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...