2Pac (Tupac Shakur) - My Block

They got a nigga sheddin' tears, reminiscin' on my past fears
'Cause shit was hectic for me last year
It appears that I've been marked for death
My heartless breath, the underlyin' cause of my arrest
My life is stressed
And no rest, forever weary
My eyes stay teary for all the brothers that are buried in the cemetery
Shit's scary, our black on black crime legendary
But at times unnecessary, I'm gettin' worried
Teardrops and closed caskets, the Three Strikes Law is drastic
And certain death for us, ghetto bastards
What can we do when we're arrested but open fire?
Life in the pen ain't for me, 'cause I'd rather die
But don't cry through your despair
I wonder if the Lord still cares for us, niggas on welfare
And who cares if we survive?
The only time they notice a nigga is when he's clutchin' on a four-five
My neighborhood ain't the same
'Cause all the little babies goin' crazy or they're sufferin' in the game
And I swear it's like a trap
But I ain't given up on the hood, it's all good when I go back
Hoes show me love, niggas give me props
Forever hop, 'cause it don't stop on my block

Now shit's constantly hot
On my block, it never fails to be gunshots
Can't explain a mother's pain when her son drops
Black male livin' in hell, when will we prevail?
Fearin' jail, but crack sales got me livin' well
In a sense, I'm suicidal with this Thug's Life
Stayin' strapped, forever trapped in this drug life
God help me, 'cause I'm starvin', can't get a job
So I resort to violent robbings, my life is hard
Can't sleep 'cause all the dirt make my heart hurt
Put in work and shed tears for my dead peers
Misled from childhood, where I went astray
Till this day I still pray for a better way
Can't help but feel hopeless and heartbroken
From the start, I felt the racism 'cause I'm dark
Couldn't quit, the bullshit make me represent
Hit the bar and played the star everywhere I went
In my heart, I felt alone out here on my own
I close my eyes and picture home on my block

And I can't help but wonder why so many young kids had to die
Caught strays from AK's in a drive-by
Swollen pride and homicide don't coincide
Brothers cry for broken lives, mama, come inside
'Cause our block is filled with danger
Used to be a close-knit community, but now we're all cold strangers
Time changes us to stone, then crack pipes
All up and down the block exterminatin' black life
But I can't blame the dealers
My mama's welfare check has brought the next man chrome wheels
Shit's real, I know ya feel my tragedy
A single mother with up game, sippin' cheap liquor
Gamin' the hoochies, hopin' I can get to sleep with her
It's a man's world, stayin' strapped
Fantasies of a nigga livin' fat, but held back
Pipe dreams can make the night seem hopeless
Wide eyed and losin' focus on my block

And block parties in the projects lastin' way past daylight
A young nigga learned to break night
Used to play fight with my homies, but they stuck in the pen
I send them ends, but it's tough on a friend, in my mind
I see the same motherfuckers ballin'
Alcohol will make a lazy nigga slip and fall, misses call
I know the young niggas understand this
Growin' up in this world where everything is scandalous
I reminisce on the fast times, past crimes
Tryin' to cop a slice of pizza with my last dime
Can't explain just what attracts me to this dirty game
Gold chains, some extra change and the street fame
And what's strange is that everybody knows my name, swear they all know me
And lots of cash make a nigga change
I hit the green just to maintain, feelin' pain
For all the niggas that I lost to the game from my block

(Motherfuckers can't lie, tho)
(Outta all them)
(Rest in peace to all the motherfuckers who passed away)
(From all the blocks that I'm from)
(1-12 street, 7th Avenue, New York, uptown, know what I'm sayin'?)
(183rd and Walt, my block, that's right)
(122nd and Morningside, my block, that's right)
(Decatur Avenue, Baltimore, my block, that's right)
(In the jungle of Marin City, that's my block, that's right)
(Los Angeles, haha, that's my block too)
(Oakland, can't forget Oaktown, that's my block for sure)
(And all the other blocks around this motherfucker)
(Houston, Florida, St. Louis, Tennessee, Miami, Chicago)
(All y'all niggas stay kickin' up dust)