Check out the avenue, New York, New York the rotten apple
We grapple in the streets to stack loot and slip the shackles
I'm currently, servin' twenty nine to life
Duckin' the searchlight, no sleep for like the third night

The big life is trife, got the young kids hyped
Cops shoot on sight, heat pipe be blowin' through the night
The land where you ain't fam, there's no pity
Similar to chocolate city, ten times gritty

Hittin' hard, liquor's god, *****z plottin' on the come off
And come off, quicker than the clothes on the stripper
And slide like she doin' up and down the railing
***** tailing in the range with golden arms smooth sailin'

The clock's tickin', somebody's on the block snitchin'
The plot thickens, phones are tapped, cops listen
Too hot for prison, plus too cold to hold my girl
'Cause I married this life and she's my whole world

It's just a sign of the times
Calmly listen to these lines
I'm goin' out of my mind
Livin' the street life

Aiyyo, aiyyo make me wanna holla way they do my life
My life, is like a carousel one endless night
Where most die for pies, some holdin' their chrome
A large percent die for causes not even their own

When the Inspectah Deck be long dead and gone
Long live the ins clone they workin' on
Til then, I hold a section, I stand alone no co -defendant
Showin' the weapon, this saga had no story endin'

It's ghetto heaven and at the same time hell shots propel
The one that missed me got chanel
In the future ruled by computer, I self tutor
The music is the simulator, facin' the user

I do it for those who walk the same road
And no regrets do I hold for the path I chose
No sleep since the intro, patrol the windows
I reminisce, with the chalice and my eyes half closed

If I could do it again, I'd probably do it the same
Thought I was through with the game, I'm goin' through it again
The hood life, I'm in it to the limit
Couldn't quit it for a digit, die for it 'cause I live it

It's just a sign of the times
Calmly listen to these lines
I'm goin out of my mind
Livin' the street life

Yo, been around the world but just can't seem to leave
The state of mind that causes tangled web I weave
Made my home in the heart of it
Movie like Seagal, Hard Target

Most want no part of it, it's logic cutthroat party in the shark pit
Cold blooded souls carry bulldogs and oxes, knowledge this
Maintain and remain sane
In the cold world where the rules ain't changed

Still rebel to society, government be eyein' me
They probably watchin' me right now as I'm speakin'
But all I'm guilty of is teachin' you the truth
They got proof, so you know I'll be home before the weekend

The hood life, I'm in it to the limit
In it from the scrimmage, livin' it, lovin' every minute
And every hour, 'til the powers that be
Eventually stress me to the death

Y'all know the science right?
Death with the intellect
Aight, aight represent, I make it hot
13th chamber specialist from the bricks

It's just a sign of the times
Calmly listen to these lines
I'm goin' out of my mind
Livin' the street life

Street life so trife
Street life for life
Feels like feels like
My paradise