Released: December 21, 1999

Songwriter: Swizz Beatz DMX

Producer: Swizz Beatz

[Intro]
Uhh, this is life (this is life)
This is what I know (this what I know)
So to me (so to me)
This is life (this is life)

[Chorus]
One more road to cross
One more risk to take
Gotta live my life
Like there's one more move to make

[Verse 1]
I'm up at like 6AM to check this nigga
He work the nightshift and I gots to check them figures
Knock on his door, peoples talkin' 'bout, "He ain't there."
But the house is packed, shit I know he here somewhere
See, money get high, I don't knock what a nigga do to get by
Just make sure you gettin' by don't fuck with you gettin' mine
Ain't the first time he ran off, shoulda split his shit then
Hate to think of what he's did and if I catch him slippin'
Won't be an ass-whippin, I can tell you that
I keep it real with this cat, he go and sell two packs
And run off (damn) tell me he was locked down up North
And you out a week later? That's bullshit! I bust off
I need this dough—fuck you think, I'm here for my health?
I need this wealth because I feed myself
You play with my life when you play with my money
Playin' round but this'll be the last time you think somethin's funny

[Chorus]
One more road to cross
One more risk to take
Gotta live my life
Like there's one more move to make

[Verse 2]
Yo, I've been casin' the liquor store for a month now
But me and two other niggas
Is about to run up in there and shut it down
I got four people on the inside, one stay in the back
Two stock boys, one at the register but he count the stacks
Aight bitch, put on the ski mask!
Make sure that when we ask
For the dough they know that we takin' all three bags
Now see that? We got a hero, shoot that nigga!
Matter of fact, you hit the back, I'll put two in that nigga
Hard-head motherfuckas always get it
I told him what would happen if he moved
That nigga moved so I did it
"Did you get it?" I asked my man as he was comin' from the back
Nigga opened his mouth, said nothin' and fell out flat
This cat come out spittin', hittin' my mans, his mans
Couldn't control what was in his hands
I'm hit, damn! I bust back and got the fuck up outta there
Didn't get a dime, but at least I got up outta there

[Chorus]
One more road to cross
One more risk to take
Gotta live my life
Like there's one more move to make

[Verse 3]
Ayo I see it, try to avoid it, but it comes
That's how it's goin' in the slums over crumbs
Somethin' little becomes somethin' major
Niggas gettin' blown up like a pager, ear to ear with the razor
Pour out my soul, took control of hurt
Why must Earl Simmons swim in dirt?
I'm gon' make it work, 28 and tryna get baptized
Priest scared to touch me 'cause he said I gave him bad vibes
Ride when I die, straight down but I'm plottin'
We all gots to go, but who wants to be forgotten?
I'ma leave a mark and it won't be the mark of the devil
Throw dirt and may your hands burn when you touch the shovel
The level of animosity is stoppin' me from thrivin'
Fuck what them niggas is talkin' about, I'm survivin'
Alive and goin' through it, but I made my bed
So now it's in these flames that I lay my head

[Chorus]
One more road to cross
One more risk to take
Gotta live my life
Like there's one more move to make

DMX

Earl Simmons better known by his stage name DMX (An acronym for DarkMan X) rose to fame in the late 1990’s.

His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80’s.

To date, his best-selling album is his 1999 album …And Then There Was X, which featured the hit single “Party Up (Up in Here)”.