Lord, it`s so hard, living this life
A constant struggle each and everyday
Some wonder why I`d rather die
Than to continue living this way

Uh, I don`t wanna do this no mo`
But dis the only thang that I know
I keep a pistol in my back and a gauge on the flo`
The laws and the jackers wanna kick in my do`

I`m a D-boy, didn`t graduate
But I got Ph.D from Pimp State
And I got a Master`s Degree in movin` weight
And my people dependin` on me but they gon` be straight

Uh, I wanna go to service
But I ain`t been in so long, kinda make me feel nervous
`Cause they be lookin` at me funny
Watchin` the plate when I tithe put in my money

I don`t wanna go back to that hell
Rather be dead than doin` life in a jail cell
Die young, oh well, I had a good life
They rappin` `bout it but I`m out here payin` the price

Lord, it`s so hard living this life
A constant struggle each and everyday
Some wonder why I`d rather die
Than to continue living this way

I wake up out of bed, right after the crack of dawn
And I give myself a stretch up, a mornin’ yawn
And see, I`m a pawn in this neighborhood chess game
Move one step at a time, long as the Lord bless me

I know the rest aim high, I`m tryin` to aim it higher
Watchin` the lames aspire to street success, mayne
They tryin` to flame the fire but that`s like wettin` water
You either burnt or washed out, so get in order

Everyday it`s gettin` harder to f**k with the flow
I`m tryin` to keep all of my motherf**kin` ducks in a row
I gotta see a man `bout a dog and sell him a cat
If you don`t know, then you don`t know, dat`s dat

S**t, a dollar outta fifteen cents, I got a dime
Tryin` to hustle up my way to a million, I gotta grind
Walkin` the line like cash, I`m on my mash
Two hundred yards behind in a hundred yard dash

Lord, it`s so hard, living this life
A constant struggle each and everyday
Some wonder why I`d rather die
Than to continue living this way

Lord, I`m sittin` here on bended knee, my hands locked, eyes shut
Askin` You to watch over me, no matter what
Even though I ain`t too well behaved, I`m still a child of You
And faith in my Holy Father is all that keep me smilin`

Through the bad times and worse times, through it all
When my head is hangin` low, You help me to stand tall
The only way I`ma ball, the only way I`ma shine
Is if You lookin` after me while I`m out here on the grind

Uh, I know you bless the child that go get it
I`m the product of the ghetto, the flame of the city
So I talk the language of the ave’
Forgive my dirty mouth, please, I`m whippin` slabs

Fifties, quarters and the whole thangs
Balance in my life on the fo` beam
And I need codeine just to stay sane
I`m steady prayin` to You but I don`t know Your real name

Knahmtalkinbout?
But I`m under the impression that if your heart is in the right place
Your prayers gon` get heard anyway
So some say Jah Jah, some say Allah
Some say Jesus, some say Yeshua Ben`ta, knahmalkinbout?

Ay man, I just look like this, man, knahmtalkinbout?
I ain`t get this far bein` no square man
You wanna hide some`n from black folks
They say you can put it in a book, I don`t believe that
`Cause I done read fo` libraries worth of books

I got some knowledge y`all need to get up on, mayne
But hold a pair of hearts, knahmtalkinbout?
For they laws and power, knahmsayin? The art of war
The secret societies of America, knahmtalkinbout?
Everythang ain`t what it look like, man
And don`t judge every book by its cover, ya dig? Hold up