[2Pac]

Damn, take a ride, to my block

My block, that's right! Heh

F'real on my motherfuckin block



[Verse One]

They got a nigga

Sheddin tears, reminiscin on my past fears

Cause shit was hectic for me last year

It appears that I've been marked for death, my heartless breath

The underlying cause of my arrest, my life is stressed

And no rest forever weary, my eyes stay teary

for all the brothers that are buried in the cemetery

Shit is scary, how black on black crime legendary

But at times unnessecary, I'm gettin worried

Teardrops and closed caskets, the three strikes law is drastic

And certain death for us ghetto bastards

What can we do when we're arrested, but open fire

Life in the pen ain't for me, cause I'd rather die

But don't cry through your despair

I wonder if the Lord still cares, for us niggaz on welfare

And who cares if we survive

The only time they notice a nigga is when he's clutchin on a four-five

My neighborhood ain't the same

Cause all these little babies goin crazy and they sufferin in the game

And I swear it's like a trap

But I ain't given up on the hood, it's all good when I go back

Hoes show me love, niggaz give me props

Forever hop cause it don't stop... on my block



[Chorus: a bunch of kids - see the liner notes]

Livin life is but a dream

Hard times is all we see (on my block)

Every block is kinda mean

But on our block we still playyyyyy

But on our block we still playyyyyy...



[Verse Two]

Now shit's constantly hot, on my block, it never fails to be gunshots

Can't explain a mother's pain, when her son drops

Black male slippin in hail when will we prevail

Fearin jail but crack sales got me livin well

And the system's sucidal with this Thug's Life

Stayin strapped forever strapped in this drug life

God help me, cause I'm starvin, can't get a job

So I resort to violent robberies, my life is hard

Can't sleep cause all the dirt make my heart hurt

Put in work and shed tears for my dead peers

Mislead from childhood where I went astray

Till this day I still pray for a better way

Can't help but feel hopeless and heartbroke

From the start I felt the racism cause I'm dark

Couldn't quit the bullshit make me represent

Hit the bar and played the star, everywhere I went

In my heart, I felt alone out here on my own

I close my eyes and picture home... on my block



[Chorus w/ minor variations]



[Verse Three]

And I can't help but wonder why, so many young kids had to die

Caught strays from AK's and the driveby

Swollen pride and homicide, don't coincide

Brothers cry for broken lives, mama come inside

Cause our block is filled with danger

Used to be a close knit community but now we're all cold strangers

Time changes us to stone them crack pipes

All up and down the block exterminatin black life

But I can't blame the dealers

My mama's welfare check has brought the next man chrome wheels

Shit's real, I know ya feel, my tragedy

A single mother with a problem child, daddy free

Hangin out pickin up game, sippin cheap liquor

Gamin the hoochies hopin I can get to sleep with her

It's a man's world, stayin strapped

Fantasies of a nigga livin phat, but held back

Pipe dreams can make the night seem hopeless

Wide eyed and losin focus... on my block



[Chorus w/ minor variations]



[Verse Four]

And block parties in tha projects lastin way past daylight

A young nigga learned to break night

Used to play fight with my homies but they stuck in the pen

I send them ends, but it's tough on a friend, in my mind

I see the same motherfuckers ballin

Alcohol will make a lazy nigga slip and fall, miss his call

I know the young niggaz understand this

Growing up in this world where everything is scandalous

I reminisce on tha fast times, past crimes

Tryin to cop a slice of pizza with my last dime

Can't explain, just what attracts me to this dirty game

Gold chains, some extra change, and the street fame

And what's strange is everybod knows my name, swear they all know me

And lots of cash make a nigga change

I hit the green just to maintain, feelin pain

For all the niggaz that I lost to the game... from my block



[Chorus w/ minor variations; kids repeat last line over and over]



[2Pac - speaking over Chorus]

Rest in peace to all the muh'fuckers who passed away

From all the blocks that I'm from

One-twelve street, 7th Avenue, New York, Uptown, knahmsayin?

183rd and Walt, my block, that's right

122nd and Morningside, my block, that's right

Decatur Avenue, Baltimore, my block, that's right

In the jungle of Marin City, that's my block, that's right

Los Angeles, haha, that's my block too

Oakland, can't forget Oaktown, that's my block for sure

And all the other blocks around this motherfucker

Houston, Florida, St. Louis, Tennessee, Miami, Chicago

All y'all niggaz stay kickin up dust

Represent the motherfuckin block





[Thanks to vict0rcheung@hotmail.com for correcting these lyrics]