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 smokint he 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