[Intro]
A come on...
Yeah, it's the Big L
Coming at you once again in 9-5
And I dedicate this one
To all my peoples from Uptown and everywhere
Check it

[Verse 1]
Yo, where I'm from it ain't cookies and cream
There's a lot of peer pressure growin' up as a young teen
You never know when you gonna get wet
'Cause mad clowns be catchin' wreck with a Tec just to get a rep
Instead of cool friends, they'd rather hang with male thugs
Instead of goin' to school, they'd rather sell drugs
It's best to go the right route and not the wrong one
Because it's gonna catch up with you in the long run
Brothers be on the corners, actin' stupid, gettin' lifted
Their life is twisted, and most of them are quite gifted
In other words, they got talent
But they'd rather sell cracks and bust gats and run the streets actin' violent
To them it's all about hittin' skins and makin' some easy green
'Cause that's all they show you on the TV screen
All they care about is a buck or bustin' a sweet nut
They don't give a (What?) 'cause they're street struck
[Chorus]
You better listen to L rhyme
'Cause being street struck'll get you nothin' but a bullet or jail time
So pay attention to L rhyme
'Cause being street struck'll get you nothin' but a bullet or jail time

[Verse 2]
Before the rap contract, I was sellin' crack
Stay strapped with a Mac, I was into all of that
I started rappin' and got nice as hell
If it wasn't for this, I might be doin' life in jail
And some of my peeps are still in the game selling 'caine
If that's what you gotta do to maintain, go 'head and do your thang
But with the cash profit, make an investment
And try not to go to the grave like the rest went
'Cause you can be rich with crazy loot, own a house and nine cars
What good is that if you're dead or behind bars?
Ayo, it's not even funny
I've seen a lot of my peers give up their careers for some fast money
They could've been boxers, ballplayers or rap singers
Instead they bank robbers and crack slingers
Ayo, they used to be legit kids, now they corrupt
They had dreams, but gave 'em up, 'cause they're street struck

[Chorus]
You better listen to L rhyme
'Cause being street struck'll get you nothin' but a bullet or jail time
So pay attention to L rhyme
'Cause being street struck'll get you nothin' but a bullet or jail time
You better listen to L rhyme
'Cause being street struck'll get you nothin' but a bullet or jail time
So pay attention to L rhyme
'Cause being street struck'll get you nothin' but a bullet or jail time
[Verse 3]
I still chill with my peeps in the streets
But most of the time I'm in the crib writin' rhymes to some dope beats
Or either callin' up some freaks to bone
But word up, I try to leave the streets alone
But it's crazy hard kid, in other words, it's spooky
The streets be callin' me, like the crack be callin' Pookie
It ain't a dumb joke, listen to this young folk
'Cause where I'm from, you can choke from the gun smoke
Stay off the corners, that might be your best plan
Before you catch a bullet that was meant for the next man
Or end up with a deep cut
Or relaxin' on a hospital bed from bein' street struck

[Chorus]
You better listen to L rhyme
'Cause being street struck'll get you nothin' but a bullet or jail time
So pay attention to L rhyme
'Cause being street struck'll get you nothin' but a bullet or jail time
You better listen to L rhyme
'Cause being street struck'll get you nothin' but a bullet or jail time
So pay attention to L rhyme
'Cause being street struck'll get you nothin' but a bullet or jail time

[Outro]
Word up
Ayo take it from me, the Big L
'Cause I been through it all, you know what I'm sayin'?
Stay off them corners, and stay out of trouble
And I gotta say rest in peace to all the casualties of the streets
I'm outta here