[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 nigga
  A weed head, a coke sniffer
  You rich or a broke nigga
  Know you all relate to this shit that i wrote niggas
  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, fuck it I'm running for White House
  My niggas control Senate, pipe seats jeeps tinted
  Mad Lewinsky chicks, some kinky shit
  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 ,nigga 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: 4x]
  Life is what you make it nigga, I'ma make it
  No matter what it takes my nigga, we gonna take it (uh)
    [DMX]
  uh, uh, uh, uh, uh
  Everyday shit, around the way shit got me stressed (what)
  So i keep on the vest in case a nigga wanna test (uh)
  I got no time for games cause I'm all grown up
  You wanna joke nigga? laugh when you get blown up (come on)
  See how funny it is when your kids aint got no father
  Cause you played it sweet now you floating in the harbor (for real)
  Shit 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 shit
  Wake up one day, 40 years old on some bumb shit
  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 shit (uh)
  Not long ago you was the man on some hot shit
  So just peep the flow yo, cause you already in this
  Make sure your shit is right kid and handke your business (uh huh)
    [Chorus]
    [Nas]
  Make history before you go
  Fuck 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 b'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 shit
  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 nigga, let's get this cash nigga
    [Chorus]