Born with the struggle
Used to hustle for crumbs
Fillin blunts in the building front thuggin for ones
Full clips  fly dicks
Down somethin to pump
Whole cliques fly whips
Dimes nothin to son
City boy on the corner
I was so involved
So the drama I embraced it with open arms
Was tryin to shake the pain
Hopin I could break the chains
Every day the same
Who am I to make a change
Will my niggaz risk it all just to play the game
And the young'uns goin through it
Tryin to play the same
Through the rain
Through the fire
Handcuffed by desire
Sent to your son
Forgive me for the sins that I've done
My life  my pain lasts forever

Nothin in these streets makes it better
My life  my pain lasts forever
Nothin in these streets makes it better
And so I live on
Sittin here thinkin drinkin got a
Lot on my mind
Is my  life shrinkin am I
Caught in the times
It's a  quarter to nine and I'm  grabbin my 9
I had dreams I just
Wanted to rhyme
Climb my ways out these whack-ass ghettos
I signed my name on the line with the devil
Still in my prime weight
But lost minds are settled
Pots on the stove  move grandma's kettle
Late for my job  he thinks he's a star
She hates her husband
She says I'm a slob
Mixed feelins she ain't gettin involved
Battle of the sexes
The planet's off its axis
The IRS God damn I owe these taxes
The truth hurts  but I can take it
It's a long time comin  but I can make it
No mistakin  the cream is back
My life  my pain lasts forever
Nothin in these streets makes it better
My life  my pain lasts forever
Nothin in these streets makes it better
And so I live on
I'm standin on my own two
I got my niggaz  true niggaz  real niggaz
Stop the wheel really  You only feel me
If you walk the same road  talk the same code
Still dwellin in the hell
And find the time to make a home
The few who escape will try to find a safer zone
I ain't waitin for Obama
Never doubted him  I'm proud of him
He real  he'll spend a couple million
In the housing then
Seein is believin  my vision is blurred
Cause I ain't seein nothin I heard
Really nothin but words
The bottom line I'm still stuck to the curb
Sky high but it wasn't the sherm
Really nuttin but herbs
I risk it all for the cause
Even if it's war with the law won't pause
I can't won't don't stop  I ain't got an off switch
Dyin tryin to live it just to get a small part of it
My squad is sick
Type that you don't want problems with
Rollin like 70 Mack trucks  what's stoppin it
My life  my pain lasts forever
Nothin in these streets makes it better
My life  my pain lasts forever
Nothin in these streets makes it better
And so I live on
Ohhhhh
Ohhhhhh said I live
I live  I live
Oohhhhhhhwhoahhhhhhh