Jay-z - Understand Me lyrics

[Verse 1] Thirteen, I was a thug, selling d** Many people thought I flipped my wig, sorta bugged But I shrugged 'em off, like who cares what they say? They was getting jelly and I was getting paid Wasn't afraid to chase dough Wasn't afraid to catch a case so As long as the papes flowed Warnings I took 'em like yeah yeah, if you say so Ladies I book 'em with some cash and hey ho I rolled in cars Pops never seen I rolled with stars and ladies from the magazine Getting dirty down low dough making it clean And mind you I was only thirteen A rebel with a cause A street level hustler with cash coming out the pores Breaking laws, breaking jaws, and taking who*es Probably taking yours, yours, yours, and maybe yours But most important, taking care of the family Still, most people don't understand me [Hook x2] Maybe if they tried to understand me, what should I do? I had to feed my f**in' family, what else could I do? [Verse 2] By fifteen, many brothers had to run I had mad dough, mad friends, and mad guns Nothing to lose Make it big or make the news Take your pick, I got sh** under both shoes So I'm clocking Because opportunity don't come knocking On the door in the projects, socking 'em Nine to five, please I'm talking about five to nine G's in three hours easy I had to block in to smash Try to slow up my cash and better dash to jake before I break your a** Cause I'm not to be played out Folks that try to play Jay, well ok, you getting laid out I had no problem with smoking the rope Cause there's no joking with dough No warning shots so I'm hoping you know I had a supply so I was in demand G Ladies loved I, n***as couldn't stand me But they wouldn't bring the noise Cause I got boys that got (?) like (?) So brothers ought to give it a second thought 'fore you caught speeding External, internal, f** him, he's bleeding And it's back to the norm Making cold cash so fast and keeping ladies warm Still checking in on the family Still, most people don't understand me [Hook x2] [Verse 3] Just dude is no just dude So I just do what I just do to keep a buck or two What's my options? Tell me before you say stop and I tell you about that weak sh** you popping I'm from the projects, wasn't for me By nineteen, I'd be in jail, smoking or buying the key Which one would you choose out of the three? Yeah I know, go for the 40 G's It's no longer for the family they no longer need But for the greed, getting props, and being top seed Sis tells me to slow up, whoa I didn't hear a peep when I was keeping your belly full And you was happy when all your nappies had new kicks I didn't hear sh**, so you quit I got large and forgot the family And now nobody understands me [Hook x4]