I wish I could show you my photo album growin' up...



One bedroom apartment,



Shit was hard.



(Ohhh!! Go on the beat! Go on the beat!)



When you drop new songs they relate to

All your close friends wanna go and hate you

That's when the police wanna go and raid you

And all the pretty little bitches wanna date you



I'm motivated, me no one else did

Apartment seven, that little broke kid

Wanted toys, my moms can't afford it

My mama's love become more important



All I ever did was eat rice and beans

I appreciated those types of things

Faded pants no designer jeans

That's when I said "f**k that! Man I rather dream!"



Maybe I don't wanna be broke

Maybe I don't wanna keep sleepin' on the floor

Maybe I don't wanna be sad no more

From the things that I see every week at the store



I'm sorry if I embarrassed ya

I kept complainin' at the register

Cuz you never bought them wrestlahs

It's like havin' things that's not meant for us



Thank you God for bein next to us

I know some day you'll start blessin' us

I know, that's why you gave me confidence and mama gave me always that extra love



Cold Christmas



Young boy I was just like you

Man you had no clue when I told you I had a Cold Christmas (Christmas, Christmas)



My father was gone

I felt so alone

Oh man, oh man, oh man, Cold Christmas (God damn the struggle in the ghetto and shit.)



Tell me oh why (Tell me)

Tell me oh why (Just tell me)

Tell me oh why (Why?.)

We never had them days (Growin' up in the ghetto and shit...)



Cold Christmas (Gunshots goin' off and shit)



Young boy I was just like you, man you had no clue when I told you I had no Christmas



My best friend got a new bike

New clothes and some new Nikes

He kept braggin', I kept smilin'

I'm thinkin' "Homie them shoes nice"



I never got shit even tho I got good grades

My little homie came through with some new J's

I guess I gotta thank God it's a new day

If you didn't get shit, what would you say?



Besides the truth

Mama loves me, I know she do

She been at work and the rent is due

And she has no man, that's dependable

That type of shit ain't acceptable

My mother still so affectional

Besides the fact we got left alone

She still raised me respectable



She taught me to never go steal

Never be a thief, that'll get you killed

Gave me advice, that gave me the chills

Never had money but I had a hot meal



She picked me up from schoo'

I was hungry, she made me happy with Mexican food

She made the greatest food



Mama I'm sorry I called you from jail

The feds put on hold so I got no bail

Got commissary, don't even worry, imma make it by myself



Just pray for me and say you love me and respond to my mail

Just pray for me and say you love me, I'm sorry if I fail



Cold Christmas



Young boy I was just like you

Man you had no clue when I told you I had a Cold Christmas (Christmas, Christmas)



My father was gone

I felt so alone

Oh man, oh man, oh man, Cold Christmas (God damn the struggle in the ghetto and shit.)



Tell me oh why (Tell me)

Tell me oh why (Just tell me)

Tell me oh why (Why?.)

We never had them days (Growin' up in the ghetto and shit.)



Cold Christmas (Gunshots goin' off and shit.)



Young boy I was just like you, man you have no clue when I told you I have no Christmas



Cold Christmas



It's to my little homies growin' up in watts



Hehehe.



Hell yea, growin' up in the muthaf**kin' projects



Was some times we don't get to value family and shit as much as we should...



Too worried to materialistic things and all that bullshit.



There's only thing you needa give a f**k about and that's family man



Oh yea