Lord have mercy, mercy
Lord have mercy, mercy

Ooh wee, dear Lord I don't want that to be me
Another black boy in the penitentiary
So many fall victim to these evil streets
And it just makes me say ooh wee

Even though life is hard
I walk through the thunderstorm knowing there's a God
And when trouble comes He'll be my shield
And my sword strike down my foes

But I feel sorry for the ones
That don't have God and don't know
Inhale the weed through my mouth, exhale out my nose
I've seen many *****s fell chasing money and clothes

Look in the game, 'cause the block feeds us
Chasing blood money, that's why we block bleeders
We grew up hating the police 'cause the cops beat us
And now we grown, full of hate and we got heaters

And what a wicked combination, 'cause now a ***** out of control
And we ain't trying to hear ****, about how we on the wrong road
We always got to catch a case, and the jail cell close
For a ***** just like us, got to fill us with holes

And ain't it cold, 'cause we suppose to stick to the trend
Even though the trend is dying or ending up in the pen but

Ooh wee, dear Lord I don't want that to be me
Another black boy in the penitentiary
So many fall victim to these evil streets
And it just makes me say

Ooh wee, dear Lord I don't want that to be me
Another black boy in the ground six feet deep
So many fall victim to these evil streets
And it just makes me say ooh wee

You tell me how you take the pain out
When you hear your partner just blew his brains out
You see the pressure of these streets it make you crazy
And everybody say they love you huh, but everybody shady

And all the youngsters got babies with mouths to feed
But all the youngsters dropped out, they ain't got no degree
'Cause these youngsters chasing cars and material things
But all the youngsters ain't thinking about the pain it could bring

I lost soul on the block, I will walk the streets
Going so hard on my grind, I forgot to eat
I can't forget the day my partner got knocked off his feet
By a dope fiend with a gauge trying to rob him for cheese

I saw the fear in his eyes
He knew he'd been shot and his leg was paralyzed
They had to amputate his legs
That's when I realized how raw could be
And living life in these streets 'cause it wasn't for me

'Cause ooh wee, dear Lord I don't want that to be me
Another black boy in the penitentiary
So many fall victim to these evil streets
And it just makes me say

Ooh wee, dear Lord I don't want that to be me
Another black boy in the ground six feet deep
So many fall victim to these evil streets
And it just makes me say ooh wee

Dear father up in heaven have mercy on us
Protect us from these evil streets that be murdering us
Protect us from these crooked cops that put burden on us
Protect us from these heartless D.A.'s that put hurting on us

Protect us from ourselves, some of us don't know no better
Thinking that a life of crime the only way to get cheddar
Protect us from our jealousy and our lust for power
Knowing the devil walk the street seeking room to devour

I ain't really got no friends
'Cause all my real dogs are in the grave or in the pen
They left when they was boys, I won't see them till they men
And then my little partner man he just signed for ten

Where does the drama end?
I put money on they books to try to ease they pain
Praying to the Lord hoping they find peace again
And I give thanks for my life knowing so meet they end
I'ma survive, stay alive and keep my *** out the pen

'Cause ooh wee, dear Lord I don't want that to be me
Another black boy in the penitentiary
So many fall victim to these evil streets
And it just makes me say

Ooh wee, dear Lord I don't want that to be me
Another black boy in the ground six feet deep
So many fall victim to these evil streets
And it just makes me say ooh wee

I don't want to end up in jail
I don't want to end up in the pen
I don't want to end up in the ground
I don't want to end up like my friends
I don't want to end up like my friends

I don't want that to be me, I don't want that to be me
I don't want that to be me, I don't want that to be me
I don't want that to be me, I don't want that to be me
I don't want that to be me, I don't want that to be me