[Verse One]
I was born in the beast's belly
Running through the streets smelly
Daytime, summer hot like a fleece skully
Running 'round, no shirt on, throwing dirt bombs
Chasing little girls that had skirts on
If we wasn't on the block then we going swimming
Public pool, feeling the butts of grown women
Little shorties trying to stroke ass
Swam in our shoes cause on the bottom was broke glass
On two hand touch I had a nice team
After the game, nana threw down money for ice cream
Yup, and Good Humor had the best stock
Some days I had to chase the truck to the next block
And if we got in a fight, you might get it
I was quick to pick up some shit and hit a n***a wit it
It didn't matter, either bottle or stick, or a half a brick
I look back and I laugh at the shit
I had four different fights with the same guy
I won two, lost one and one was a tie
We always kept score like that
It was raw like that
I kinda wish now was more like that
It's funny how the hood make you, it could break you
If your mind ain't strong enough then it could take you
I used to wish that I could rise above it
I'd love it
But I was too young to understand the size of it
[Hook]
They say the name of the game is "survival"
Open the door I'm alive on arrival
And when I'm in I ain't trying to leave
You don't know what I'm trying to achieve
I'm trying to breathe

(Just breathe) Just breathe {x6}
Uh huh, just breathe

[Verse Two]
By the time I hit the age of 16 I wanted major cream
On the block, trying to shine like a laser beam
If you had the Gucci frames then the coochie came
It was all about the cats that had designer names
I couldn't get the shit that some got
I didn't sell crack rock, I didn't have a wicked jump shot
I was known for rapping, keeping it popping
Finally I got a summer job, sweeping and mopping
Bringing home like four and some change was so strange
No more wearing them jeans with no names
I started dressing trying to out flash
So Fresh and So Clean clean like I was Outkast
A couple friends had another route
If they thought she had money on her, they'd knock your mother out
I had to see we wasn't kids now
Same cats that played on the block with was doing bids now
[Hook]

[Verse Three]
From the past up until the present
To growing up and reaching adulthood from an adolescent
I see them 20 inch rims, I understand why you got those
Riding through Brooklyn, hitting potholes
It's just a way to tell yourself that you finally made it
Don't give a damn if the rest of the world kind of hate it
Nobody understand the wild type of shit we facing
And all we had to do to rise above the situation
They don't understand the platinum chains and ice rings
They don't realize we never had no nice things
I'll always remember, how I started out though
Don't ever forget, how it was without doe
This feels good like a swim in the gym
Representing for my women and men, feel me again
C'mon

[Hook]