Fresh out of summer school headed for the store
 Watchin the O.G.'s standing out gettin rich
 Slangin the fat brown bags of the good shit
 Dope is out but I really ain't seen it though
 Dope fiends smokin the shit by the corner store
 Broke as fuck kinda bummy with nappy hair
 But what can I say when a playa's on welfare
 Life is hard and I'm only 13
 Always on a prowl, always on a scheme
 There wasn't nothin to do but have fun
 Wait for the dark then creep to Emporium
 Get the T.I., get the Guess shirts
 Get the fresh couch break for the turf
 Doin it boley never in fear
 Gettin they punk ass for about a year
 Until I got called, went to the hall
 Writin on the wall, waitin for a hair call
 Released to moms, what can I say
 Off to Sears, the very next day
 Now Sears is easier cuz it's in the area
 Walk to the back of the rack then carried the
 Shit back to the stolen car
 Drive and park by the house is not too far
 My gear was fat but still no money though
 Talked to my homey then got fronted so
 Stackin my shit, hustlin cash
 Gotta get out, gave him his half
 Hooked up with a friend oh we started boomin
 Then we go to some O's then I went solo
 Stackin my pay gettin it on
 Got myself a beeper and a cellular phone
 A donkey roll, a twenty-two
 Jumped on my bike, headed for school
 Locked up my shit, cuz the fools be gankin
 A young nigga pimpin that Benjamin Franklin
 So I walked the halls, wishin the Merrier
 Hooked up with a freak by the cafeteria
 Hair was long, pretty with butt
 I told the freak I was about to cut
 So call me at eight and don't be late
 When I left the school there was a big mistake
 So I jumped on my bike and headed for the set
 With a pocketful of rocks ah man I regret
 For not stayin in school, for just doin my work
 Gettin chased by the Task now I feel like a jerk
 So I'm on the run and I better run fast
 Cuz if I don't they're gonna beat my ass
 Hit a quick cut, run by the Ave.
 Go to the Valley you know I gotta laugh
 Jogged to the third floor runnin the dope spot
 A playa too quick a young brotha can't get caught
 Bitch want credit better go to the bank
 Then my homey walked in with the straight-laced dank
 Two young playas gettin high on the couch
 In a spot, at a dope fiend's house
 Two hours passed now it must be cool
 Cuz I gotta make money fuck going back to school
 Wrapped up for the crime now I gotta do time
 But when I'm out I'll be back on the grind
 All my homies kept flippin and the man kept trippin
 But me JT, I'm a victim of the system
 Shit got thick but what can I say
 In the life of a player but that is the hard way

 (second verse)
 Now it's 92', as you can see
 So I gotta get paid from the R-A-P
 I was in the dope game now I'm in the rap game
 But I gotta get paid so fuck the fame
 I'm a tell ta, it goes somethin like this
 By any means necessary I'm gettin my grits
 Here's a little somethin by the man
 He's always schemin up a plan
 Always tryin to say which way is right
 Always tryin to force us to the way of life
 Of robbin, killin, straight dope dealin
 Young niggas runnin around tryin to be villians
 So they offer us minimum wage
 Knowin damn well we're gonna get the 12 gauge
 To go outside and pull a jack or a caper
 Hopin that we make front page of the paper
 Extra extra, black brotha dead
 Shot in the head by a cop named Fred
 When you read the paper, you know it's a damn lie
 Talk about justifiable homicide
 Then they say we no good at all
 And if we are, for just raps and basketball
 Niggas ain't shit, niggas all lazy


 All they do is fuck go to jail and have babies
 Shit, I'm not that nigga
 I'm JT the one and only Bigga Figga
 That's one of the reasons why I'm doin my own thang
 Now I know you've heard the song, so mind your own mane
 And you'll be fine and you be cool
 And all you young brothas, you better stay in school
 Quit runnin around tryin to be the neighborhood jacker
 Better go to recess and eat some cheese and crackers
 Before you find yourself layin up on a tombstone
 Gonna be there forever, cuz that is your home
 No more TV and no more Nintendo
 No more bikes and no more friends bro
 You better wake up before it's too late
 Before you find yourself standin out in heaven's gate
 Cuz you tryin to get in but no my friend
 Cuz ya die, or committed a sin
 Tryin to peel a cap but ya got your cap peeled
 Now your mother's outside wonderin why you got killed
 Use better judgment in the game you play
 In the life of a black man but that is the hard way