Released: December 7, 1993
Songwriter: Ice Cube
Producer: 88 X Unit
[Intro: sampled announcer]
In any country, prison is where society sends it's failures. But in this country, society itself is failing
[Verse One]
Tadow, how you like me now, I'm in the mix?
It's 1986 and I got the fix with the chicken and a quota
Got the baking soda, let the water boil, workers all loyal
Dropped out the twelfth
Cuz my wealth is shorter than a midget on his knees
Now I slang keys
Infest my hood with crack, cuz I'm the mack
Take a nation of millions to hold me back
Too big for my britches, and I got bitches
Now I'm hittin' switches, niggas want my riches
Used to get 18 when my G was alive, now a key is 13-5
'89s the number, another summer
Police ain't get no dumber
Streets dried up, used to think it would last
But being a king-pin is a thing of the past
They tried to blast me for sellin' a boulder
Now I got my ass in Minnesota
Got my own crew, it's on brand new
Damn, what can I do?
Tadow...
[Verse Two]
Already done stack me half a mill ticket
Bought a house next to Prince, so now I can kick it
Now I got ends, wavin' to my friends, rollin' in my Benz
Goin' to see the Twins, play at the dome
Police are tappin' my mobile phone
I'm almost home
Gettin' excited, indicted, spent a grip and a year tryin' to fight it
Lawyer got paid, plea, no contest
And everything I own got repossessed
Now take a look at the dust
And I'm happy cuz I only got 36 months
Never picked up a book
But my arms are 16 inches, niggas look
Can't wait for '92 so I can get with my crew
And see, what can I do?
Tadow...
[Verse Three]
Phucked up in the pen, now it's ninety-fo
Back in LA, and I'm bailin' in the dough
Everybody, now I gotta start from scratch
So where to work at, and niggas smirk at
Me say ain't nuttin' poppin from here to the LB
What you tell me?
No it ain't crack, and everybody's jackin' for a coupe
Cuz, they sent in the troops
Even though I got muscle, that ain't my hustle
Takin' niggas' shit in a tussle
No skills to pay the bills
Takin' 'bout education to battle inflation
No college degree, just a dumb ass G
(Yeah you Nigga), who me?
I got a baby on the way, damn it's a mess
"Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" Yes
Took some advice from my Uncle Fester
All dressed up in polyester
Welcome to McDonalds may I please help you?
Shit, what can I do?
Tadow...
[Outro]
The white man has broke every law known to man to establish AmeriKKKa, but he'll put you in the state penitentary, he'll put you in the federal penitentary for breaking these same laws. Now we gonna look and see if this motherfucker is guilty for the laws he'll put you in jail for:
Drug using, drug selling, armed robbery, strong armed robbery, grand larceny, rape, racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion, aggravated assault, mayhem, sodomy of the black man, trespassing, embezzelment, purgery, kidnapping, smuggling, grand theft, brandishing a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, breaking and entering, and premeditated cold-blooded murder
Guilty on every charge
In any country, prison is where society sends it's failures. But in this country, society itself is failing
[Verse One]
Tadow, how you like me now, I'm in the mix?
It's 1986 and I got the fix with the chicken and a quota
Got the baking soda, let the water boil, workers all loyal
Dropped out the twelfth
Cuz my wealth is shorter than a midget on his knees
Now I slang keys
Infest my hood with crack, cuz I'm the mack
Take a nation of millions to hold me back
Too big for my britches, and I got bitches
Now I'm hittin' switches, niggas want my riches
Used to get 18 when my G was alive, now a key is 13-5
'89s the number, another summer
Police ain't get no dumber
Streets dried up, used to think it would last
But being a king-pin is a thing of the past
They tried to blast me for sellin' a boulder
Now I got my ass in Minnesota
Got my own crew, it's on brand new
Damn, what can I do?
Tadow...
[Verse Two]
Already done stack me half a mill ticket
Bought a house next to Prince, so now I can kick it
Now I got ends, wavin' to my friends, rollin' in my Benz
Goin' to see the Twins, play at the dome
Police are tappin' my mobile phone
I'm almost home
Gettin' excited, indicted, spent a grip and a year tryin' to fight it
Lawyer got paid, plea, no contest
And everything I own got repossessed
Now take a look at the dust
And I'm happy cuz I only got 36 months
Never picked up a book
But my arms are 16 inches, niggas look
Can't wait for '92 so I can get with my crew
And see, what can I do?
Tadow...
[Verse Three]
Phucked up in the pen, now it's ninety-fo
Back in LA, and I'm bailin' in the dough
Everybody, now I gotta start from scratch
So where to work at, and niggas smirk at
Me say ain't nuttin' poppin from here to the LB
What you tell me?
No it ain't crack, and everybody's jackin' for a coupe
Cuz, they sent in the troops
Even though I got muscle, that ain't my hustle
Takin' niggas' shit in a tussle
No skills to pay the bills
Takin' 'bout education to battle inflation
No college degree, just a dumb ass G
(Yeah you Nigga), who me?
I got a baby on the way, damn it's a mess
"Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" Yes
Took some advice from my Uncle Fester
All dressed up in polyester
Welcome to McDonalds may I please help you?
Shit, what can I do?
Tadow...
[Outro]
The white man has broke every law known to man to establish AmeriKKKa, but he'll put you in the state penitentary, he'll put you in the federal penitentary for breaking these same laws. Now we gonna look and see if this motherfucker is guilty for the laws he'll put you in jail for:
Drug using, drug selling, armed robbery, strong armed robbery, grand larceny, rape, racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion, aggravated assault, mayhem, sodomy of the black man, trespassing, embezzelment, purgery, kidnapping, smuggling, grand theft, brandishing a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, breaking and entering, and premeditated cold-blooded murder
Guilty on every charge
more tracks from the album
The Essentials
- It Was a Good Day
- Check Yo Self
- War & Peace
- Greed
- Ghetto Vet
- Supreme Hustle
- When Will They Shoot?
- What Can I Do?
- Spittin’ Pollaseeds
- The Wrong Nigga to Fuck Wit
- Cold Places
- A Bird in the Hand
- Rollin’ Wit the Lench Mob
- A Gangsta’s Fairytale
- Givin’ Up the Nappy Dug Out
- Go to Church
- Dead Homiez
- Why We Thugs/Smoke Some Weed (Medley - Live)
From the albums
- Lethal Injection (1993)
- The Essentials (2008)
Ice Cube popular songs
- No Vaseline
- It Was a Good Day
- Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It
- Check Yo Self
- You Know How We Do It
- Hello
- Check Yo Self (Remix)
- The Nigga Ya Love to Hate
- Why We Thugs
- Good Cop Bad Cop
- Arrest The President
- You Can Do It
- Nobody Wants to Die
- Go to Church
- Hood Mentality
- Smoke Some Weed
- Ghetto Vet
- AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted
- Friday
- Steady Mobbin’
- Black Korea
- Everythang’s Corrupt
- A Bird in the Hand
- Ghetto Bird