[00:20.724]Familiar scene, street corner, tape and sheets
[00:23.285]18 put to sleep, talk on the street
[00:25.632]Til next week when a different face is another life wasted
[00:28.910]Self-hatred is dangerous, the world see him as a thug
[00:32.216]But don't understand
[00:33.355]That a poor black man, ain't born with a strap in his hand
[00:35.951]Was soft like all children at 5 years old
[00:38.375]But the cycle and society, turned him cold
[00:41.140]Pops fled the scene, left mom's on her own
[00:43.539]To feed 3 seeds alone, so she never home
[00:46.473]Sweatin' for change, but there's big dough in the game
[00:49.333]And he wanna be next to push a range
[00:51.794]So we change innocent, to militant ways, Rollin' with the bigger boys, doin whatever they say
[00:56.187]But wait these streets ain't got no glory
[00:59.002]Man rolled up on him, you know the rest of the story
[01:02.797]Why do we live this way oh lord?
[01:08.471]Why do we have to live this way?
[01:12.713]Why do we live this way oh lord?
[01:18.498]Why do we have to live this way?
[01:22.262]Look at what we see and go through
[01:23.743]Of course we're thugs, cause of our will to survive
[01:25.250]Not cause of drugs
[01:26.377]Living in foulest conditions, still breed proudest traditions
[01:29.995]We speak, everybody listen
[01:32.401]But we still jealous, when one of us shining
[01:35.182]Like I'm grindin, why's my man shining?
[01:37.706]I ain't criticizing, been known to be whiling
[01:39.832]Just tryna give you food for thought when I'm rhyming
[01:42.291]Cause I'm tired of youts' them dyin' cause there's no guidance
[01:45.429]But I won't have my fam cryin
[01:47.779]An eye for an eye? That's your science?
[01:49.926]Cool we're the same then, let's get blinded
[01:52.586]I'm not in the hype ting-handle ma business
[01:55.028]If I feel somethings a threat, then that threats missin
[01:58.231]Just know that my heart was good and that I tried
[02:00.363]I just had too much pride
[02:03.166]Why do we live this way oh lord?
[02:08.902]Why do we have to live this way?
[02:13.655]Why do we live this way oh lord?
[02:19.645]Why do we have to live this way?
[02:23.782]No matter how we act, we all got emotion
[02:25.906]Just learn to hide it, it hurts to open
[02:28.192]The street is a movie, stay in your role
[02:30.719]If you let it go, vultures swallow you whole
[02:33.180]But it don't fool me bro, I see things clear
[02:36.031]Big killers get big years and shed big tears
[02:38.424]If not at trial, gradually as the years pass
[02:41.050]The guilt set in like a vice on the heart
[02:43.922]Reminiscing bout the nigga at your side
[02:46.341]Now he's missin' and no wishin could give him back life
[02:48.825]That's just life, shit ain't fair
[02:51.527]Man scream "street dreams', all I see is the nightmare's
[02:54.187]Locked up, years pass seed dun grown
[02:56.510]Get murked or hit the pipe, Either way you a ghost
[02:58.965]And that's reality even though it's crazy
[03:01.807]Got to change, or it's the same fate for our babies...
[03:04.625]Why do we live this way oh lord?
[03:10.670]Why do we have to live this way?
[03:14.765]Why do we live this way oh lord?
[03:20.426]Why do we have to live this way?
[03:25.132]I've been talking to myself now lately
[03:27.399]All the things going on so crazy
[03:29.917]I wondering why would somebody explain it to me
[03:35.406]I've been talking to myself now lately
[03:37.586]All the things going on so crazy
[03:40.188]Would somebody explain this to me
[03:42.660]Would you tell me tell me why
[03:46.030]This one's for all my people struggling
[03:49.522]Looking for something better
[03:52.045]Just hold on
[03:53.197]It's coming ,Trust me