[2Pac]
Damn, take a ride, to my block
My block, that's right! Heh
F'real on my motherfuckin block
[Verse One]
They got a nigga
Sheddin tears, reminiscin on my past fears
Cause shit was hectic fo' me last year
It appears that I've been marked fo' death, my heartless breath
Tha underlying cause of my arrest, my life is stressed
And no rest fo'ever weary, my eyes stay teary
fo' all tha brothas that are buried in tha cemetery
Shit is scary, how black on black crime legendary
But at times unnessecary, I'm gettin worried
Teardrops and closed caskets, tha three strikes law is drastic
And certain death fo' us ghetto bastards
What can we do when we're arrested, but open fire
Life in tha pen ain't fo' me, cause I'd rather die
But don't cry through your despair
I wonder if tha Lord still cares, fo' us niggaz on welfare
And who cares if we survive
Tha only time they notice a nigga is when he's clutchin on a fo'-five
My neighborhood ain't tha same
Cause all these little babies goin crazy or they sufferin in tha game
And I swear it's like a trap
But I ain't given up on tha hood, it's all good when I go back
Hoes show me love, niggaz give me props
Fo'ever hop cause it don't stop... on my block
[Chorus: a bunch of kids - see the liner notes]
Livin life is but a dream
Hard times is all we see (on my block)
Every block is kinda mean
But on our block we still playyyyyy
But on our block we still playyyyyy...
[Verse Two]
Now shit is constantly hot, on my block, it neva fails to be gunshots
Can't explain a motha's pain, when her son drops
Black male slippin in hell when will we prevail?
Fearin jail but crack sales got me livin well
In a sense I'm sucidal with this Thug's Life
Stayin strapped fo'ever trapped in this drug life
God help me, cause I'm starvin, cain't get a job
So I resort to violent robberies, my life is hard
Can't sleep cause all the dirt make my heart hurt
Put in work and shed tears fo' my dead peers
Mislead from childhood where I went astray
Till this day I still pray fo' a betta way
Can't help but feel hopeless and heartbroke
From tha start I felt tha racism cause I'm dark
Couldn't quit tha bullshit make me represent
Hit tha bar and played tha star, everywhere I went
In my heart, I felt alone out here on my own
I close my eyes and picture home... on my block
[Chorus] w/ minor variations
[Verse Three]
And I can't help but wonder why, so many young kids had to die
Caught strays from AK's and a' driveby
Swollen pride and homicide, don't coincide
Brothas cry fo' broken lives, mama come inside
Cause our block is filled with danger
Used to be a close knit community but now we're all cold strangers
Time changes us to stone them crack pipes
All up and down tha block exterminatin black life
But I can't blame the dealers
My mama's welfare check has brought tha next man chrome wheels
Shit's real, I know ya feel, my tragedy
A single motha with a problem child, daddy free
Hangin out pickin up game, sippin cheap liquor
Gamin tha hoochies hopin I can get to sleep with her
It's a man's world, stayin strapped
Fantasies of a nigga livin phat, but held back
Pipe dreams can make tha night seem hopeless
Wide eyed and losin focus... on my block
[Chorus] w/ minor variations
[Verse Four]
And block parties in tha projects lastin way past daylight
A young nigga learned to break night
Used to play fight with my homies but they stuck in tha pen
I send them ends, but it's tough on a friend, in my mind
I see tha same mothafucka's ballin
Alcohol will make a lazy nigga slip and fall, miss his call
I know tha young niggaz understand this
Growing up in this world where everything is scandalous
I reminisce on tha fast times, past crimes
Tryin to cop a slice of pizza with my last dime
Can't explain, just what attracts me to this dirty game
Gold chains, some extra change, and tha street fame
And what's strange is everybody knows my name, swear they all know me
And lots of cash make a nigga change
I hit tha green just to maintain, feelin pain
Fo' all the niggaz that I lost to tha game... from my block
[Chorus] w/ minor variations; kids repeat last line over and over
[2Pac - speaking over Chorus]
Rest in peace to all the muh'fucka's who passed away
From all tha blocks that I'm from
One-twelve street, 7th Avenue, New York, Uptown, knahmsayin?
183rd and Walt, my block, that's right
122nd and Morningside, my block, that's right
Decatur Avenue, Baltimore, my block, that's right
In the jungle of Atlantic City, that's my block, that's right
Los Angeles, haha, that's my block too
Oakland, can't fo'get Oaktown, that's my block fo' sho'
And all tha otha blocks around this mothafucka
Houston, Florida, St. Louis, Tennessee, Miami, Chicago
All y'all niggaz stay kickin up dust
Represent tha motha-fuckin blocks..