[verse 1] From the universal nation of Zulu To the Electric Boogaloo Hip Hop was supposed to speak to The kids in the street Renewing belief That life is worth more Than a casket and wreath A People’s Army Is what the Panthers wished for Swords We drawing them like kamikazes Against ourselves Destroying all flesh And bone We’re at a crossroads Graveyard or sunlight ACT or black mask heist For blood diamond dice Several thousand or 11 years Several sirens sounding Or stability for years 1) Redirect Your focus, your energies Destroy your enemies Tagging over their masterpiece 2) Redirect Your gun and your trigger please Windmill On the box on the concrete 3) Redirect needles From your arm tract To a breakbeat track On turntables and scratch Verbal manslaughter Is domestic violence Unless you’re rapping About a dreadful climate 4) Redirect Words from your mate To the .dat Escape prison bars like an acrobat Redirect words From the cops to the .dat Then “f*** the police” Won’t bruise your face Blue and black [chorus] 5th Element – Self knowledge Understand true power Your mind is greater than a dollar 5th Element – Self knowledge Solve Hard Problems Without knife or revolver

Rehabbing like Pookie, No longer New Jack City's Rookie But They wanna lock me up and throw me in the system like our homie Tookie Neva let us free, Neva let us be All we can be Atrocity Lifetimes only permit black males to see crime and poverty Gotta hold on Gotta be strong When they wanna pop two in my dome Come home see blood on her arms Pops beat mom- Now I'm armed Trained to treat women with respect Got to get stronger to keep that respect If I lose that, then I'll meet my death Nothing's promised to a Kings that's checked So now I have to watch my steps Cuz a lot a pawns frown when I rep Something other than street life and sets I got to hold on I got to be strong Gotta hold on Gotta be strong If not, I'm not going to live long They denied Sharpton Killed Hampton No reparations And they're claiming they're helping Sometimes the Hood crys Shots fly and the Doves die Babies outside (with) no bottle No parents No life Sometimes the Hood crys Shots fly and the Doves die Women on curbs Brothas smoking herb I'm on Sojourner Corners spitting that word Trying to get to heard Where police serve Hands cuffed and remembered (Miranda) words Not acknowledging this is where we work Praying for pay on the first If it doesn't come- you can't be hurt You got to grind harder until it works You see a brother in the street With a multiple X tee With baggy jeans Just trying to reenact what he sees: A brother with more bread than his pockets can eat Stacking from his head to his feet Gang Gang Gun Gun Bang Bang Now he's in too deep Funeral procession The Hood learns a lesson I'm thankful to be alive in the present Getting bullets for birthday presents Preparing for death or preservation Trying to see the Sun But nothing is promised if you live by the gun If you live by the gun You die by the gun Even cowards can't outrun this outcome Why seek a future where bloodshed is sure to come? Sometimes the Hood crys Shots fly and the Doves die Brothers outside Gak by they side Telling tomorrow bye bye Sometimes the Hood crys Shots fly and the Doves die Its a badge of honor to be raised by a stable father In the hood mothers usually serve as fathers So sustaining our household was harder Winters colder Summers hotter No heat No hot water Mama's grinding working two jobs But still can't support her sons and daughters She spoke I listened “Go to school. Pay attention. It's hard with only crumbs in the kitchen working two jobs for pennies.” “Diploma- that's your golden ticket. Get a career, get a pension- So you won't be like me out here Penny pinching.” “In life you have a lot to gain. Like Sam Cooke I'm expecting change Keep your faith in God So you won't go insane.” “'With much wisdom comes much sorrow The more knowledge, the more grief' Trials and tribulations will come everyday that you breathe. You have the capacity to leave a leave a legacy Taking care of your seeds.” Sometimes the Hood crys... Sometimes the Hood crys... Sometimes... Sometimes...