up as I tell a little story
No bragging, all pain,
all struggle, no glory
Fools gagging off a thing called respect
Brown prodders, well they scream,
but they hate when they rep
Bloodshed,
teardrops in closed caskets
Shaking my head daily,
tripping off the madness
Another fam ily, broken hearted
Filled with that sadness
Another youngster can't
be straight
but dippin' with banana
Clips is a trip,
how a kid can switch so quick
From getting good grades,
smoking chronic and picnics
Just a little ghetto boy
As he leaves his house,
he tells his opper
Really thought y 'all meant Boyd,
but he won't
Just another victim lost from gun smoke
Now he's just another name on the wall
No hope, rest in peace to the streets
Now a thang of the past,
homies blessed his name
Rest in peace under his hood tats
Outside they never understood that
Now that I have a different mind state
I feel how can I give back
These youngsters dying,
getting hooked on drugs
Even worse than their clients
Tell me if I'm blocking
Rays just like them,
grew up to be defiant
But I see things different now,
why can't I keep quiet?
Yeah, raced just like them,
grew up to be defiant
But I see things different now,
why can't I keep quiet?
Time to speak up,
this is that street life
My life at times, and that street life
Street life, street life
Street love, street life
Living that street life, street life
This is that street life
My life at times, and that street life
Street life, street life
Street love, street life
Now that I made it,
been had to get the same old story
Fools thinkin' I owe them something,
but they do nothin' for me
Why? Because we rep the same side
I don't really understand
how to ask the Lord why
But I stay focused,
tryna set a new example
Things been gettin' heavy,
but these tests of life
I know I handle different chapters,
different episodes
A whole different channel,
not diggin' how better to do
I used to pass rants in my flannel,
but I try to make a change
Got out of the gang life,
just raisin' my three kids
Just doin' my thing right
Still seein' my enemies
creep in the daylight
Stay focused on my pa per,
just keepin' my game tight
But now, honestly, I feel
I have a new vision
A whole new mission
But this music that I'm
givin' used to feel
Solid braggin' bout the homies
sent to prison
Now I'm feelin' sorry for em'
Knowin' that their kids miss em'
and they can't provide
Can't even be in their lives
Nowadays you're third strike
Got you facin' 25, so think about that
Cause you can't get your life back
Rather give a youngster a job
Then a 9 strap and that's the truth
Tryna spit this game to the youth
Kept it real from the start
The difference between me and you
100 % uncut
Never no substitute
All the youngsters tryna
make a difference
See you, I salute
Livin' street life, street life
This is that street life
My life at times in that street life
Livin' street life, street life
Street life, street life
Livin' that street life, street life
This is that street life
My life at times in that street life
Street life, street life,
street life, street life
My old chick hit me up,
told me criminal you got this
Let these youngsters know all these others
spittin' nonsense
Monotonous, repetitive,
all sayin' the same thing
Yeah I made some money
from glorifying gang bang
But now I see my son turnin' sixteen,
things changin'
Glad to see my homies out doin' their thing,
maintainin'
I keep the grass cut,
gotta watch the snakes
even in your own circle
There's bound to be some fakes
betrayed by one of my dead ones
tryna see my downfall
all because he turned into a dolphin
I seen his flaws went from helping a mom
to rejecting all his calls
even bought diapers for his babies
when he was behind but I learned
you'll get burned
even by your own family
blood thicker than water that
must've passed me
tryna send a message to these kids about real
ity evolution of a genius is a criminal's diary
I spit my heart and soul
and these lines don't like to shed a tear
so I let the song cry ain't
tryna be a preacher
Just have a strong message,
you can love it or hate it
But you gotta respect it
Wish I could take it back
to the days of bustin'
these Smith & Wessons
Was it 357?
That's a castle straight to heaven or hell
I feel this is the only way to prevail
All the radio fans are travelin',
the world would all be a fail
Livin' that street life, street life
This is that street life
My life and times in that
street life
Livin' street life, street life
Street life, street life
Livin' that street life, street life
This is that street life
My life at times in that street light
Street light, street light
Street light, street light
That's right
This street light ain't no joke man
No joke
It's dedicated to the youth
From your homie Mr. Criminal
What's up?
Evolution of a J
It's time for a change
Change
Time to come up