[Verse 1 - M-1]
Ayo I'm not supposed to be here, I'm beating they odds
Beating they charts and graphs, yo I'm beating they God
And I'm not the only one, see the drama is common
Asked my homie what he been through and he started bombing
He said, don't, push, me
I done pushed crack cocaine, and I done pushed dope in my vein
I done sold it to my main man moms too, it's horrible
The things we do, in pursuit of the loot
Ghetto currency, we was trading food stamps
Seven for ten, so I could chip in on the sack with my man
Ghetto clinics give dirty abortions
And then, evil scientists pass out pills and cut foreskins
Cut off like orphans in group homes
Lost in the system, foster care victims
Wards of the state, the more they take the more they make
We tiptoeing through a pit of snakes, but wait

[Hook]
Everything I been through
Has made me what I am
The struggle must continue on
Cause that's what made me a man

[Verse 2 - stic.man]
N***a, I'm from the dirt roads
Tallahassee
Used to keep the .38 under the front seat
Selling dime bags, on the south side
Throw on that Bone Thugs shit and just ride out
Stayed at my mama house til I was seventeen
Hit the streets, getting into some of everything
Caught a gun case, but that was bullshit
I didn't even stop and think before I pulled it
Seen the county jail, way too many times
Growing up, revolutionary state of mind
Kicked out of high school, for my world view
That's when I figured out what they really there to do
My brother cracked out, sleeping in the streets
He come popping up, we ain't seen him in weeks
I been in hospitals, stitches put in my grill
With no health insurance money when they sent me the bill
Been in McDonald's, slaving, late in rent payments
Homeless in New York City walking the pavement
Been on, emergency stamps, verbally amped
At the social worker for trying to tell me she can't help me
I been in, fights with wifey, physical conflict
Scratches on my arms and wrists, hitting with fists
But I been through with them days, focus my rage
And n***as still keep it moving on the worst of my days, n***a
[Hook]

[Verse 3 - M-1]
I been, cuffed and stuffed, enough is enough
I'm supposed to been gone, so I'm calling they bluff
Been at, gunpoint, heart boom-boom-boom-boom
Been running for my life, yo I knew I was doomed
Since I been alive, I been hearing these lies
Been gone, been back while my homeboys died
I been in, crack house raids, packing the gauge
I been from, braids to dreads and dreads to fades
I been a, music junkie since back in the days
Been waking up to Prince, went to bed with Maze
I been, through the court, looked the judge in his eye
Been through the worst days when I wanted to die
I been, high off that gray, slinging that yae
Mix it with hey, wake til the break of day
Been to, Botswana, felt the sun on my skin
Been to Germany and don't wanna do it again
I been, through a lot, don't be surprised
Got a lot to get, I been getting organized
It's been, 29 Roman calendar years
Since I been here, still overcoming my fears, n***a
Been won, tell me where you done been
Bet I been through the same shit as most my friends
I been, motivated since my moms got pop
Won't stop til I been to the mountaintop
And back
[Bridge]
I done been through the worst you can do to me
Lived with dope in my family
And even in the penitentiary, still survived
Stronger than chains and hunger pains
Stronger than slavery or AIDS
Stronger than every drug you make
Still alive