[Verse 1: 2Pac]
Sometimes it's hard to wake up in the morning
Mind full of demons, I don't wanna hear 'em anymore
Got me heartbroken, fine, so many babies screamin'
‘Cause they seeing destruction before they see a human bein'
So they start smokin' weed, we'll never get our day
Until we learn to pray, keep our families in shape
‘Cause they all broken, why do ghetto birds die
Before we learn to fly? Somebody else's child
Caught in gun smoke and we, can all make a change
So I'm told, but I haven't seen the change unfold
I'll keep hoping, please, if you prefer to breathe
Communities in need of people that will lead
Keep your eyes open, I can only say I'll try
Until the day I die, I promise to be wise
With my heart open, greed brings only misery
A way to tragedy, so I stay sucker free
Only a few chosen rise, my ghetto queens rise
Don't be afraid to try, too many of us die
For the door to open wide, my brothers speak wise
Stay focused on the prize, though everybody dies

[Verse 2: Eminem]
We can only learn to take, our anger and our hate
Control our mental states, settle down and set it straight
Maybe we can learn to take a second to pump our brakes
Before we said it, regret it later and let it escalate
‘Cause by then it's just too late, there's so much we can take
And there's only so much someone can swallow and tolerate
To the point that he just breaks, snaps, and it's all it takes
You think that we was learnin' from other rappers' mistakes
But we ain't, its grain to go against
With every artist comes the image he portrays
And the picture that he paints
But in the midst of all this anger and this angst
Never once did you hear me say I'm a gangster
And I ain't hear no complaints
But I know that I will always continue to grow
As long as I lead, and never follow in no one else's shadow
There will never be another me, and that I can guarantee
That's why the fuck I remain sucker free
To this day, the game will never be the same
No matter how much fame and success they attain
There will never be another me
And no matter what they do, there will never be another you
You can search, but you'll never find
You can try to rewind time, but in your hearts and your minds
We will never die, we are forever alive
And we continue growin', one day at a time
[Verse 3: Young Noble]
Don't get caught in the publicity and caught in the hype
Rappers are regular people minus money and lights
Searchin' for fortune and fame and superstardom
All the jewelry, all the cars, whose crew's the hardest
There's not a hip-hop police, the villains is watchin'
And the kids think beef is they only option
Outlawz born filthy, guilty as charged
My memories of Kadaf' while Makaveli lives on
You think the industry is fun, ain't no pity with guns
And when your money is up, that's when your enemies come
So if he died and came back, would he try to save rap?
We needin' a change, the drama remains the same

[Verse 4: Hussein Fatal]
I spend my whole life fightin' myself
That I can't win, so I'm invitin' some help
And every now and then, I take rights from the left
I'm still, just like a kid, lookin' for stripes on my belt
Yeah, and that there is a fight in itself
So I just pray and hope God, take a like to myself
No matter how much I try to stay alive
I'ma die a man, still standin' and in love with my pride

[Verse 5: E.D.I. Mean]
Heard frivolous beats, we past that
I'm tryin' to keep some income coming in
And collect on my ASCAP
The rappers in the game ain't changed (No)
And I finally realize that we're not in the same game
The hatin' will never end, so I guess I'll deal with it
Them .45's will pop killas, yes, I'm still with it
The streets is military, you gotta be a soldier
Gotta stay leery, and keep your eyes on the rollers
They do what they gotta do to shackle and hold us
So we gotta do what we gotta do to keep rollin'
One way at a time, keep the faith in your mind
And we continue growin', one day at a time, damn