Two of the closest n***as there for me They no longer here with me I'm wide awake, I'm scared to sleep Afraid, though I ain't never been, Grandma said ain't no fear in me Criminal, I prepared to be, in your feelings? Won't hear from me I talk to God, the devil on the other line stressin' Keep a weapon there, 'cause slippin' ain't how I'm gon' learn no lesson Ain't no actors here, I told Bully, "I wish that Stack was here" Mugga too, my hoody blue, so much ice, they gon' have to stare Used to hate my building smell, half for the homies still in jail Harlem different, either k** a cell or pray to lift your bail White rice and tuna fish, way before Ruth Chris We was broke, I ain't care who was rich, stick up kids do exist Hard news, just listen, the dog food was clickin' They moved b**h, long before I heard of Ludacris I watched it with my own eyes, dirty kitchen for home fries Hajjis if ain't nothin' open, just make sure they toast mine I'm thankful for them steak and cheese, I love the hood, I'd hate to leave How the f** was we trappin' outside when it was eight degrees? I still have a hard time tryna understand why Ma$e would leave Gave n***as the reason, plus the truth, I could relate to Beans Free Meek, I'm just tryna chase a dream They'd rather us upstate and grainy, you never had to chase a fiend Pa**ed them off the 'Gram, and then they ran before they paid you Plus you gotta pay yo' connect and at your crib, it ain't no cable You can't watch your favorite TV show, your jacket and your sneakers old Summertime, you make it through, but you ain't tryna see the cold n***as turn to strippers when they see the pole Plant the seed, the seed'll grow, my daughter need three million 'fore she three years old Loyalty and love over everything Flowers over stones and the choir sings How many of them do we know though? Lost so many loved ones and now they're gone too Gone too soon, streets raising kings And queens, we gotta fight to believe again Still loyalty and love over everything Still flowers over stones and the choir sings Thank you, I'm grateful And the choir sings Thank you Lord, I'm grateful Ooh, thank you Lord, I'm grateful (Just thankful to be here, been through a lot) Thank you, I'm grateful Uh, every time it rain, I feel that bullet Hood insane, wish I could change it, but I couldn't I'm just grateful for them whuppings my pops used to give us to keep us out the street In the projects, the water cold at least three days out the week This real talk, I done seen some sh** wake you out your sleep Lit the crib up with candles, felt like the lights was out for weeks I ain't had the drive, wanted to survive until I found the keys 220 on the dash and yes, we taxin', we got mouths to feed Thank you Lord, I'm grateful Lord, if I got it, I blame you Lord My life, it been dangerous Lord, my faith in you could change it Lord Wasn't tryna scare n***as, foreheads was what we was aimin' for I lived on the six, they raid the crib, might have to change the door Let's figure out a way to make 'em hate some more f** the way the system set up, every day I break the law Spend some money, make some more, never thought I'd make it poor Imagine we was takin' score, militant, I relate to war Thankful for my only child Sellin' out these shows that make my homies smile Wake up in Miami to hear the ocean sound Grateful I seen eighteen, grateful I seen twenty-one Grateful that my pops ain't throw me out, he found my n***a gun Of course I said it wasn't mine Runnin' to the park told my father, let's talk another time 'Cause he know I want to rhyme A .38, I kept it on me, I blow it like a runny nose In the projects with like three b**hes to diddy crib with like a hundred hoes Stomach growlin', I don't take it for granted I come from housin' (projects), I need some sh** come with a water fountain My daughter smilin', I'm thankful Freaky told me to rap Thankful Jungle paid attention, the streets could never hold me back Loyalty and love over everything (the streets could never hold me back, thankful Jungle paid attention) Flowers over stones and the choir sings (the streets could never hold me back, thankful Freaky told me to rap) How many of them do we know though? (thankful Jungle paid attention, the streets could never hold me back) Lost so many loved ones and now they're gone too Gone too soon, streets raising kings And queens, we gotta fight to believe again Still loyalty and love over everything Still flowers over stones and the choir sings Ooh, pray, thank you, I'm grateful Grateful, ooh yeah Thank you Lord, I'm grateful Grateful, ooh yeah Ooh, thank you Lord, I'm grateful, ooh Thank you, I'm grateful Thank you God, I'm, thank you, I'm grateful Everything you do for me, let us bow Thank you, I'm grateful Ooh, thank you Lord, I'm grateful Thank you, I'm grateful