From:
Dear God.. how can I explain myself?
[J] Oh God bless me indeed
When Iīm so confused
[J] Enlarge my territory
[J] Place your love and protection over me at all times
Help me!
[J] Keep me away from evil
Somebody answer me! [echoes]
[J] Allow me not to cause pain
[Jay-Z]
Police in the background, screamin put the thing down
Thatīs how hard I was trying to put my thing down
Si-rens ringin out, old ladies screamin out
All this attention for me and Iīm barely sixteen now
.. itīs feelin like a dream now
Handcuffed, roughed up, Iīm tossed in the bing now
Iīm lyin next to fiends now, thatīs the end of the story
Let me bring yīall niggaz back to the very first scene now
December 4th, a child is born
Before I knew it, had my pops trousers on
Thatīs how we do it when the man of the house is gone
You either, stand or fall, I chose to stand
The hawk outside, so I blow my hand
Itīs a cold cold world but I overstand
Tryin to stay focused but I feel hopeless damn
Canīt cope with bein broke, Iīm a man - cīmon
[Chorus: R. Kelly]
Son donīt let these streets, get the best of you
I will be right by your side, when you goin through
Son just donīt let it (just donīt let it)
Just donīt let it (just donīt let it)
Just donīt let it (just donīt let it)
.. get the best of you
[R. Kelly]
Late one night I was, rollin the streets
Just, thinkin about whatīs goin on with me and
trapped in this thug life, tryin to break free but
this thug life just keeps callin me
Iīm livin life way too dangerously
Iīm drownin in my misery
Looked in the mirror, thereīs my enemy
Cause poppa never was a part of me
Take one step at a time, mama said
Sweet memories still remain in my head
All of my life been lied to, misled
Voices be like, "Donīt you wish you was dead?"
No ground to place my feet
I feel the fire under me
A way out is all I need
Somebody, answer me!
[Chorus ad libs]
[Jay-Z]
Now the only thing left is more spirit to roam free
.. cause ainīt no goin home for me
Itīs a cold cold world but I blew my hand
A true first cause I knew that man
I knew what he would do if I didnīt draw first
And I couldnīt stand the thought of my momma steppin foot inside a church
All I try to do is try to get up out the dirt
Guess heīs tryin to do the same, told me get up out his turf
I wanted to talk to him, but that shitīd never work
We was cut from the same cloth and what was under his shirt was his
mommaīs rent, his young brotherīs clothes
My nephewīs food, and with that I suppose
.. and with that I froze
Now my life is frozen in time behind these iron folds
And this story is told, for young soldiers
who never choose the life we chose
[Chorus (ad libs)]
[R. Kelly]
Tears in my eyes as I look up, Iīm tryin to
hold back my pride but reality is screamin
Gotta get a job cause mo-mma also screamin
Streets are just like drugs, and itīs like Iīm out here fiendin
Forget all the hits in the industry, cause
ainīt no exceptions in this game for me, look
Neither God or my enemies, I
choose God cause he understands, this
young man with a thuggish heart
Whole world in his hands but still torn apart
Like Iīm so close, but itīs still so far
Nightmares of me in a swervin car, ohhh
No ground to place my feet (my feet)
I feel the fire under me (heyyy)
A way out is all I need (all I need)
Somebody, answer me!
[Chorus ad libs]
Translate to:
Dear God.. how can I explain myself?
[J] Oh God bless me indeed
When Iīm so confused
[J] Enlarge my territory
[J] Place your love and protection over me at all times
Help me!
[J] Keep me away from evil
Somebody answer me! [echoes]
[J] Allow me not to cause pain
[Jay-Z]
Police in the background, screamin put the thing down
Thatīs how hard I was trying to put my thing down
Si-rens ringin out, old ladies screamin out
All this attention for me and Iīm barely sixteen now
.. itīs feelin like a dream now
Handcuffed, roughed up, Iīm tossed in the bing now
Iīm lyin next to fiends now, thatīs the end of the story
Let me bring yīall niggaz back to the very first scene now
December 4th, a child is born
Before I knew it, had my pops trousers on
Thatīs how we do it when the man of the house is gone
You either, stand or fall, I chose to stand
The hawk outside, so I blow my hand
Itīs a cold cold world but I overstand
Tryin to stay focused but I feel hopeless damn
Canīt cope with bein broke, Iīm a man - cīmon
[Chorus: R. Kelly]
Son donīt let these streets, get the best of you
I will be right by your side, when you goin through
Son just donīt let it (just donīt let it)
Just donīt let it (just donīt let it)
Just donīt let it (just donīt let it)
.. get the best of you
[R. Kelly]
Late one night I was, rollin the streets
Just, thinkin about whatīs goin on with me and
trapped in this thug life, tryin to break free but
this thug life just keeps callin me
Iīm livin life way too dangerously
Iīm drownin in my misery
Looked in the mirror, thereīs my enemy
Cause poppa never was a part of me
Take one step at a time, mama said
Sweet memories still remain in my head
All of my life been lied to, misled
Voices be like, "Donīt you wish you was dead?"
No ground to place my feet
I feel the fire under me
A way out is all I need
Somebody, answer me!
[Chorus ad libs]
[Jay-Z]
Now the only thing left is more spirit to roam free
.. cause ainīt no goin home for me
Itīs a cold cold world but I blew my hand
A true first cause I knew that man
I knew what he would do if I didnīt draw first
And I couldnīt stand the thought of my momma steppin foot inside a church
All I try to do is try to get up out the dirt
Guess heīs tryin to do the same, told me get up out his turf
I wanted to talk to him, but that shitīd never work
We was cut from the same cloth and what was under his shirt was his
mommaīs rent, his young brotherīs clothes
My nephewīs food, and with that I suppose
.. and with that I froze
Now my life is frozen in time behind these iron folds
And this story is told, for young soldiers
who never choose the life we chose
[Chorus (ad libs)]
[R. Kelly]
Tears in my eyes as I look up, Iīm tryin to
hold back my pride but reality is screamin
Gotta get a job cause mo-mma also screamin
Streets are just like drugs, and itīs like Iīm out here fiendin
Forget all the hits in the industry, cause
ainīt no exceptions in this game for me, look
Neither God or my enemies, I
choose God cause he understands, this
young man with a thuggish heart
Whole world in his hands but still torn apart
Like Iīm so close, but itīs still so far
Nightmares of me in a swervin car, ohhh
No ground to place my feet (my feet)
I feel the fire under me (heyyy)
A way out is all I need (all I need)
Somebody, answer me!
[Chorus ad libs]