Released: November 10, 2009
Songwriter: Kendrick Lamar
[Verse 1]
His eyes bloodshot red
I watched him as he took a fifth of Henny to the head in memory of his brother
Reminiscin' on them playing Sega with each other
He was hurtin', I could see it, plenty tears, no Kleenex
I stood by his side because that was my homie
Gave him a hug, some of his brother's blood got on me
Clinchin' his fist on some angry shit
Stood up, sat back down on the curb and asked me who they be hangin' with
I wasn't sure, so I gave him no answer
But I was sure that he had him a blammer and wanted war
Revenge, what do you say to a good friend
That just lost it and grabbin' choppers out of the closet?
I tried my best to make him re-neg
But he was like, "My nig, this feelin' is more than personal"
I stood down
He hopped in a four-door Honda Accord
Before he bent the block, he said, "K-Dot...
"...You wouldn't understand"
[Chorus]
(These streets can turn a kid to killer in minutes
Not by choice, but forced to be a menace
Can someone just pray for me, oh woe)
Or, at least, try to understand
(The city pressure
The AK-47, twin MAC-11s
The Desert Eagle shotty and the Smith & Wessons
Pray for me, oh woe)
[Verse 2]
Corners become monuments for the dead
Candles on the pavement, postcard read
Rest in peace, the yellow tape blockin' off the streets
A baby mama yellin' at the police
But you don't understand
You figure that we're just a bunch of niggas but the picture here's a story untold
See, this wasn't in our plans
Babies from the late '80s wasn't born crazy, we was raised that way
Put that Malcom X book down, then raise that K
Complete chaos when we off X pills and St. Ides
Look the devil in the face, from a sane eye
Cast the spell on you like Akeelah and the Bee
Every killer in the street is a teen with a corrupted mind
Substance, time, is no longer an issue
We don't have it, so pass the tissue
Then close the casket, kiss the momma when you can
And tell her you understand, but you don't understand
[Chorus]
(These streets can turn a kid to killer in minutes
Not by choice, but forced to be a menace
Can someone just pray for me, oh woe)
And, hopefully, you'll understand
(The city pressure
The AK-47, twin MAC-11s
The Desert Eagle shotty and the Smith & Wessons
Pray for me, oh woe)
[Verse 3]
He came back fifteen minutes later
He said, "Dot, I went on one, do me this favor
Dump these guns in a safe place, let nobody see you
This as critical as it gets, my nigga, I need you"
I said, "Alright, so what happened?"
"Seen a few niggas slippin' and I just started clappin'
I didn't care who I was hittin'"
That's wild shit, but anyway, I got you
I love you nigga make sure you hit me up by tomorrow
I woke up the next mornin' with a cold
Allergies got me sneezin' and wipin' my nose when it was leaking
Checked the medicine cabinet, lookin' for some DayQuil
But all I seen was some Aspirin, s'just my luck
I got up, went to Rite-Aid
Hopin' that the pharmacy department had the right aid
I bought it and left
Walked to the parking lot, that's when I seen the faces of death
Said they was lookin' for my man, with a chopper in they hand
Prayin' it would jam, but you don't understand
[Chorus]
(These streets can turn a kid to killer in minutes
Not by choice, but forced to be a menace
Can someone just pray for me, oh woe)
I'm tellin' you, do you understand?
(The city pressure
The AK-47, twin MAC-11s)
Huh? Do you understand?
(The Desert Eagle shotty and the Smith & Wessons
Pray for me, oh woe)
[Outro]
It's like
It's a revolving door
That I've been a part of
My whole life
Fucked up, right?
His eyes bloodshot red
I watched him as he took a fifth of Henny to the head in memory of his brother
Reminiscin' on them playing Sega with each other
He was hurtin', I could see it, plenty tears, no Kleenex
I stood by his side because that was my homie
Gave him a hug, some of his brother's blood got on me
Clinchin' his fist on some angry shit
Stood up, sat back down on the curb and asked me who they be hangin' with
I wasn't sure, so I gave him no answer
But I was sure that he had him a blammer and wanted war
Revenge, what do you say to a good friend
That just lost it and grabbin' choppers out of the closet?
I tried my best to make him re-neg
But he was like, "My nig, this feelin' is more than personal"
I stood down
He hopped in a four-door Honda Accord
Before he bent the block, he said, "K-Dot...
"...You wouldn't understand"
[Chorus]
(These streets can turn a kid to killer in minutes
Not by choice, but forced to be a menace
Can someone just pray for me, oh woe)
Or, at least, try to understand
(The city pressure
The AK-47, twin MAC-11s
The Desert Eagle shotty and the Smith & Wessons
Pray for me, oh woe)
[Verse 2]
Corners become monuments for the dead
Candles on the pavement, postcard read
Rest in peace, the yellow tape blockin' off the streets
A baby mama yellin' at the police
But you don't understand
You figure that we're just a bunch of niggas but the picture here's a story untold
See, this wasn't in our plans
Babies from the late '80s wasn't born crazy, we was raised that way
Put that Malcom X book down, then raise that K
Complete chaos when we off X pills and St. Ides
Look the devil in the face, from a sane eye
Cast the spell on you like Akeelah and the Bee
Every killer in the street is a teen with a corrupted mind
Substance, time, is no longer an issue
We don't have it, so pass the tissue
Then close the casket, kiss the momma when you can
And tell her you understand, but you don't understand
[Chorus]
(These streets can turn a kid to killer in minutes
Not by choice, but forced to be a menace
Can someone just pray for me, oh woe)
And, hopefully, you'll understand
(The city pressure
The AK-47, twin MAC-11s
The Desert Eagle shotty and the Smith & Wessons
Pray for me, oh woe)
[Verse 3]
He came back fifteen minutes later
He said, "Dot, I went on one, do me this favor
Dump these guns in a safe place, let nobody see you
This as critical as it gets, my nigga, I need you"
I said, "Alright, so what happened?"
"Seen a few niggas slippin' and I just started clappin'
I didn't care who I was hittin'"
That's wild shit, but anyway, I got you
I love you nigga make sure you hit me up by tomorrow
I woke up the next mornin' with a cold
Allergies got me sneezin' and wipin' my nose when it was leaking
Checked the medicine cabinet, lookin' for some DayQuil
But all I seen was some Aspirin, s'just my luck
I got up, went to Rite-Aid
Hopin' that the pharmacy department had the right aid
I bought it and left
Walked to the parking lot, that's when I seen the faces of death
Said they was lookin' for my man, with a chopper in they hand
Prayin' it would jam, but you don't understand
[Chorus]
(These streets can turn a kid to killer in minutes
Not by choice, but forced to be a menace
Can someone just pray for me, oh woe)
I'm tellin' you, do you understand?
(The city pressure
The AK-47, twin MAC-11s)
Huh? Do you understand?
(The Desert Eagle shotty and the Smith & Wessons
Pray for me, oh woe)
[Outro]
It's like
It's a revolving door
That I've been a part of
My whole life
Fucked up, right?
more tracks from the album
2011's Freshman Class: The Mixtape
- XXL Freshman Freestyle
- Bruce Wayne
- Now or Neva
- XXL Freshmen 2011 Cypher - Part 2
- Don’t Understand
- XXL Freshmen 2011 Cypher - Part 1
- Professional Money Getta
- Man on Fire
- XXL Freshmen Freestyle
- Police
- I’m Good
- Outrageous
- Alabama Gotdamn
- XXL Freshman Freestyle
- Futuristic Funk
- XXL Freshmen 2011 Cypher - Part 3
From the album
Kendrick Lamar popular songs
- HUMBLE.
- m.A.A.d city
- Swimming Pools (Drank)
- DNA.
- Money Trees
- XXX.
- Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe
- Poetic Justice
- King Kunta
- LOVE.
- Backseat Freestyle
- Alright
- The Blacker the Berry
- Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst
- ELEMENT.
- LOYALTY.
- i (Album Version)
- A.D.H.D.
- FEAR.
- Mortal Man
- Wesley’s Theory
- u
- The Heart Part 4
- PRIDE.