And any man who knows a thing Knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all And every time I felt the hurtin' I felt the givin' gettin' me up off the wall I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe How did Mandela get the will to surpass the everyday When injustice had him caged and trapped in every way? How did Gandhi ever withstand the hunger-strikes and all? Didn't do it to gain power or money if I recall It's the gift, I guess I'll pass it on, mother thinks it'll lift the stress of Babylon Mother knows, my mother she suffered blows I don't know how we survived such violent episodes I was so worried, it hurt to see you bleed But as soon as you came out the hospital you gave me sweets, yeah They tried to take you from me But you still only gave 'em some prayers and sympathy Dear Mama, you helped me write this By showing me to give is priceless And any man who knows a thing Knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all And every time I felt the hurtin' I felt the givin' gettin' me up off the wall I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe All I can say is, the worst is over now We can serve the hard times, divorce it's over now They try to keep us out, but they doors is open now My nigga Akon is gettin' awards and covers now This is K'naan, and still reppin' the S Comin' out of Mogadishu and still draped in the mess And no matter how we strong homie It ain't easy comin' out of where we from homie And it's the reason why I can never play phoney "Tell 'em the truth" is what my dead homies told me, ooh yeah I take inspiration from the most heinous of situations Creatin' medication out my own tribulations Dear Africa, you helped me write this By showin' me to give is priceless And any man who knows a thing Knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all And every time I felt the hurtin' I felt the givin' gettin' me up off the wall I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe Nothin' is perfect man, that's what the world is All I know is I'm enjoyin' today You know 'Cause it ain't every day that you get to give And any man who knows a thing Knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all And every time I felt the hurtin' I felt the givin' gettin' me up off the wall I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe (Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah) I ain't got nothing to complain about (Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah) You know where I'm from, and you know where I'm at, so I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride (I'm flying high) I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe (yeah yeah yeah) I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride (peace) I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe (yeah yeah yeah)

Life goes on in the streets of my hood when you die But some cry and gets by, while others choose to wonder why His life was took at such an early age A young nigga who lived in a rage died by the gage He used to hustle on the street corners His mom would always beg him to quit but he didn't wanna As he got older, he got even worse 'Til a real nigga showed him the purpose of a hearse A cold night in his hood, he had a tangle The brother he was squabblin' with, had broke his ankle Laid him out in the driveway Some people knew he wouldn't survive but hey I ain't the one to speak up on another's All I can do is try to open his eyes and help the brother He chose the wrong way and that's the route he took Born and brought up as an angel but he died as a crook He had a baby that he couldn't raise And she will never see her father again 'cause he's in a grave I always think about [unverified] "My daddy was a dopeman, so I'ma be a dope dealer" How will the family explain it? "My daughter had a baby for a 'caine head!" He ain't around to see her walk Dry her eyes when she cries, pick her up when she falls Just the thought of a kid livin' fly fucks me up When his girl has to raise a bastard child It gets deeper, he used to punch her and beat her She was loyal to his ass but accused as a cheater She had a good deck but she picked the wrong card Had a kid, now she's realizin' life is hard A big time dope dealer's all she wanted Who drove a Jag or a Benz so she could flaunt it The situation's got me guessin' But the answer remains to be a question He lived his life in a lie I guess you only get a minute to pray, and a second to die It was crazy how it happened Some niggaz rolled by in the Riviera cappin' All I could see was a pistol spittin' rounds And the boy was just screamin' as he fell to the ground A woman yelled, get an ambulance But I knew he was dead, he didn't stand a chance You shoulda seen him, he was scared A bullet goes to his chest and one to his head He just laid there in silence and all I heard was the sirens Paramedics pulled up Followed by a law man and then came a firetruck Put his ass on the stretcher But if he survives, I'm willin' to betcha He'll be out for revenge They patched him up within a week he was back at it again Went to his brother on the North side Grab your shit, it's a hit, we're gonna take a long ride Packed it up in the trunk AK-47, M-11 and a pump Rolled by [unverified] on Scott Street School was lettin' out "Yo, you ain't gonna shoot yet?" "Watch me!" Opened his trunk and grabbed a shotgun He shot him Put his tooly on the front seat Continued his mission, as he headed down the street The kids was just starin' at each other J.D. rolled by and smoked black's brother Reached in his coat and grabbed a 'port Full speed down Reed, shot his mom on the porch On his way down Cullard His brother was just dazed in a shock, "Why you do it?" "Why you shot his moms Jay? Shit" "He, he, he, he, he hah man fuck that bitch" Went to the store to use the pay phone Called up Mack, "Aiyyo J.D. Homey" Hung it up and rolled down Dagger Headin' for the nigga he was after By the time he arrived at the scene Malcolm was ready for anything He tried to sneak around the back way Never thought of bein' taken out on that day Black boy, black coat Stood around the corner as he passed slit his throat He didn't fall so he fired One to the middle of his skull, he's expired A whole army came out Twenty-seven niggaz all strapped out of one house That how it happens in the acre One nigga died in the park in the paper Shit gets deeper but why? I guess you only get a minute to pray and a second to die

Dnyc3 has signed on Started from the bottom did whole lot They see a nigga winning hoes gon' flock Niggas dirty mac'n on the name and still ain't got no joints They fronted on me back then but that's besides the point Now I'm at the finish line I only move when the money call I'm focused like I'm off that adderall Young nigga had em all And them haters I ain't round y'all You niggas praying for my down fall And I ain't even lost yet Obi said I'm up next And these hoes man don't sweat Toss em like they Jazzy Jeff You can bank on that, this shit all facts These snakes don't gets no daps, uh Now she wanna put me on the team She said my D is nice the beats put me in the league (Leimert) And Aziz got my back If you niggas hating Kash got the strap It's the mutha-fuckin Pope See a nigga like me ion take no L's No No Every time you see me know I'm up Way up boy that's all I know I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been going so hard that I keep on winning Ain't shit you can tell me. aye Biggie said mo money mo problems But I never had problem getting money I been winning for a long time, never switched up She wanna roll with a winner better keep ya chick tucked Road to success man I'm taking lanes up Don't hate when I get that Roover, get yo range up Man I see them punks hating telling them niggas go sleep I dun seen close friends turn to enemies Chris Tucker, Charlie Sheen, money talks better speak up Just to be Frank I want the respect like Aretha And uh To the sky's my fate, the pigs I shake Leimert's the only L I'll take and that's hunnid And Aziz got my back If you niggas hating Kash got the strap It's the mutha-fuckin Pope See a nigga like me ion take no L's No No Every time you see me know I'm up Way up boy that's all I know I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been winning for a minute I been going so hard that I keep on winning Ain't shit you can tell me, aye Biggie said mo money mo problems But I never had problem getting money I been winning for a minute

Cut my heart and I'll fall Then it's hard on my soul She set fire to my gun She killed everyone She's a burn on my tongue The black in my lungs She set fire to my gun She killed everyone She's a burn on my tongue The black in my lungs She set fire to my gun She set fire to my gun Jump a little left, oh And come, I need a hand, oh, oh Jump a little left, little left, little left, little left, little left Jump a little left, oh And come, I need a hand, oh, oh Jump a little left, little left, little left, little left, little left Jump a little left, oh And come, I need a hand, oh, oh Jump a little left, little left, little left, little left, little left

Is that all you got to say? You leave on the last train I know it's gettin' late And there must be somethin' wrong if you Refuse to stay, but this This is a mistake Walk away A mistake Walk away Slow down to me You breathe, it's comforting Speak softly, the smell of fresh coffee When you leave, on the street I love the face you make As if to say this This is a mistake Walk away Hide away Walk away