| Nineteen-ninety-eight, damn I can’t believe it
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| Whoever thought, throughout the drama, we’d live to see it
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| So many of us done lost lives to the streets
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| As we reminisce I’m pourin liquor for the deceased
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| Thinkin bout the times that I spent with many of em
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| Hopin that the Lord let me see the millenium
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| Trapped in this ghetto main, seekin better days
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| Fightin for my conscience, tryin to shake these wicked ways
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| I know it’s wrong but it’s hard to change
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| All my life, all I ever knew was hustle and game
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| Lookin for answers ever since I was a adolescent
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| Faced with rejection, early age stressin
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| But now ten years later with doodoo respect
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| I’m bustin million dollar raps and six digit checks
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| Showin love to my peeps and my love don’t change
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| Here’s a toast to you fakes, huh, here’s to better days
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| Might sound strange, but I just can’t run away
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| I can’t run, run, it might sound strange
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| But I just can’t run away
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| I can’t run, no, run away
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| Touch a meal ticket, shake a spot for good
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| Never, I still got love for the neighborhood
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| And even though now it’s infested with gunplay
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| On most days like Bootsy I can’t stay away
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| Cause if I shook like y’all shook on me
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| Then whose gon' stay and guide the way for the lil homies?
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| I can’t turn my head on my folks
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| So I stay visible in these streets and try to give hope
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| Born in the ghetto, raised in the ghetto
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| Got love for the ghetto, I can’t forget the ghetto
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| How come everytime we get some change in our can
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| We run away and try to move out as far as we can?
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| I know that jealousy’s the devil’s greed but you worse
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| Than a devil when you turn your back on these young G’s
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| Now feel every word that I say, hear my cry
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| As I struggle out of thirst and search for better days
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| Might sound strange, but I just can’t run away
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| I can’t run, run, run away!
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| Said I just can’t run away
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| I can’t run, run, run away
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| No I just can’t run away
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| I can’t run, run, runnnnnn away!
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| Another day another dollar, it feels good to look around
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| And see I’m surrounded by real riders
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| Childhood comrades I ran with for years
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| Shared the same beer and tears over the same peers
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| Player haters swearin that all we all G’s
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| Off each others strength with these, regulates the same cheese
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| No jealousy we all family like Sister Sledge
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| Lace each other with game, so I can spin beer cans
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| Watch our kids grow together, as we get old together
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| Loc I mean this, let no one come in between this
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| Keep our business among us, behind doors and eyes closed
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| On those we consider as foes
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| Outsiders never exposed to your hustle
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| Plus I’m, never been one likely to trust em
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| No negative association, just dedication
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| To watch our paper sprout like this bud mutation
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| Might sound strange, but I just can’t run away
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| I can’t run, run, run away!
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| No I just can’t run away
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| I can’t run, I can’t runnnnnnn away!
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| No I just can’t run away
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| I can’t run run run run runnnnnn away! |