(feat. Young MC)



[VERSE 1]

I wake up, 3 in the morning, I'm tired

But for some reason I got inspired

To write a rhyme, I suggest myself

To express myself, maybe impress myself

Now it struck me odd that sisters and brothers

Would ever have riff with one another

And some of us live out of a pipe or a bottle

When what we need are positive role models

Can't you see we need to make the switch

Because a smart man po' will beat a dumb man rich

Yo, dollars don't make you, they can only enhance

And without intelligence, you know you don't stand a chance

With money, you can save it, borrow it, lend it

Without a brain, man, you can't even spend it

Yeah, you can play the role like you're gettin by

But if you do, you're just livin a lie



[CHORUS]

Living a lie, who are you fooling?

Living a lie, who are you fooling?

Living a lie, who are you fooling?

Living a lie, cause Young is cooling



[VERSE 2]

'My record's comin out next week', that's your motto

Before you have a record, you will probably hit the lotto

Livin that lie for years and years

The closest thing you have to wax is what you find in your ears

You talk about girls like a have a whole harem

Look at yourself, yo, you know that you scare em

And it's unfortunate that you have to lie

To a fine young lady just to catch her eye

Yo, ain't it kinda wild how some girls be trippin?

Quiet now, and next minute they're lippin

Want all your money, and when you go broke

Leave you cold like it ain't no joke

The lie that you're livin in this, is quite simple

Fallin for a big butt and dimples

Homegirl's with it when the balance is high

But then it turns out that you're livin a lie



[CHORUS]



[VERSE 3]

You live, you learn, you work, you earn

Do good, you go to heaven, do bad, you burn

So I try to tell people doin bad today

That somewhere down the line there'll be a price to pay

Don't hurt that woman, or beat that child

Or do something stupid cause your friends are wild

Cause when you've got a lot, friends love to share

But when it's time to pay, you know there's nobody there

You live the fast life, walk around high-strung

But then you know if you live fast, you die young

You're lookin in the mirror, say, it can't be true

But when it comes down to it, homeboy, you're blue

Look back on your life, and what have you done?

You spent all your life makin sure you had fun

And as you reflect, you begin to cry

Because you know deep down you was livin a lie



[CHORUS]