Ladies and gentlemen, ghettos all across the world... [Hook] The man above been talking to me He said he understands my view He's always walking with me Cuz he sees what I've been through When the world starts kicking me around All in my face, make me want to put 'em down Trying to earn, trying to learn, trying to love like a man Sometimes it feels like it's out of my hands-- I'm from the hood that's forever sinning Where life is took for granted here so d**h is winning Nothing but blues around, feels like we're losing out Times that spent in this environment confuse a child As a juvenile I ran wild I ran out of blessings Been in and out of prison as an adolescent My goal was getting it, til something said to turn my life around Redirect my hustle, and go legitimate Til I get corporate and invest fortunes With exec bosses sitting behind a desk at the office I'm left jobless, nobody hiring ex-convicts That don't mean I'm less conscious It's so hard when they close doors And when you looking like a so-called hip hoppa you get nada Stereotyped, scarred for life stigmata But still a kid's gotta get a dolla [Hook] I tackle choices every day that's hopeless I hear a voice saying "stay focused" Fast money, cars, and broads will mislead you Love backwards here is evol but it's legal Multi-task I make a fortune faster Keep rhymin til I'm climbing up the corporate ladder In my community, you've gotta go out of your way if you're out to get paid Than back up and wait for opportunity I try not to blame society I eat my pride cuz I know deep inside it's me But not entirely, when a man try to live righteously And propriety turn to anxiety I thought I paid back the system when I stayed in prison Left the stripes, see what success is like But the way they set the price You spent your childhood in the wild hood You're in debt for life [Hook] I figured out what was talking with me When I do right I feel him walking with me So I'm adamant, some call it arrogance I can cope it cuz I know I'm broke for having sense But my back's against the wall, it's getting rough to get a buck In a job with a minimum wage won't get enough Faced with giving up, and my lady friend's beefing Ends ain't meeting, we just an argument away from splitting up It gets lonely, my fam disowned me Called me the black sheep cuz I act street Yea it's that deep, I tried to change clicks Homies flipped on me cuz I don't hang; we have beef But I'm at peace so that cease, at least I ain't got no ties on my Porsche ride And no time for no crime, knowing that the most high Is watching with a close eye [Hook] They say I'm from the hood That mean I'm no good