Backbone:nOne timenUh for these freaky hoes I lustnBut I'm still flickin ashes a lot of other motherfuckers snort dustnBut that's they thangnA lot of us fall victim somehownBut that's that gamenWon't try to explainnFrom books to bricksnNow I see crooks and tricksnCaught up in the mixnOf everyday in every way but the rightnI control the substance my people fiend for at nightnLord knows I do wrongnSound like the same old songnA lot of niggas singingnHomeboys conceal your weaponsn'cause ain't gon be no smokin session in heavennNo more be buckin yo lucknSeven eleven on the first rollnDon't let the streets rock and roll yo soulnSwats GA by way of Cascade HeightsnGunshots roadblocks sidewalks and icennKhujo:nSold me out for 3.5 grams of neighborhood cloutnNow what the fucks we boutnI'm back home from the bullshitnPuttin in worknMeanwhile others dug ditches and covered themselves in dirtnOne squirtnAnd you locked down forevernCan't run from realitynLurking you closer and closer awaynTo the same old trapsnNow you never learn from your mistakesnSo now you wear this ass whoopin wit pridenWhat side you on?nIt wasn't no I in teamnOnly in your dreamsnSaturated with schemesnYea you right, God gon deal wit yanFallin from his gracenRookie cop moves cause shifty gamenAnd 30 days I'm blessed in the holenBut that's till I go to the state federalnPenitentiarynYea I could did my time standin on one footnBut see I fucked up royallynThought I was slicknThem herpes-havin ass crackers changed my big check to sixnTimes wit Dean Whitaker's sermon of the daynBut when I go to sleep I don't dream no more I just laynA wise man knows his limitationsnConcrete, concrete like Greg StreetnnChorus:nSufferin from a severe case of inner-city bluesnI ain't got no clues to which directions I need to choosenThis opportunity to gain is all I got to losen'cause I just can't settle for these streets shawty I refusennGipp:nThat's the shit I likenLord got the doornShot down to the pavementnRemove yo hat under the ceilingnOf this buildingnA rebuff from the usher of sortsnBecause ????nMost strive for the diamonds and overlook the gemsnGot skimp wit yo bagsnBoulders become shoulders to depend onnWhich way to explorenReform, refrain, we ????nEvery thought you walk through the trails is hellnAirborne for ????nClone menReplace me wit menAnother nation inside a nationnOut the land of ScotsnSuction cups to test tubenLayer of skinnSupply the crust nAnd we'll mix the fruitnGunshows supplied me in the hour of neednWatch em bleednAryan nation be the dealernNow who's the killernYup yup that's the shit I likenThat's the shit I likennT-Mo:nUh puttin forth the effort to make a changenNot doin a lot of talkin bout it what's yo game?nYou slippin you can't never do thatnThat's when you get jackednFor yo life over emotions runnin wild nLike salamanders swimmin in southwest creeksnFeelin incompletenAnother storynLivin ????nValue lost - it wasn't worth it look what it costednYo life young nigganDidn't go out without a fight behind the gun triggernBetter think fast or get swept off yo feetnNigga it hurts to see these drugs deterioratenThe minds of knuckleheads that want to be base headsnDon't say I didn't tell you 'cause you gon see in the futurenI hope I don't have to shoot younIf you switchnWent from hardcore to beggin like a bitchnRevolutions good to badnHoods to rags real niggas to fagsnWhat's the news?nBut I refuse to losennChorusnCee-Lo:nWell I woke up this mornin with the same frustration from situations like thesenGot a call about some work from one of them temporary agenciesnNo high school diploma or any college degreesnI can't enlist but they'll draft me if there's a war overseasnOh pleasenOf course I can slice some OZsnBut see I'm one of those aspirin MCsnAnd uh bills are due so at times I'm doubtful and everyone disagreesnBut I'd rather struggle on my feet than to live on my kneesnSo my uniform tight workin all night at Mickey D'snGot about 90 dollars and some change after the governmentnget they feesnThese minimum wages ain't enough to feed my babiesnPurposely these limitations on black folks opportunitiesnSo I quit 'cause I'm tired of being one of those overworkednunderpaid employeesnStop carin at all went on and did a few small burglariesnIt seems like my face done turned into forgotten memoriesnAnd I ain't gettin away with nothing because I know he always seesnBut see right now I need to see how I can get this here dope soldnI done stuffed in my pocket as many rocks as it can holdnThey gon get high so I'ma get my money even though it's freezin coldnNow how many times you done heard this story told?nBelieve it or not, it's some very intelligent junkiesnBut dependencies is eatin away at they souls like diseasenAnyone can turn into somebody who covets and enviesnUnequal economics can easily make you some enemiesnAnd the crime rate never drops to the cops ride around in threesnI knew he would have killed me if I did anything but freezenThey found the rest of the dope in some nearby shrubberiesnIn a dimlit room being questioned by these authoritiesnAnd they gave me some time in correctional facilitiesnAnd now my woman's gotta take on a man's responsibilities