[Verse 1: Meek Mill]
Yeah, I was on that corner, tryna get my coins up
Coppers run up on us and we turn to Jackie Joyner
White man kill a black man, they never report us
Black man kill a white man, they gon' start a war up
Mama she was tore up, sippin' on the Absolut
Young n***as brainwashed, they just wanna rap and hoop
Could've been a lawyer until they came and shackled you
Felons on your records so them jobs ain't gettin' back at you
Them kids ain't eat yet, so you can't even sleep yet
If that's the only thing we ever saw, we repeat that
They was playing ball, fouled him hard, said I'd be back
Broad day, threw his life away, soon as he clapped
Gave that boy a life sentence, made his momma relapse
Damn, they don't understand
Comin' from the bottom, it's so hard to make a plan
Know them kids beefin', they let it get out of hand
OGs never told us nothin' in advance
Young n***as killing young n***as, shit is like the Klan, I said
Told my young n***a, "You the man," I said
You don't wanna end up like my man Ahmed
Praying five times a day, prostration on his head
Screamin' insha'Allah that he don't make it to the feds
Caught up in the system, visit from his sister
Talkin' 'bout all his n***as, how they ain't even with him
Said they would ride or die, but it ain't even in 'em
Always postin' on the 'Gram, but they ain't sendin' pictures
Never answer when you call, but answer for them bitches
Got you thinking twice, damn I should've been a witness
That’s none of my business, just telling my story
All guns, no glory, been going on before me
Were slaves in the '40s, still slaves in the present
No toys for Christmas, ain't get us no presents
Only made us evil, made us hungry, made us desperate
Youngin' in the 9th grade, he got a Smith and Wesson
Grew up with the goons, now he need protection
He dropped outta school, then he got arrested
Lord with a blessing, I just hope he learned his lesson
They told us, if we go to jail, we would be respected
They told us, if we make a sale, we would run a check in
Threw a rock out in that field, we got intercepted
He stumbled, he fumbled, y'all n***as just rumble
They told you to hustle, them n***as don't love you
[Verse 2: The-Dream]
Young black American, na na
Wanna live like the fairer skin, na na
Fall to the paradigm, na na
Occupied on that Marilyn, na na
The prophecies of the wild n***a, no church
My uncles said stop bitching n***a, no skirts
It's kinda crazy there's another world
On the other side of town
Pastor rollin' up in that Rolls, pullin' up in that Holy Ghost
Preaching, while n***as dying by the Bible code
The destruction, the hate
The obstruction of my faith
My prayers, my faith
Will never be the same

[Outro: The-Dream]
Young black America
Young black America
Young black America
Young black America
Young black America
Young black America
Young black America
Young black America
Young black America
Young black America
Young black America
Young black America