The Neptunes - A Ballad for the Fallen Soldier lyrics

[Jay-Z] This here's a ballad for all the fallen soldiers I'mma bout ta show you how a hustlers life (this is life man) and a soldier's life, parallel And the one thing they got in common is a mother's pain (forget about me for a second) Picture split screen On one side we got a hustler getting ready for the block (human beings) Other side you got the soldier getting ready for boot camp (soldiers) They're both at war (this is life) Stay with us [Hook: Marc Dorsey] Did you ever notice, before you think, life goes fast So don't you worry, about what you see, it will pa** [Verse 1] You lost him mama, the war's callin him Feel it's his duty to fall in line with all of them He's a soldier Rose through the ranks as the head of your household Now its time to provide bank, like he's supposed ta Now just remember why he's gone 'til November It's part of him growing up His shirts soaks up your tears as he holds ya Your heart beatin so fast speeding his pulse up Yeah I know it s**s, Life ain't all rosebuds A couple of speed bumps, you gotta take your lumps Off to boot camp, the worlds facing terror Bin Laden been happenin in Manhattan Crack was anthrax back then, back when Police was Al'Qaeda to black men While I was out there hustling sinning with no religion He was off to war k**ing for a living [Hook] [Verse 2] Days turn to nights, nights turn to years Years turn to, "How the f** we make it in here?" My barracks average couple fights a day Get you locked in a hole won't see the light of day And I feel like I'm just writing my life away I never thought sh** could end up quite this way There's a war going on outside no man is safe from I'm here for the good fight only the fakes run I'm here for the purple heart, if I can't take one For my team or my siblings whats my reason for living? I love my n***as more than anything else This war's about my family, me needin' the wealth You don't understand how useless as men we felt Till you become a 5 star general Shout out to my n***as that's locked in jail P.O.W.'s that's still in the war for real [Hook] Your baby boy is getting grown So your baby boy is moving on I've gotta chase (gotta chase it) If I'm gonna make it (gonna make it) Your baby boy is getting grown So your baby boy is moving on I'm gonna make it Even if I gotta take it (gotta take it) [Verse 3] Mama said pray your sons becoming a man This wars taxin to 'em like Uncle Sam He ain't gon' always make the right choice, understand Every choice that he make he makes it for his fam It's d**h before dishonor And if he's gone you should honor his memory Don't cry we all gonna die eventually But if he's locked in the penitentiary send him some energy They all winners to me What's up Emory [Hook]