was a
loser

Only plan he had for momma was to fuck her and
abuse her

Even as a little seed, I could see his plan for
me

Stranded on welfare, another broken family

Now what was I to be, a product of this heated
passion

Momma got pregnant, and poppa got a piece of ass

Look how it began, nobody gave a fuck about me

Pistol in my hand, this cruel world can do
without me

How can I survive? Got me askin white Jesus

will a nigga live or die, cause the Lord can't
see us

in the deep dark clouds of the projects, ain't no
sunshine

No sunny days and we only play sometimes

When everybody's sleepin

I open my window jump to the streets and get to
creepin

I can live or die, hope I get some money 'fore
I'm gone

I'm only 19, I'm tryin to hustle on my own

on the spot where everybody and they pops tryin
to slang rocks

I'd rather go to college, but this is where the
game stops

Don't get it wrong cause it's always on, from
dusk to dawn

You can buy rocks glocks or a herringbone

You can ask my man Ishmael Reed

Keep my nine heated all the time this is how we
grind

Meet up at the cemetary then get smoked out, pass
the weed nigga

That Hennessey'll keep me keyed nigga

Everywhere I go niggaz holla at me, Keep it real
G

And my reply til they kill me

Act up if you feel me, I was born not to make it
but I did

The tribulations of a ghetto kid, still I rise

[Ta'He]

Still I (still I) I rise (I rise)

Please give me to the sky (the sky)

And if (and if) I die (I die)

I don't want you to cry

[Yaki Khadafi]

I stay sharp as always

Runnin ya bricks with blitz, through ya project
hallways

Dumpin crews like two's, nigga all day

Secrets of war prepare me for the worst

A life that's lavish full of cabbage or a life
that's in a hearse

But now my dreams it seeems though, be placin
triple beams and things bro

Diamond pinkie ring got the loot poppin out my
jeans

[Napoleon]

Now I plan to keep my glock cocked

If trouble was searchin for me then why not?

Show em what I'm made of plus raised on, on my
block

Chancellor Ave, where many turn to the street,
thugs snatchin bags

We out for power, makin cash it wasn't fast it'll
make me mad

I'm just like, pimpin

My homey on the corner with his gat tucked, in

Youngest they buckin somethin the life he leads

the life he don't need, don't we all know

He tryin to rise up and we just go doe, still he
rise

[Young Noble]

Dreams of lost hope

I hit the strip broke where the fiends get coke

and still I rise now I float cowards ghost

Whenever we come around, I'm runnin down

clutchin a pound, live as sirens, duckin the
sound

I used to hustle with my moms til the sun came

My homey Harm doin time from this drug game

Stolen cars, war scars, born a Outlaw

Behind bars, go to sleep just to see the stars

Freedom is ours, though we trapped on a firm
block

Crackheads only ten learn to duck cops

[Khadafi]

In ninety-six my glock's my plastic, passion for
blastin bastards

No faces for open caskets, peelin ya cap
backwards

Ya cowards ain't prepared for pistol practice

I send my missiles through your mattress

Leavin holes in your body like a cactus

While me and my crew be boppin more greens than
topic

and loot to keep the seams in my motherfuckin
jeans poppin

Leavin ya spleen to pick up

Half of you niggaz is softer than a Snicker

Let's go to war and see who draw quicker

and still I rise, and still I rise...

[Ta'He]

Still I (still I) I rise (I rise)

Please give me to the sky (the sky)

And if (and if) I die (I die)

I don't want you to cry

Still I (still I) I rise (I rise)

Please give me to the sky (the sky)

And if (and if) I die (I die)

I don't want you to cry

[some little kid]

Y'all niggaz fake

All day everyday

So now I got roller blades, bitch

Thought you knew

Your mouth is rich

C'mon pops, let's go..