The Hard Way

It's a hot summer day in the year of 84' Fresh out of summer school headed for the store Watchin the O.G.'s standing out gettin rich Slangin the fat brown bags of the good shit Dope is out but I really ain't seen it though Dope fiends smokin the shit by the corner store Broke as fuck kinda bummy with nappy hair But what can I say when a playa's on welfare Life is hard and I'm only 13 Always on a prowl, always on a scheme There wasn't nothin to do but have fun Wait for the dark then creep to Emporium Get the T.I., get the Guess shirts Get the fresh couch break for the turf Doin it boley never in fear Gettin they punk ass for about a year Until I got called, went to the hall Writin on the wall, waitin for a hair call Released to moms, what can I say Off to Sears, the very next day Now Sears is easier cuz it's in the area Walk to the back of the rack then carried the Shit back to the stolen car Drive and park by the house is not too far My gear was fat but still no money though Talked to my homey then got fronted so Stackin my shit, hustlin cash Gotta get out, gave him his half Hooked up with a friend oh we started boomin Then we go to some O's then I went solo Stackin my pay gettin it on Got myself a beeper and a cellular phone A donkey roll, a twenty-two Jumped on my bike, headed for school Locked up my shit, cuz the fools be gankin A young nigga pimpin that Benjamin Franklin So I walked the halls, wishin the Merrier Hooked up with a freak by the cafeteria Hair was long, pretty with butt I told the freak I was about to cut So call me at eight and don't be late When I left the school there was a big mistake So I jumped on my bike and headed for the set With a pocketful of rocks ah man I regret For not stayin in school, for just doin my work Gettin chased by the Task now I feel like a jerk So I'm on the run and I better run fast Cuz if I don't they're gonna beat my ass Hit a quick cut, run by the Ave Go to the Valley you know I gotta laugh Jogged to the third floor runnin the dope spot A playa too quick a young brotha can't get caught Bitch want credit better go to the bank Then my homey walked in with the straight-laced dank Two young playas gettin high on the couch In a spot, at a dope fiend's house Two hours passed now it must be cool Cuz I gotta make money fuck going back to school Wrapped up for the crime now I gotta do time But when I'm out I'll be back on the grind All my homies kept flippin and the man kept trippin But me JT, I'm a victim of the system Shit got thick but what can I say In the life of a player but that is the hard way (second verse) Now it's 92', as you can see So I gotta get paid from the R-A-P I was in the dope game now I'm in the rap game But I gotta get paid so fuck the fame I'm a tell ta, it goes somethin like this By any means necessary I'm gettin my grits Here's a little somethin by the man He's always schemin up a plan Always tryin to say which way is right Always tryin to force us to the way of life Of robbin, killin, straight dope dealin Young niggas runnin around tryin to be villians So they offer us minimum wage Knowin damn well we're gonna get the 12 gauge To go outside and pull a jack or a caper Hopin that we make front page of the paper Extra extra, black brotha dead Shot in the head by a cop named Fred When you read the paper, you know it's a damn lie Talk about justifiable homicide Then they say we no good at all And if we are, for just raps and basketball Niggas ain't shit, niggas all lazy All they do is fuck go to jail and have babies Shit, I'm not that nigga I'm JT the one and only Bigga Figga That's one of the reasons why I'm doin my own thang Now I know you've heard the song, so mind your own mane And you'll be fine and you be cool And all you young brothas, you better stay in school Quit runnin around tryin to be the neighborhood jacker Better go to recess and eat some cheese and crackers Before you find yourself layin up on a tombstone Gonna be there forever, cuz that is your home No more TV and no more Nintendo No more bikes and no more friends bro You better wake up before it's too late Before you find yourself standin out in heaven's gate Cuz you tryin to get in but no my friend Cuz ya die, or committed a sin Tryin to peel a cap but ya got your cap peeled Now your mother's outside wonderin why you got killed Use better judgment in the game you play In the life of a black man but that is the hard way