The Way I Was Raised (Feat. Mike Marshall)

It's the way I was raised
It's the way I was raised
It's the way I was raised
It's the way they raised me
It's the way I was raised

Put up your dukes and put down your guns
Eatin' soup with a fork, crackers and crumbs
Livin' in the ghetto with the hustlers and bums
Sellin' dope to my best friend, daddies and moms
Life in the slum, in the gutter and in the sewer
In the bottomless pits where they say we ain't got no future
Po-po empty they clips, rifles and Rugers
Local law enforcement, FBI, state troopers
I was just lookin' at the news (What happened?)
Some people ain't got nothin' to lose
Then one of my dudes said (What he say?)
"God take care of babies and fools"
He grew up poor, shoes too little, corns hecka sore
I seen this movie before
Keep your faith, say your prayer before you go to sleep
Get on your knees and thank God you on your feet

It's the way I was raised
It's the way I was raised
It's the way I was raised
It's the way they raised me
It's the way I was raised

My partner's broad been messin' around on him
But I'm scared to tell him, 'cause he might turn on me
Thought we was family
Why people be takin' their anger out on people that got they back?
Fallin' out over dumb stuff, somethin' as simple as that
Be careful on the phones, they might be hot as a heater
You never know when they tapin', I got you on the loudspeaker
In real life, not a trailer or a teaser
This ain't Netflix with no actors right here
Who got a beer? I'm stressed out
When I was 12 years old, I had a paper route
Raised in the soil, you can't be a little hussy
Or a powder puff, gotta be thuggy
Money on my mind, grew up eatin' swine
Never talk or tell, never drop a dime
That's what the ave always woke me to
I guess the ave never spoke to you

It's the way I was raised
It's the way I was raised
It's the way I was raised
It's the way they raised me
It's the way I was raised

I remember in the day
I had to walk all the way home from school
That's the way I was raised
And look here, I recall sometimes
We had nothin' at all to eat
And mama worked it out
That's the way I was raised

Respect your elders, talkin' back'll get you took
My mama'll give you certain looks
That's a warning when you goin' a little overboard
Back then, mamas'll whoop you with extension cords
But I don't hate her for that
'Cause she the sweetest thing to her grandchildren and that's a fact
And they wanna rap (What's your suggestion?)
My suggestion is let 'em do that
So many mothers lost they sons to the streets
It's sad when they get that phone call
Or knock on the door from the police
It's bad when our loved ones deceased
We glad when we know they're at peace
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Too many of us be trippin' off small stuff
Keep your faith, say your prayer before you go to sleep
Get on your knees and thank God you on your feet

It's the way I was raised
It's the way I was raised
It's the way I was raised
It's the way they raised me
It's the way I was raised

I remember in the day
I had to walk all the way home from school
That's the way I was raised
And look here, I recall sometimes
We had nothin' at all to eat
And mama worked it out
That's the way I was raised

That's the way I was raised
That's the way I was raised
It's the way they raised me