Released: May 4, 2007
Songwriter: J. Cole
Producer: J. Cole
[Intro]
Yeah, uh
Uh, yea
Yea, uh
Fayettenam, nigga
Hahaah uh
Carolina, nigga
Yeah, Yea, let's bring it in
Yea, this is for my niggas in the struggle
Yea, this is for my niggas in the struggle
Uh, uh, uh
Nothing but sweat, tears
Just another perspective
Yeah
[Verse 1]
Yo, uh
Lifestyles of the young, black and genius
Sons strapped with guns packed in jeans
And the blunts got my lungs black as Jesus, (yea)
Play where killers hung at and slung crack for leisure
And tell a nigga run that get gun clap for sneakers
Young niggas emulate what's coming out the speakers
So everything we learn came from rappers, not teachers
Cause if we can't relate, then how the hell you gonna reach us?
Surrounded by crooked cops and preachers, (yea) Who am I trusting?
No time to think about illegal when your stomachs touching
By any means, nigga, even if the gun is busting
I see the world for what it is now
I see the odds is looking slim for our kids now
Cause, uh, it wasn't set up for my people to rise, (yea)
My niggas slang, but I see the pain deep in they eyes
Niggas living like they don't give a fuck
And I don't blame 'em, it's a cold world, live it up! (live it up)
[Hook]
The things that I've seen, (seen)
The dreams that I dream, (dream)
The rain in my sky
The pain in my eyes
But know that it gets better baby
Hope that it gets better baby
Don't let this world break you, (you) naw, naw
Don't let them break you, (you)
[Verse 2]
Yea, uh
I look up in the sky, see that ghetto bird circling
And rollers on the block, my niggas on the curb, cursing them, (fuck)
Another day in the ville, do I stay in and chill? (no)
Or go play in the field?
Help my mother paying these bills, you tell me, nigga!
We young, black, some strapped
Them whites got they lunch pack for school, we had our guns packed
And all a nigga wanna do is take his momma from that
But they'd rather lock us up and make sure we don't come back
You kill a nigga over beef and cheddar even better
Just one less coon they won't have to arrest soon
Fuck a crooked cop three times
Bitch, I'm getting cake and ain't a nigga finna eat mine
That's why a nigga looking like a street sign, (yea)
Posted on the corner 'til it's sleep time
Wake up and it's feeling like somebody hit the rewind, (why)
Cause them ghetto birds circulate, my niggas still cursin em
Another day in the city, my niggas say it with me, yea!
[Hook]
The things that I've seen, (seen)
The dreams that I dream, (dream)
The rain in my sky
The pain in my eyes
But know that it gets better baby
Hope that it get better baby
Don't let this world break you, (you) naw, naw
Don't let them break you, (you)
Yeah, uh
Uh, yea
Yea, uh
Fayettenam, nigga
Hahaah uh
Carolina, nigga
Yeah, Yea, let's bring it in
Yea, this is for my niggas in the struggle
Yea, this is for my niggas in the struggle
Uh, uh, uh
Nothing but sweat, tears
Just another perspective
Yeah
[Verse 1]
Yo, uh
Lifestyles of the young, black and genius
Sons strapped with guns packed in jeans
And the blunts got my lungs black as Jesus, (yea)
Play where killers hung at and slung crack for leisure
And tell a nigga run that get gun clap for sneakers
Young niggas emulate what's coming out the speakers
So everything we learn came from rappers, not teachers
Cause if we can't relate, then how the hell you gonna reach us?
Surrounded by crooked cops and preachers, (yea) Who am I trusting?
No time to think about illegal when your stomachs touching
By any means, nigga, even if the gun is busting
I see the world for what it is now
I see the odds is looking slim for our kids now
Cause, uh, it wasn't set up for my people to rise, (yea)
My niggas slang, but I see the pain deep in they eyes
Niggas living like they don't give a fuck
And I don't blame 'em, it's a cold world, live it up! (live it up)
[Hook]
The things that I've seen, (seen)
The dreams that I dream, (dream)
The rain in my sky
The pain in my eyes
But know that it gets better baby
Hope that it gets better baby
Don't let this world break you, (you) naw, naw
Don't let them break you, (you)
[Verse 2]
Yea, uh
I look up in the sky, see that ghetto bird circling
And rollers on the block, my niggas on the curb, cursing them, (fuck)
Another day in the ville, do I stay in and chill? (no)
Or go play in the field?
Help my mother paying these bills, you tell me, nigga!
We young, black, some strapped
Them whites got they lunch pack for school, we had our guns packed
And all a nigga wanna do is take his momma from that
But they'd rather lock us up and make sure we don't come back
You kill a nigga over beef and cheddar even better
Just one less coon they won't have to arrest soon
Fuck a crooked cop three times
Bitch, I'm getting cake and ain't a nigga finna eat mine
That's why a nigga looking like a street sign, (yea)
Posted on the corner 'til it's sleep time
Wake up and it's feeling like somebody hit the rewind, (why)
Cause them ghetto birds circulate, my niggas still cursin em
Another day in the city, my niggas say it with me, yea!
[Hook]
The things that I've seen, (seen)
The dreams that I dream, (dream)
The rain in my sky
The pain in my eyes
But know that it gets better baby
Hope that it get better baby
Don't let this world break you, (you) naw, naw
Don't let them break you, (you)