Dear God.. how can I explain myself?
  [J] Oh God bless me indeed
  When I'm so confused
  [J] Enlarge my territory
  [J] Place your love and protection over me at all times
  Help me!
  [J] Keep me away from evil
  Somebody answer me! [echoes]
  [J] Allow me not to cause pain
    [Jay-Z]
  Police in the background, screamin put the thing down
  That's how hard I was trying to put my thing down
  Si-rens ringin out, old ladies screamin out
  All this attention for me and I'm barely sixteen now
  .. it's feelin like a dream now
  Handcuffed, roughed up, I'm tossed in the bing now
  I'm lyin next to fiends now, that's the end of the story
  Let me bring y'all niggaz back to the very first scene now
  December 4th, a child is born
  Before I knew it, had my pops trousers on
  That's how we do it when the man of the house is gone
  You either, stand or fall, I chose to stand
  The hawk outside, so I blow my hand
  It's a cold cold world but I overstand
  Tryin to stay focused but I feel hopeless damn
  Can't cope with bein broke, I'm a man - c'mon
    [Chorus: R. Kelly]
  Son don't let these streets, get the best of you
  I will be right by your side, when you goin through
  Son just don't let it (just don't let it)
  Just don't let it (just don't let it)
  Just don't let it (just don't let it)
  .. get the best of you
    [R. Kelly]
  Late one night I was, rollin the streets
  Just, thinkin about what's goin on with me and
  trapped in this thug life, tryin to break free but
  this thug life just keeps callin me
  I'm livin life way too dangerously
  I'm drownin in my misery
  Looked in the mirror, there's my enemy
  Cause poppa never was a part of me
  Take one step at a time, mama said
  Sweet memories still remain in my head
  All of my life been lied to, misled
  Voices be like, "Don't you wish you was dead?"
  No ground to place my feet
  I feel the fire under me
  A way out is all I need
  Somebody, answer me!
    [Chorus + ad libs]
    [Jay-Z]
  Now the only thing left is more spirit to roam free
  .. cause ain't no goin home for me
  It's a cold cold world but I blew my hand
  A true first cause I knew that man
  I knew what he would do if I didn't draw first
  And I couldn't stand the thought of my momma steppin foot inside a church
  All I try to do is try to get up out the dirt
  Guess he's tryin to do the same, told me get up out his turf
  I wanted to talk to him, but that shit'd never work
  We was cut from the same cloth and what was under his shirt was his
  momma's rent, his young brother's clothes
  My nephew's food, and with that I suppose
  .. and with that I froze
  Now my life is frozen in time behind these iron folds
  And this story is told, for young soldiers
  who never choose the life we chose
    [Chorus + (ad libs)]
    [R. Kelly]
  Tears in my eyes as I look up, I'm tryin to
  hold back my pride but reality is screamin
  Gotta get a job cause mo-mma also screamin
  Streets are just like drugs, and it's like I'm out here fiendin
  Forget all the hits in the industry, cause
  ain't no exceptions in this game for me, look
  Neither God or my enemies, I
  choose God cause he understands, this
  young man with a thuggish heart
  Whole world in his hands but still torn apart
  Like I'm so close, but it's still so far
  Nightmares of me in a swervin car, ohhh
  No ground to place my feet (my feet)
  I feel the fire under me (heyyy)
  A way out is all I need (all I need)
  Somebody, answer me!
    [Chorus + ad libs]