Yeah, I'm about to fill you all in on some things ya know what I'm sayin

See what you don't know aint nothin but one big gamble

It's like a big ol' roulette wheel you know what I'm sayin

But peep this

I'm abut to put you all up on this story

It's about this youngster

Strugglin, strivin, doing what he thought had to be done

So Check this out



[Verse 1]

He was only a youngster

Strapped between two foundations

Father was a minister

Mother worked for the board of education

He had the will to do right but peer pressure took his grip

A long trip down that dirty road he's about to flip

School became unimportant so he dropped out

Started following the wrong influences, he can't stop now

Caught up in the hustlin,  servin small time at first 

Started buyin jewels tryin to prove his self work

His mom could only hang her head and pray for a change

Dreadin the call that would say they found her son's remains

You could see it in him, million dollar signs in his eyes

His office was the drive, his bank was the ride

Run-ins with the police of course you knew that would come

He bought a strap, that's another youngster with a gun

So now I guess this boy think he tough right

He had some words with somebody, pulled his heater last night

I guess he feels he gotta do what he gotta do

Different situations call for different actions dude

I hope for the best

For his moms sake

It would be a shame to see another youngster put in an early grave



[Chorus]

Life is a gamble

We don't know what tomorrow may bring

Life is a gamble

Could today be the last we see

Life is a gamble

I've got to do the things that must be done

Life is a gamble

Cuz I have responsibility



[Verse 2]

He arises from his sleep unaware of the gal layin next to him

All that bumpin last night got his mind ruined

Still persuing the ultimate dream of getting his money right

At anyone's expense on any given day or night

Checks his pager to see what's popping on his block

Just some pennies but his boy informs him of a plot

Here's the scheme

Take money from an institution

We can get major bread in 20 seconds, just listen to me

You'll drive the car and I'll run on in

When I come out we'll have big wood to spend daddy

Aight he's all for it, thinking of his kids

It's been a drought for a minute so he's gotta handle his buiz.

At the spot, his boy runs in ,demands the bread

"Give me all the loot unless you want this teller dead"

Out the door, to the car, hit it, then they speed off

Unaware that the police ha already been keyed off

About two miles down the street the cop slows in

All this led to a five year sentence in the pen.

I guess god said "enough's enough I'll slow his role some,

Give him a little time to see what type of man he'll become"



[Chorus]



[Verse 3]

Release date, a long bus ride home

After four and a half long years a lot of his homies are gone

Either dead or in jail but they aint there no more

i guess it's true, we ?? what we saw

He's got a little brother workin on his album now

Gets to the crib, calls him up, "hey what's up pal"

"Ya headin to the studio, well aight then"

"Give me an hour to get my self together, I'll slide in"

He had all this talent but never channeled it

Could he go a starightened arrow or could he handle it

His decision

His brother asked him to drop a verse

Sees his boy, "damn I see you're still puttin in work"

The rest is history as they say "my oh my this kid has came along way"

God decided he didn't have to die for his mistakes

Just suffer a bit, to get his mind straight

I guess some gamblers are worth it if in the end

The big picture comes into focus, so you can win

This kid has been blessed, in a major way

The trip is, I see him in the mirror everyday



[Chorus x2]