For about as long, as I can remember

From January on, through to december 

Motherfuckers in chi town been bangin 

They had they little blocks and you could find 'em all hangin 



The year was eighty-one, del plains and broadway 

Vicelords and eagles, strappin in broad day 

I heard this braud say call the cops 

They swingin bats and chains, and they throwin rocks 



And that was as bad as it got back then 

Noone was servin blows pullin glocks or mack tens 

So I kept to myself amongst the pimpin, and hoein 

Gang population consistantly growin 



Years went by and that shit got tight 

Half my homies went left and the other half right 

Despite all the past, they heads got swoll 

And with the increasin age came the loss of control 



We all knew better, but some didnt care 

Like 'Fuck the next man ima get my fair share' 

And with that came the shootin and sellin 

and in the grade school hallways you could always hear 'em yellin 



[Chorus:]

What you be about, What you be about 

Some choose the people, some choose the folks 

What you be about, What you be about 

Some choose the people, some choose the folks 



Now age 16 came and everyone had dropped out 

And as far as beef goes, getting knocked out 

Was cool, cuz you coulda got shanked, or blasted 

In Chi town the gangbangin art had been mastered 



At last it was just too far gone 

The year was eighty-nine and it wouldnt be long 

Till shit got as bad as it could get 

Cuz wit no conscience, theres no regret 



False flaggin techniques, were bein perfected 

And fist to fist combat had long been neglected 

Infected by the plague, of crazy ass shortys 

Doin more dirt than men in their 30's and 40's 



The more these kids did, the more they wanted to do 

And if you got to catch a slug hope that its a twenty-two 

Cuz survivin nowadays is a task 

So you best know what to tell them when they ask 



[Chorus]



Now the present day is in effect and I cant walk down the street 

Without some type of shit to put walks in retreat 

Cuz these sets got the addicts acting dramatic 

And in the summer time its even more sparatic 



Cuz heat makes marks straight tameless 

And all things considered, shits gettin outrageous 

New sets poppin up like everyother day 

Motherfuckers claimin shit cuz they know no other way 



Sayin either flip this sighn, or hear a poppin sound 

Im like I cant throw it up let alone throw it down 

I done lost track on whos who and whats what 

So to simplify shit I be layin in the cut 



While my homies out there raisin hell cappin shit 

Im creatin it my best wit this rappin shit 

But if you think that you can hide then you dreamin 

Cuz just chillin in my crib I can still hear 'em screamin 



[Chorus]