Lord, it's so hard, living this life
A constant struggle each and every day
Some wonder why, I'd rather die
Than to continue living this way

Ugh, I don't wanna do this no mo' (no mo')
But dis the only thang that I know
I keep a pistol in my back, and a gauge on the flo' (flo')
The laws and the jackas wanna kick in my do' (do')
I'm a d-boy, didn't graduate
But I, got a Ph.D from Pimp State
And I, got a Master's Degree in movin' weight
And my, people dependin' on me but they gon' be straight
Uh, I wanna go to service
But I ain't been in so long, kinda make me feel nervous (nervous)
'Cause they be lookin' at me funny
Watchin' the plate when I tithe, put in my money (money)
I don't wanna go back to that hell
Rather be dead than doin' life in a jail cell
Die young, oh well (well) I had a good life (life)
They rappin 'bout it but I'm out here payin' the price

Lord, it's so hard, living this life
A constant struggle each and every day
Some wonder why, I'd rather die
Than to continue living this way

I wake up out of bed, right after the crack of dawn and
I give myself a, stretch up, a morning yawn and
See I'm a pawn in this neighborhood chess game
Move one step at a time, long as the Lord bless me (f'real)
I know the rest aim high, I'm tryna aim it higher (higher)
Watchin' the lames aspire (aspire) to street success, man (man)
They tryna blame the fire (fire) but that's like wettin' water (water)
You either burnt or washed out, so get in order (order)
Everyday it's gettin' harder to fuck with the flow
I'm tryna keep all of my motherfuckin' ducks in a row (row)
I gotta see a man 'bout a dog and sell him a cat
If you don't know, then you don't know, dat's dat
Shit, a dollar outta fifteen cents, I got a dime
Tryin to hustle up my way to a million, I gotta grind (gotta grind)
Walkin' the line like Cash, I'm on my mash
Two hundred yards behind in a hundred yard dash

Lord, it's so hard, living this life
A constant struggle each and every day
Some wonder why, I'd rather die
Than to continue living this way

Lord, I'm sittin' here on bended knee, my hands locked, eyes shut
Askin' you to watch over me, no matter what
Even though I ain't too well behaved, I'm still a child of you
And faith in my Holy Father is all that keep me smilin' through
The bad times and worse times, through it all
When my head is hangin' low, you help me to stand tall
The only way I'ma ball, the only way I'ma shine
Is if you lookin after me while I'm out here on the grind

Ugh, I know you bless the child that go get it
I'm the product of the ghetto, the flame of the city
So I talk the language of the ave
Forgive my dirty mouth please, I'm whippin' slabs
Fifties, quarters and the whole thangs
Balance in my life on the fo' beam
And I need codeine just to say sane
I'm steady prayin' to you but I don't know your real name

Knahmtalkinbout?
But I'm under the impression that if your heart is in the right place
Your prayers gon' get heard anyway
So some say Jah Jah, some say Allah
Some say Jesus, some say, Yeshua Ben'ta, knahmalkinbout?
Ayy, man I just look like this man, knahmtalkinbout?
I ain't get this far being no square, man
You wanna hide somethin' from black folks, they say you can put it in a book
I don't believe that
'Cause I done read fo' libraries worth of books
I got some knowledge y'all need to get up on, man
Behold a Pale Horse, knahmtalkinbout?
48 Laws of Power, knahmsayin? The Art of War
The Secret Societies of America, knahmtalkinbout?
Everythang ain't what it look like, man
And don't judge every book by it's cover, ya dig?
Hold up

Copyright: BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Writer(s): Al Green, Bernard James Freeman, Chad L. Butler, Joseph Johnson