Released: March 26, 1998
Featuring: Monifah
Songwriter: Darryl Young Kenny Kornegay R. Kelly AZ
Producer: Kenny Kornegay Darryl Young
[Intro: AZ & Monifah]
Close your and eyes, fly with me
Spark your lye, get high with me
Visualize with me
Come inside and *see with me*
Come on, come on
Close your eyes, let fly with me
Light your lye, get high with me
Visualize...
[Verse 1: AZ]
Yo, blesses to the young ones trapped in the world
Never hate the next man that be tappin' your girl
It's just a hype, so many things a man vision through life
Help me to understand the chosen ones living through Christ
Blinded time from so many signs shown from greed
Trying to calculate all the funds I blown from weed
Started out just a young shorty, breaking the rules
Turning out to be the wise, educating the fools
So many lost in these last days, closed curtains
Trying to change from my past ways, I'm soul searching
Diggin' deep, trying to feel within, it's real ill
Taking time just to chill with friends, we still build
Always told when I kick it with moms, to stay strong
Watch out for them bitches that's wicked, they play wrong
Keep your game strong, maintain yourself and live
God bless the kids, soon something gotta give
[Hook: Monifah]
The last days, are coming towards you
It's time to build
I;m here to tell you what's real
The last days, are coming Towards you
It's time to build
AZ tell 'em the deal
[Verse 2: AZ]
You kinda know when your end is near, I been there
Seen years disappear in thin air, nobody wins here
It's war on the population, we fighting blind
For sure, we need to stop the hatin', enlighten minds
Many die from a tragic death, in cold blood
But how can niggas lost or lack respect, show love?
Sometime I wonder, was we ever free? High officials
They move so cleverly, don't ever sleep
Got my mind on the proverbs, ecclesiastics
These Bible words, so absurd, I read em' backwards
They open doors, gave me a cause to stay swift
And reward, it gave me the sword to stay rich
Understanding is the best part, besides that
I fell-a off to a fresh start, no time to sidetrack
So much more still to come, it seems strange
I was much more iller young, but things change
Trying to grow old, so many sights to see
Told to never fold, just move righteously, you know?
[Hook]
[Verse 3: AZ]
I never knew any Bloods and Crips, but they exist
In New York, it's just thugs and cliques, we offer chips
Making moves, trying to stay afloat, it get deep
In these streets, you either stay awoke, or get beat
So strategize like the wise king, respect due
Brothers get high and let they mind scheme, I got tech
Who in this world where so many stress, understand
Ain't nuttin left but the thoughts of death, we're sons of man
So off track it's a shame to see, it's open season
Got police moving dangerously, for no reason
Hoping soon we can all adapt, get wise
And realize it was all a trap, in disguise
Assassinated by my own kind, so why ask
What caused blacks to have a closed mind, deal with facts
Keep your eyes open, never rock yourself to sleep
Love to the East, let the dead rest in peace
[Hook x2]
[Outro: AZ]
We gotta do, what we gotta do
Brothers, sisters, you gotta wake up, you gotta wake up
Ain't nothing gonna come from this
We gotta make it right now, we gotta make it right now, now
Think about them baby
Yeah, think about them baby
Close your and eyes, fly with me
Spark your lye, get high with me
Visualize with me
Come inside and *see with me*
Come on, come on
Close your eyes, let fly with me
Light your lye, get high with me
Visualize...
[Verse 1: AZ]
Yo, blesses to the young ones trapped in the world
Never hate the next man that be tappin' your girl
It's just a hype, so many things a man vision through life
Help me to understand the chosen ones living through Christ
Blinded time from so many signs shown from greed
Trying to calculate all the funds I blown from weed
Started out just a young shorty, breaking the rules
Turning out to be the wise, educating the fools
So many lost in these last days, closed curtains
Trying to change from my past ways, I'm soul searching
Diggin' deep, trying to feel within, it's real ill
Taking time just to chill with friends, we still build
Always told when I kick it with moms, to stay strong
Watch out for them bitches that's wicked, they play wrong
Keep your game strong, maintain yourself and live
God bless the kids, soon something gotta give
[Hook: Monifah]
The last days, are coming towards you
It's time to build
I;m here to tell you what's real
The last days, are coming Towards you
It's time to build
AZ tell 'em the deal
[Verse 2: AZ]
You kinda know when your end is near, I been there
Seen years disappear in thin air, nobody wins here
It's war on the population, we fighting blind
For sure, we need to stop the hatin', enlighten minds
Many die from a tragic death, in cold blood
But how can niggas lost or lack respect, show love?
Sometime I wonder, was we ever free? High officials
They move so cleverly, don't ever sleep
Got my mind on the proverbs, ecclesiastics
These Bible words, so absurd, I read em' backwards
They open doors, gave me a cause to stay swift
And reward, it gave me the sword to stay rich
Understanding is the best part, besides that
I fell-a off to a fresh start, no time to sidetrack
So much more still to come, it seems strange
I was much more iller young, but things change
Trying to grow old, so many sights to see
Told to never fold, just move righteously, you know?
[Hook]
[Verse 3: AZ]
I never knew any Bloods and Crips, but they exist
In New York, it's just thugs and cliques, we offer chips
Making moves, trying to stay afloat, it get deep
In these streets, you either stay awoke, or get beat
So strategize like the wise king, respect due
Brothers get high and let they mind scheme, I got tech
Who in this world where so many stress, understand
Ain't nuttin left but the thoughts of death, we're sons of man
So off track it's a shame to see, it's open season
Got police moving dangerously, for no reason
Hoping soon we can all adapt, get wise
And realize it was all a trap, in disguise
Assassinated by my own kind, so why ask
What caused blacks to have a closed mind, deal with facts
Keep your eyes open, never rock yourself to sleep
Love to the East, let the dead rest in peace
[Hook x2]
[Outro: AZ]
We gotta do, what we gotta do
Brothers, sisters, you gotta wake up, you gotta wake up
Ain't nothing gonna come from this
We gotta make it right now, we gotta make it right now, now
Think about them baby
Yeah, think about them baby
- Pieces of a Man (1998)
- Mo’ Money, Mo’ Murder, Mo’ Homicide
- The Format
- The Come Up
- Gimme Yours
- How Ya Livin’
- The Essence
- Time
- Hey AZ
- The Essence (Grammy Remix)
- New York
- Affirmative Action II
- Doe or Die (Remix)
- Games
- Last Dayz
- Whatever Happened (The Birth)
- Everything is Everything (Remix)
- Serious
- The Season
- I Excel
- DJ Doo Wop Freestyle
- DJ Absolut Freestyle
- Save Them
- Intro (Doe or Die)
- Blood Missile