Escape

[Verse 1: Gift of Gab] Where he came up at, it was like kill or die People with guns packed, livin' that 'illa life Where poverty was rampant, bloody murder in the night And people striving so that others [?] wouldn't win the fight Cause see this one dude, lived on the other side Of town, a big house, father and mother tried To give him everything he wanted, things that others tried To have and wanted to obtain, they taught a brother right From all around then, crack epidemic hit The brother selling drugs [?] ladies kick it with It seems he had the most respect as well as dividends He got out of going to school so he could get it in [Hook] Escape from the block, get out, get away Escape from the block, constant mental elevation Escape from the block, create your situation Escape from the block, and make a better day [Verse 2: Gift of Gab] Now that some time's passed, he's in and out the pen' He's had a few kids, still isn't sinking in He's doing lots of OxyContin and some Vicodins Upon returning from the block to live that life again It's full of young guns, he used to get respect But now he's turning thirty and he's an official wreck His baby mother hardly ever lets him see his kids His whole crew he grew up with is either dead or doing bids So moved away far, but still he bangs his block His family members closest to him tell him change his spot Of residence, he get on out and let your life unfurl So you ain't ever really trap cause we live in a world When here's a street dude, living by street rules He'd rather die repping his block than ever be through Being respected as an OG, someone no one dares To cross, but what he doesn't realize is no one cares [Hook] [Verse 3:] So many young cats, that wanna rep the streets Ain't even from that, I wish this shit would cease How many people that you know retiring from hustling? How many grown men over thirty that are doing nothing? See back in high school, it was the thing to be in Instead of living like a nerd, but hate the things you seein' The past ain't nothing like the future: now the nerd is ballin' And the only thing you got is lint inside your wallet Now as respect goes, think of a different plan Instead of gangster I would rather be a grown man Because a man handles his business building better days And a gangster only ends up in the jail or grave [Hook] (Part Two: Instrumental change) [Sample]