[00:20.771]Mind  state  of  a  gangster  from  the 40's,
[00:22.301]meets  the  business  mind  of  motown's  Berry  Gordy,
[00:25.771]turned  crack  rock  into  a  chain  of 40/40's,
[00:27.411]sorry  my  jewerly  is  so  gaudy,slid  into  the  party  with  my  new  pair  of  Mauri's,
[00:32.851]America,meet  the  gangster  Shawn  Corey,hey  young  world,
[00:36.531]wanna  hear  a  story,
[00:38.251]close  your  eyes  and  you  can  pretend  you're  me,
[00:40.691]I'm  cut  from  the  cloth  of  the  Kennedys,Frank  Sinatra  havin'dinner  with  the  Genovese',
[00:45.181]the  is  the  genesis  of  a  nemisis,
[00:48.521]mother  America  not  witnessed  since,
[00:51.251]the  harlem  renaissance  birthed  black  businessman,
[00:52.721]this  is  the  tale  of  lost  innocence,
[00:56.731]and  the  incense  burns  and  the  turntables  turn,
[00:59.691]and  that  Al  Green  plays,
[01:02.111]I  see  my  mothers  afro,as  mama  taps  her  toes,
[01:04.521]as  she  rolls  her  j's,
[01:07.161]and  my  papa  just  left  the  house,
[01:08.571]in  search  of  a  killer  of  my  uncle  Ray,and  she's  trying  to  calm  her  nerves,
[01:13.451]as  i  observe  this  is  just  one  day,
[01:17.281]and  what  tomorrow  has  in  store,
[01:18.611]we  can  never  be  sure,so  all  we  can  do  is...pray
[01:32.611]As  i  head  to  my  home-room,
[01:33.731]I  observe  the  ruins,**** needles  on  the  ground,
[01:37.651]i  hear  a  car  go  vroom,
[01:39.91]drug  dealer  in  the  bm  with  the  top  down,
[01:41.911]as  the  girls  start  to  giggle,
[01:44.91]i  ask  why  you  laugh??
[01:45.351]they  say  you're  to  little,
[01:47.841]one  day  you'll  understand,
[01:48.511]when  you  become  a  man,
[01:50.571]'bout  things  you  have  to  get  you,
[01:52.271]fast  forward  freeze  frame,
[01:53.61]on  my  pistol  fistful  of  dollars,
[01:55.01]ignorance  is  so  blessful,
[01:56.961]I  ain't  choose  this  life,
[01:58.311]this  life  chose  me,
[01:59.661]around  here  it's  the  ****,
[02:01.21]that  you  just  do,
[02:02.501]i  just  left  school,the  same  bm  is  pulled  over,
[02:05.561]by  the  boys  dressed  in  blue,
[02:07.431]they  had  their  guns  drawn,
[02:08.451]screaming "just  move",
[02:09.571]or  is  there  something  else  you  suggest  we  can  do?,
[02:12.91]he  made  his  way  to  the  drunk,
[02:13.911]opened  it  like "huh",a  treasure  chest  was  removed,
[02:17.671]cops  said  he'll  be  back  next  month,
[02:19.671]what  we  call  curpt,he  call's  payin'dues,
[02:23.451]now  when  rules  is  blurred,as  they  were,
[02:25.891]what  am  i  to  do  but ....pray.
[02:28.521]pray  the  lord  forgives  me,
[02:29.911]pray  he  guides  me  for  what  i'm 'bout  to  go  through....pray
[02:33.591]anywhere  there's  oppression,
[02:44.41]the  drug  profession,flourishes  like  beverages,
[02:47.371]refreshing,sweet  taste  of  sin,
[02:50.231]everything  i  seen  made  me  everything  i  am,
[02:52.741]bad  drug  dealer  or  victim,i  beg,
[02:55.231]what  came  first,moving  the  chickens  or  the  egg?,
[02:58.591]this  is  why  i  be  so  fresh,
[03:00.201]i'm  trying  to  beat  life,'cause  i  can't  cheat  death,
[03:03.271]treat  shame  like  shamelessness,aim,
[03:05.821]stainless  at  anuses,
[03:06.651]you  know  the  game  this  is,
[03:09.691]move  coke  like  pepsi,don't  matter  what  brand  name  it  is,
[03:14.11]i  stand  behind  mine,everything  i  do  i'm  a  man  behind  mine,
[03:17.961]I'm  not  an  angel,I'm  sure,
[03:20.641]but  every  night  before  i  lay,I  drop  my  knees  to  the  floor,
[03:23.191]and  I  pray.