[Verse 1]

I try to always buy final call from the F.O.I

Even though that's not what Islam always signify

Y'all gotta love the struggle in 'em

They would get on their knees and shine shoes

'fore they ever let the drugs afflict 'em

Makin taco's and fuckin with McDonald's

Nickel and dime broke, but dignified with high hopes

Some people shoulder the weight of the median, make it look easy

Even though they walkin the tight roads

Immigrants, twelve deep in one bedroom

I'm too cool, I look at 'em like fools

Those fools combine forces and put the resources

And guess who the new owner of the corner store is

Shit, what's stoppin me from doin that?

I probably could with drug smugglers approve of that

Because if one dime sack in the time can climax

Into a billion dollar industry, then look at my abilities

But I'm a dreamer in alotta ways

I feel if you believe in God that you believe in brighter days

Keep my son's heartbeat in my sleep

I'ma walk the Planet Earth with his name carved deep in my feet like



[Chorus x2]

Children growin, women producin

Men go workin, but what's the use

When the real strive hard and stress about the rent

And can still die poor and in debt without a cent



[Verse 2]

Born again christian creatures from the suburbs

Tryin to save souls on Broadway, they got some nerve

Comin here unaware that the one's with no material gifts

Sometimes most spirits leave rifts

Lazyness got me spare the stand back and what was that

That can't hold me back, my man Vast told me that

"Harlem got all that on a bigger scale"

When there's bullets in the sandboxes every bid is real

I see children growin up within a wicked system

Smilin I wanna kiss 'em, I see prophet Muhammad in 'em

Poverty's trickin people from my generation

And hands down to world's most creative

I've seen both sides of the fence

Picket a chain link and we ain't all thinkin the same thing but

They teens got so impressed by me

They try to walk, talk, interact and dress like me

We captivated the world's imagination

I used to idolize athletes and entertainers

Cause they never let the situation capture 'em

System gave 'em lemons, made lemonade and sold it back to 'em



[Chrous x2]

Children growin, women producin

Men go workin, but what's the use

When the real strive hard and stress about the rent

And can still die poor and in debt without a cent



[Verse 3]

Marvin Gaye said it best "This ain't livin"

No matter your religion the earth keep spinnin

And the sun keep shinin, babies keep cryin

Old folks dyin in beats within you put ya chiming

And here I am, still lower class America

Same room, same view, different cast of characters

Regina got arrested as a late prowler

Couldn't trick, got evicted, lost her section aid voucher

Onward goes my neighbourhood's revolving door

A gang of rental properties nobody owns at all

I guess that's why we call it a hood

Nobody stays as long as it takes to become neighbour



[Chorus x2]

Children growin, women producin

Men go workin, but what's the use

When the real strive hard and stress about the rent

And can still die poor and in debt without a cent