Released: February 18, 2003

Songwriter: DMX

Producer: Mono DJ Envy

[Intro]
This… is… my… life!

[Hook]
(Right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)

[Verse 1]
You made me a leader before I was ready to lead
Took away my hunger but didn't give me greed
Made me successful when I just wanted to be heard
Give me the light, 'cause all I need is the word
Give me a life that I'm responsible for
I'll give Him what's right, 'cause I'm responsible for Him
And into the night, I'm gonna be there with Him
Facin' a fight, I be right there with Him
I'm ready for Heaven, 'cause I done been through the Hell
And since I was seven, I've had a story to tell
See, God is great, and that's why I'm still livin'
He gave to me, so I'ma keep on givin'
The bravery of a man's mind in slavery
Is makin' me the man I was made to be
I hate to see when cats know but don't spit it
Right is wrong, when it's on you gon' get it

[Hook]
(Right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)

[Verse 2]
I wake up frustrated, dawg, I'm hurtin' inside
Thinkin' about the brothers that put in work and then died
A certain have tried, a certain have cried
When it didn't go right, You hit me like—
You see, things ain't always what they seem to be
And the reason I dream of thee is He's with me
And the reason I get through things so easily
Is by the grace of God 'cause He sees the need to guide me
Walk right beside me
Because He knows what's goin' on inside me, He tried me
Knew where my heart was at, knew what I was thinkin'
Knew when I was down and out, left there stinkin'
Knew when to pick me up 'cause it got too hard
Knew when I was gonna scream out: "Please God!"
And You already knew that You would be there for me
That's why I bring You together to give You the glory

[Hook]
(Right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)

[Verse 3]
Everyday of life is a new chapter
And it's already been foretold, so it's up to the soul to capture
The essence of it all, the meek shall inherit the Earth
Destined to ride with the call from birth
The true worth of a man is not measured by what he does for himself, but what he does for someone else
And if you help another, without concern for a reward or gold
What you give, you shall recieve tenfold
And I put that on my soul, and put that on my life
And everything I own, and everything I know
And everything I show is what I was meant to do
Everything I told you is what I've been through
And everwhere I been, I was for a reason
Walked through the desert, ended up freezin'
Start there, end up where? And now they know
Whatever which way they go

[Hook]
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)
Whatever which way they go (right, wrong)

[Outro]
Whatever which way they go
They know they gonna owe
They soul to the road they choose
It don't matter if you win or lose
You still gotta pay them dues
You still gotta pay them dues
You still gotta pay them dues

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)”.