3 kids started off being friends to the end

Growing up in a time that turned boys to men

Carlo was the slick one, the little girls liked him

And all the little niggaz in the hood, wanted to fight him

But Carlo, main nigga James wasn't having that

James had boxing game and left niggaz laying flat

All of us 12 or 13 at the time

Drinking cheap wine, and smokin' brown bag dimes

I was into writing rhyme in class at school

Waitin' for the bell to ring so we can go and shoot pool

One day, some up the block niggaz came talking shit

Bragin' on they clique, and how many crews they click with

Tryin' to start some extra clip shit, them niggaz so for real

James so cool to get with fucked his whole grill

Carlo, that slick nigga pulled a 22

They got some heat too, what the fuck we gonna do?

Bust and hit the backdoor, now we in the alleyway

Running, heart pumpin' fast tryin' to see another day

Blessed to escape the mayhem

Time and time again, we escaped the mayhem



[Talking]

Yo, whats been goin' on dogg?

Man, that shit goin' down dogg

what's goin' down with you?

I done heard you got rich huh?

You don't fuck around with us in the hood no more huh?



You know it's funny how shit changes, right?

How life can loosen up a friendship that's so tight

Years after all the horseplay and misdemeanor crimes

Us being homeboys, didn't seem so fine

Years of just fuckin' around, rappin' in the neighborhood

Found me with a gold album, tryin' to live my life good

Carlo got popped with 8 keys in a minivan

Somewhere in Tex, Arcan, doin' about a hundred man

That nigga James, straight cutthroat on them snouts

Robbin' dope boys, gettin' what the fuck he want

The game changed, now you gotta play with death

Now I have to ask myself



[Chorus:]

Do you remember your childhood, back when

You didn't have to have loot, to have friends

Now it's all about your benjamins, your cash flow

And if a nigga fuck with that, he better know

Time changed everything, between us

And if I see you in the streets, I gotta bust

You used to be a friend to me, one I could trust

Now if you see me in the streets, you better bust



One day, I'm on my way to the studio, ya dig?

Pick up a zip of hay, after I drop off my kids

Flippin' through the hood, seen James with his little crew

Blue rags up, in a drop top Malibu

Bloodshot eyes, I could smell the dip burnin'

Bumpin' DJ Squeeky, flashin' what the earnin'

He asked about Carlo, well what can I say?

I write him when I get a chance, but I pray for him everyday

Lookin' at my ride, tellin' me nigga you comin' up

Fuckin' with that rappin' stuff, I guess you just forgot about us

Nah cat, it ain't like that

I gotta eat, that's when James clicked and pulled out his fuckin' heat

I hit the gas, he kept bustin' till the clip was empty

17 shots, and didn't nothin hot nip me

Quickly, grabbed my shit and opened it up wide

The nigga on the passenger side instantly died

James bailed, I gave chase, fuck the consequence

If I let him live, he'll start another incident

12 years ago, I never thought I'd see the day

Shit would ever be this way



[Chorus]