[Lil' Zane]
Money is mandatory, my game is self explanitory
I hit the blunt as I proceed to tell my ghetto stories

I'm into deep,all my peeps, bring them shovel stories
Some ^!$$%z strapped with thier gats, tryin to kill your homez
Didn't know me, but met the heat when they ran up on me

Left his wife and 2 kids at the crib lonely
Got in the way of a stray bullet when I pass
Tryin to retaliate but keep that happin in the past

Ways of the world, how will I last when the economy crash
I'm goin all out gettin my cash
While spend mine open, wit my eyes on the world

Ghettos and jail cells gave me stories to tell
Body swells from the evil smells that I inhale
Evil set me up to fail make my life so real

People tape will caution times being lost my soul series to scar
I'm fighting off demons, it's the ways of the world


[chorus: 2x]
Even though it hurts chest
I'm gonna stroke till I lose my breath

lookin to sin since life began
Coming all the way out the water to get oxygen
Please father help me breathe again, at ease again


[Lil' Zane]
Looking at my self in the mirror, I took a second to think

Memories of bein babies, given milk to drink
Without a worry at mind, we would play all the time
They ain't callin it but b-ball took up most of my time

We were hard headed they all said it
From my parents to our teachers
and even preachers couldn't reach us

I say my prayers, I gave my momma grey hairs, she lives in fear
The thought of me not being there got her worried scared
They say I look just like my father, without the beard

they should have named that ^!$$% magic and dissapear
A couple months out of the year, he reappears
its all the same, ain't nuttin changed, you still my ^!$$%

Don't hold a grudge, just give me love, I'm on my own
I'm kinda sober from a broken home
Wondering what's goin on, did I deserve this

Living in Atlanta got this little ^!$$% nervous
Mama tried to feed us all, until she got laid off
Had the rats paid off, now we all laid off


chorus 2x


[Lil' Zane]
Duckin the gun shots,at the age of 13
There was a war zone, so you choose your team

When the war strikes you better have a heart to fight
or get lost in the world when you loose your life
I would like to get blown, so I read and pray

Surviving day to day, running the streets of stray
Living all my self no company
You better meet the heat when you come for me

And when I die, burn alive, that's a wish of mine
I know that heaving in the zone ain't that hard to find
and when you make it they gone take it, that's a must you know

Don't think of gettin to the top without a problem or so
I take for caution as for evil gotta hit on me
I've been a bad boy for momma,dont you quit on me

They built a jail so when we rise they can crush our dreams
Two of the largest in the industry, erased from the scene
And I don't wanna be a target so I got with a team

They got a glow around their body and do %#@! you've never seen,
know what I mean?
Take it deep like summer eves, that's what we do, only humans

Tryin to get through the world with no confusion

When you close your eyes, can you state the pain, the misery

Bringin for you will rescue me
These are the ways of the world
Now I have to choose between life or lose my sanity

Go with the streets keep callin me
These are the ways of the world