Good morning boys and girls …
You over there in that black shirt …
What you wanna be when you grow up?
My mother worked two jobs, gang banging was too raw
1993, I was bumping some of that Snoop Dogg
Murder was the Case, my uncle caught a case
My grandmother stressing out, I could feel her pain
Acting older than I was, I should have been acting my age
I had to walk to school, I got recruited to the gang
My mother tried to do her best, on minimum wage
But it was hard when I seen the drugdealers in the range
Such a bad example, she didn’t even know it
I truly needed my father with me, you need to know it
You need to know it, cause I need someone to be heroic
Someone to motivate me when I wanna be a poet
I truly think that I can be the dopest, maybe noticed
Never losing my focus, but you ruined the moments
Shit was hard in my apartment, roaches and old, carpets
I'mma enemy target, matresses by the garbage
I know it’s hard to grow up (grow up)
I know it’s hard to grow up (oh)
But it’s time to grow up (grow up)
I know it’s hard to grow up (oh)
But it’s time to grow up (grow up)
What you wanna be when you grow up?
I wanna be a motherfucking hustler, you better act somebody
Yo, I wish my father never met that woman
Broke my family up, you should have fucking left that woman
I was eating cereal, my mama cried to sleep
Remember the kisses I gave you on the side of your cheek?
I made some promises, that I will make accomplishments
And I became a criminal, please accept my apologies
I'mma get you out this, show these rappers what time it is
Buy you the car you needed, and have somebody to drive you in it
My mama held my hand, standing at the bus stop
Gave me the love I needed, the streets, covered in gun shots
Stop making excuses, and stop going to prison
Cause people forget about you when people don’t even visit
This is for my young homies, thinking there’s no way out
Throwing your life away, living broke, that shit is played out
OG’s tell me stories 'bout life in the pen
A dark cell, homies lost, doing heroin
I know it’s hard to grow up (grow up)
I know it’s hard to grow up (oh)
But it’s time to grow up (grow up)
I know it’s hard to grow up (oh)
But it’s time to grow up (grow up)
And if you fall, get back up
And just remember, everybody gotta grow up
And if you fall, get back up
And just remember, everybody gotta grow up
Grow up, Grow, everybody gotta grow up
Everybody, everybody gotta grow up
Believe me homie, you can make it