Times is hard, but we get through it
And even though it's crimes involved, we had to do them
By any means

Malcolm X marks the spot
I went from ridin' bikes to ridin' through in a drop
The road to success for me was real gritty

Wasn't no stress for me, don't feel pity
Life is a (*##$ and she sure ain't pretty
And I'mma do me anyway, ^!$$%

Cause I'm from New York City

I break bread, ribs, hundred dollar bills

A young prodigy when it come to drug deals
In New York I get blood money
Dirty cash bought my matte black Jeep

I used to skip out on cabs
Went from givin' no dough to given limos to get to shows
Either way I'm driven this %#@! shows

Spit flows like Bō, sick hoes, got a Master Rolex watch above my Mo'
Drinkin' champagne out the bottle
Young Crisco, pop it, hop in, let's politic, ditto

Same ^!$$%s sayin' time to get this money
They've been the same ^!$$%s sayin' that for years, still hungry
New discussion: New York artists wanna be southern

The city's lost, so out-of-towners find themselves frontin'
It was Big, Jay Z, now Troy here after
But Kendrick Lamar's just a weirdo rapper


Times is hard, but we get through it
And even though it's crimes involved, we had to do them

By any means
Malcolm X marks the spot
I went from ridin' bikes to ridin' through in a drop

The road to success for me was real gritty
Wasn't no stress for me, don't feel pity
Life is a (*##$ and she sure ain't pretty

And I'mma do me anyway, ^!$$%
Cause I'm from New York City


We went from Uzis to elephant guns
Small pistols on Gynsills
Little shorties, cheeba, big forties

Sittin' back in the hood
Good, ^!$$%, good
Retrievin' every dollar bill, grabbin' my wood

You know we specialists at nighttime
Call us the poisonous pumpers
Who run up on these ^!$$%s like Nightline

The arsonists and good vines
That means the wares is amazing $$#ignment, baby, since '89
Creepin' through hallways, big laundry bags

Four Ks handle them ^!$$%s, now jam ^!$$%s
$#&@ they gon' do with no CREAM
You might as well be a bum

Cause you could never represent the money team
We smash faces, flash bracelets, that's the basic
Don't get smacked in your mouth with 45 razors

Yeah, the jungle brothers rollin' with all coverage
Get them young Troy
What?

He $#&@ed with us

Times is hard, but we get through it

And even though it's crimes involved, we had to do them
By any means
Malcolm X marks the spot

I went from ridin' bikes to ridin' through in a drop
The road to success for me was real gritty
Wasn't no stress for me, don't feel pity

Life is a (*##$ and she sure ain't pretty
And I'mma do me anyway, ^!$$%
Cause I'm from New York City


You know how I steady rock
New York City bop

Used to slang grainy rock
War on the petty block
Back-to-back cases
Now we drink liquor
Drinkin' back-to-back cases

No, we ain't erase this
Spades hand, aces out of town papers
Luck's all Vegas herb %#@!, Avis
I graduated from the street life accordingly
Said my first rhyme on a jail phone, recordedly

I been shot ^!$$%s since 14
I've been to war, mean got guns from Fort Greene
I exhored ^!$$%s
I was the re-up man
I gave the orders, ^!$$%

P.A.P.I. gave the orders, ^!$$%
King flow, used to get !@%!e from Domingo
In the old folks' home, he's playin' bingo
He sold it for 10, but I got him for cinco
Safe in the ceiling, the guns under the sink flow


Times is hard, but we get through it
And even though it's crimes involved, we had to do them
By any means
Malcolm X marks the spot
I went from ridin' bikes to ridin' through in a drop

The road to success for me was real gritty
Wasn't no stress for me, don't feel pity
Life is a (*##$ and she sure ain't pretty
And I'mma do me anyway, ^!$$%
Cause I'm from New York City

The life and times of a New York ^!$$%

We very different
Please pardon my aggression, but move from my vision
With that bull%#@! you spitting
you talkin' my high off
You blowin' my high, you forcin' my iron off my belt
I'm forcin' myself to be chill...
Listen to them journalists, get yourself killed

They ain't never lived this life, and no nothin' about it
They hide behind aliases and talk rowdy
From behind a MacBook, $#&@ a blog, dawg
If I see you in the flesh you'll be shook
Like a martini I know they tired of me
I know they wish I would die already, but I'm very dope
I'm so cold, you should get your February coat

That NY %#@!, you ^!$$%s got warm hearts
No offense, but I'll tear you apart
No matter which part of the map you rappin', get your weapon

Times is hard, but we get through it
And even though it's crimes involved, we had to do them
By any means

Malcolm X marks the spot
I went from ridin' bikes to ridin' through in a drop
The road to success for me was real gritty
Wasn't no stress for me, don't feel pity
Life is a (*##$ and she sure ain't pretty
And I'mma do me anyway, ^!$$%
Cause I'm from New York City