Gangsta's Cry

[Intro: Crooked I] It’s real life man, you know what I’m saying. My life is like an open book for everybody listening to this CD man. I got to keep it real with y’all, I mean, I got the opportunity to go to Ms. Afeni Skakur’s house, you know what I’m saying. The mother of the great 2Pac Shakur. And when I was sitting in her back yard, all I could think about is how I missed her son’s real ass music, you know what I mean. Yeah, we got to continue in that tradition. We can’t let it stop there man. Even if I die tomorrow, y’all wouldn’t know what was on my mind, and what was on the minds of young niggas in the ghetto, in the struggle, you nahmean. Yeah it’s real to me man [Verse 1: Crooked I] So many memories I don’t understand They got me weak in my knees like I don’t wanna stand I try to snap back like a rubber band But flashbacks got another plan to bury this rap cat under land My closest aunt fell victim to a madman He raped her, he stabbed her, he threw her in a trash can In Tulsa Oklahoma, the home of the Gap Band They buried Charlene Boomie, my biggest rap fan I can’t express how I missed the time I spent with you God, why did he have to kill my mama’s twin sister? Nigga you lucky cops sent you to jail Cause I was coming to send you to hell after my chopper’s wing split you I was just a shorty when my cousin Bobby died A star running back for Long Beach’s Poly High His best friend and his wife set off the drama right He caught them in bed which led to his homicide Right on his deathbed prepared to die He wrote a song for his wife, the title: “That’s Not a Fair Goodbye” Cause goddamn that’s not a fair goodbye Young or not, guns I would have popped for you, where was I? I can’t forget my aunt Zeb, it’s your neph Since you left I’ve been missing you and I will until my last breath Why did so many loved ones have to meet a fast death? They wanted me to succeed, how can I half step? Huh? [Hook: (K-Young) & Crooked I] (Look up in the sky, tears in my eyes It’s hard to say goodbye, even gangstas cry) I’m in a dark room talking to pictures Too many loved ones lost and I miss you, god knows that I miss you (And even though I’m strong, now that you’re gone It’s hard to carry on, even gangstas cry) Late at night I get lost in the scriptures Wish I could dig off in your coffin and get you, I miss you [Verse 2: Crooked I] I put my pain on paper, there’s nothing else I can do to remove it My music is therapeutic, if I don’t use it I lose it It’s so easy to pick up liquor and abuse it When life is confusing, you want a way that you need to view shit I look at my gun and think of my buddies leaking bloody Cause this is the same demon that took my people from me A lot of my homies was killed over illegal money I lost so many to banging that it ain’t even funny There’s Cookie, there’s Raymond, there’s Charles, too many to name It’s solemn and shame, it’s pain in memories lane It’s a shame when obituaries stack thicker than dictionaries I question is my mind is mentally sane My uncle Leroy is gone, God let him in He was more of a father figure than his brother ever been Look at my brain, it’s like the head of a veteran I fight more pain than Excedrin medicine ever did I can’t sleep, my nightmares are coming unannounced I dream about people I love cause I’m running out It’s rap lyrics, my therapy they don’t wanna bounce It’s trapped spirits, I’m thinking my mind is a haunted house Sometimes I pray to the creator till my knees hurt I need work, my granny used to say I need church This is for my people beneath dirt We making songs, getting tattoos and rocking rest in peace t-shirts [Hook] [Outro: K-Young] Look up in, no, gangstas cry, woah-oh And even though I’m strong, it’s hard to carry on, no-oh