Kris Kross

Released: August 3, 1993

Songwriter: Jermaine Dupri

Producer: Jermaine Dupri

(Intro)
When I was you age, I wanted to be a ball player
I would dream about being a ball player, about being a, a race car driver, an astronaut
Kris, Kris, need a way to die? I respect that, I respect that
But what about what you have to live for?
Man, there ain't nothing to live for!

(Verse 1: Daddy Mac)
Being 5 and I live and it's makin' me sick
Brother's got me scared to go to school but I can't quit
"Cause if I do, (If you do), I'll be through, (He'll be through)
And plus mine's are beepin' 'til I'm black and blue, (Fool!)
So what I do is take it day by day
Go to school and get a lecture 'bout my pants being the wrong way
Then they try to ban a man for havin' braids
Oh yeah, even though I was keepin' up my grades
But yo, it didn't matter, (Why?), they just wasn't with it
They kept callin' pops tryna give me the "Quit it!"
I got some friends that be treatin' me mean
Jealous 'cause they seein' us on the T.V. screen

(Verse 2: Mac Daddy)
They wanna beat us down 'cause we ain't around no more
They wanna beat us down 'cause we ain't around no more
But they gots to understand I'm still down with my crew
I just had some business to attend to
But never will we ever go shame, (shame)
And turn back my hood 'cause my hood is what praise me
Uh, What's funny is that I ain't grown up
But we did something to keep some of our young up here from being town up
And now I'm considered as a role model, (role model,)
So when there's somethin' mo' to life they turn it up an gold bottle, (huh)
I pray and pray that everyday is good
'cause it's rough and tough growin' up as little boys it the hood
If we wasn't doin' this we'd be out the back door
But I was told like I'm telling, you got somehin' to live for!
Break 'em off son

Kris, Kris, need a way to die? I respect that, I respect that
But what about what you have to live for?

Kris, Kris, need a way to die? I respect that, I respect that
But what about what you have to live for?

Kris Kross was a 1990s chart-topping platinum-certified American rap duo comprised of Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith.

One day in 1990, pre-teens Smith & Kelly were at an Atlanta mall trying to get an autograph from the short-lived trio Silk Tymes Leather when producer Jermaine Dupri was impressed with the boys' look, so he exchanged phone numbers with them. Dupri then spent two years writing music for the group, teaching them to rap, and trying to land them a record deal.

After being turned down several times, eventually Ruffhouse Records signed the duo after hearing “Lil Boys In Da Hood” because they liked the unique perspective of young rappers talking about the ghetto and gang violence.

more tracks from the album

Da Bomb

From the albums

Da Bomb (1993)
Gonna Make U Jump (1998)

Kris Kross popular songs

A Lot 2 Live 4Kris Kross

Kris Kross

Da Bomb