[Produced by Kanye West] [Intro: Natalie Cole] Just to be where you are... I can't say no I can't say no I can't say no [Verse 1: Kanye West] Wake up, new day, same sh** Get dressed, gotta pay my rent Little off for the money I spent Next week 'til I get my check And I don't even wanna work at this job Matter fact I've been workin' too hard Let's say I quit today Come back, go postal tomorr' This time I'ma take sh** too far I don't give a f** who you are When you broke they do you so wrong When you blow they knew you was raw Two strikes so you can't sell coke Two kids so we can't stay broke But the street life all we know So you know one thing? I can't say no [Hook: Natalie Cole] I can't say no I can't say no I can't say no I can't say no [Verse 2: Trick Daddy] If it wasn't for the fact that I so happened to be rappin' I'd prolly be jackin', prolly be trappin' Somewhere traffickin' packages Takin' this sh** back to the bases But that's the past and I'm tryin' to erase this But how the hell am I s'posed to live When the government want half on every mil'? The cost of gas still climbin' rapidly And I pay the city, the county, state And mothaf**as still out there tryna tax me I gotta sell more ringtones I gotta cut back and stop usin' my juke phones Cause at the rate I'm goin' I'm bound to lose my home off the interest rate alone [Hook: Natalie Cole] I can't say no (I can't say no, I can't say no) I can't say no (I can't say no, no) I can't say no (I can't say no) I can't say no [Outro: Trick Daddy] How can I say no? How can I say no after all this time? If it wasn't for the ghetto, where would I be? If it wasn't for those food stamps and welfare checks mama used to give me Where would I be? If it wasn't for the hood, if it wasn't for the addicts If it wasn't for the fact that they was on d** That they didn't know enough not to get on d** sh** wasn't for the struggle Wasn't for bad luck Wouldn't be nothin'