[Nas]
Yo ill will, ruff ryders
what what, sraight like that

You a killer or a hustler, dealer or customer
Gangsta or buster, youngster or old n****
A weed head, a coke sniffer
You rich or a broke n****

Know you all relate to this s*** that i wrote n****s
Lots of my mans trapped up in a max
Penatentary, sending me letters i answer back
That eventually, we all be bentley'ed out

Throwing campaigns, f*** it I'm running for White House
My n****s control Senate, pipe seats jeeps tinted
Mad Lewinsky chicks, some kinky s***
Did dirt now I knew it would come back one day

So I'm on point, scrap, prepare for gunplay
Stared at one face, thought it was beef he looked familiar
Ready to blast ,n**** gave me daps said I feel ya
Can't believe how my life changed
From the hood, the first time in my life I can say i did the right thing

[Chorus: x 4]
Life is what you make it n****, I'ma make it
No matter what it takes my n****, we gonna take it(uh)

[DMX]
Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh
Everyday s***, around the way s*** got me stressed (what)
So i keep on the vest in case a n**** want to test (uh)
I got no time for games cause I'm all grown up

You want to joke n****? laugh when you get blown up (come on)
See how funny it is when your kids ain't got no father
'Cause you played it sweet now you floating in the harbor (for real)
S*** is hectic so respect it for your health (what)

Didn't think it was right, you should've checked it yourself (come on)
Life is too short to get caught up in some dumb s***
Wake up one day, 40 years old on some bumb s***
Time flew by, you was too fly to see the light

Everyday it's getting darker then comes the night
Now what? (what) realize that you ain't got s*** (uh)
Not long ago you was the man on some hot s***
So just peep the flow yo, cause you already in this
Make sure your s*** is right kid and handle your business (uh huh)

[Chorus]

[Nas]
Make history before you go
F*** the misery, you po we gettin' doe
Except the ?dollars? other reasons why I'm living yo (why?)
Time is viable

Low and behold the young, black, and powerful
Got to eat yo, everyday my daughters feet grow
You wack and cheap with the doe, my heat could blow
Payin' doctors when I'm born, a preacher when I'm buried

That's why cash is needed for my kids to inherit
Gotta pay just for living, tax life is a be 'ness (business)
If you catch a bad deal, watch your life deminish
Deals made by God and the Devil, and we in it

Pawns in the game, can't complain or say s***
Just strap up and hold on, hope for the best
prepare for the worse, no fears no nothing on earth
No tears if I'm dumped in a hearse, I won't be the first
Nor the last n****, let's get this cash n****

[Chorus]

Writer : SIMMONS, EARL/LEWIS, LESHAN/JONES, NASIR
Copyright : Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group