(feat. Eve)
[Spoken]
(To all the youth in the world that thinks nobody understands...
Well I understand that)
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
I grew up as a 70`s baby
Brought up in poverty and sin
Makin` jokes at the crazy lady
Never acred how she was dealin` within
I knew all the words to
Micheal Jackson`s album as a kid
And when it came to the biggest crusher
No he wasn`t my man
At the age of seven years old
A strange thing happened to me
Before I even saw
My life had flashed before me
And I`ve got the mark to show
And it became a thang of beauty
So I gotta let you know
That my life, that my life
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
Now mama`s workin` hard all day
And she said this before she left home
Take care of your little brother
Have the place cleaned when I get home
All these priorities
Me and Tanya had to learn to be grown
But at the time for me
Being grown had seemed so lone
Woke up and I`m seventeen
With nothing going for me
Except the fact that I sing
You know it hurts so much
From all the sights that I`ve seen
From abusin` the hole in trust
You probably couldn`t take some of things
That I`ve lived in my life
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
It`s hard and the street`s a jungle (I`m telling you, I`m telling you)
Especially with your pretty colors (I`m telling you, I`m telling you)
So stay low and keep it humble (I`m telling you, I`m telling you)
Black women hold it down, keep your feet on the ground
Black men keep searching and you`ll be found
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
[Rap by Eve]
In this world of continuous bullshit and full clips
Seems all we have to pass down is being useless
Broken homes, babies all alone, parent`s never there
No food, no clothes to wear, anger everywhere
Ain`t no values being taught, no productive thoughts
Jealousy rules the world, take shit at any cost
Gotta change our state of life, keep it worth livin`
God gave us voices to speak and that`s our way of givin`
It`s so much bigger than the furs and the jewels
What about encouragin` the youth to do well
What about givin` back- what about unifying
Shit we all black- get it together
Everybody`s got their trials and tribulations
Learn to change the negative to positive situations
Don`t hold the lessons that you learn
Pass it on and except the blessings that could earn
It`s been hard for me
Trying strugglin` in the streets
But where I`ve been- Is no longer where I`m at
And where I`m going- Is not where I`m stoppin` at
