What's Going On

It's a cryin' shame, brothers takin' life as a game Growing up against the law, but no one knows who's to blame Dealin' drugs on the corner, you don't have to, but you wanna A meal is hard to make, but you tell yourself you're gonna Dealing 12 to 12, day into evening I wonder how you continue to be grieving Your meal is made and it's time to chill You buy the black Mercedes Benz with the gold to the grill Cruisin' up the ave while your friends get jealous You find out, you quickly get restless You buy a gun, it doesn't help but hurt you Because your so called friend rattled on you You're in the pen serving ten to twenty Your boy snatched your girl and put use to your money You're out for teen, but what does it mean? You're just a waste young brother who lost it all on a dream What's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I Yeah, what's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I My blood brother is bleeding, it's a cryin' shame Out on the street tryin' to play the game Formally an in-mate straight from upstate Can't stop him now 'cause you see it's just too late He's on the run and he's got a gun Stay out his way unless you want some See, he's gettin' older, a bit more bolder Got his name written up in the 5-0 folder A big Christmas list of all the crime's he's committed He says he didn't do it, but we know he did it Summons his lawyers, fingerprints, bung shots Lookin' for my brother, yo, he's at the drug spots Livin' off that cheap Chinese food He says he only bumps the people when he's in the mood Runnin' 'round with his crews and his 2-2's I saw him last night in the prime time news Shot and killed by an on duty Jake His birth to the earth was a big mistake Now, history was not my favorite subject I used to flip through the pages and get upset Seein' little of black and too much of the other (They tried to brainwash you) Picture that, a jungle brother Read this, read that, answer question three But when I got to three, it had nothin' to do with me Somethin' was wrong, and I knew it all along Now tell me (please) what's goin' on What's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I Yeah, what's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I Now, I've been told all the do's and don't-do-not's My mother, hallelujah, she called the shots She said, "Don't play with guns and play with knives And most of all, don't play with other people's wives When you're walkin' down the street, pay the pushers no mind Cause all they wanna do is put your mind on cloud nine Put your head up high and your feet on the ground You don't have to be like everybody else to be down Stay in school (don't be no fool) Don't lose your temper (and keep your cool) Follow your heart (and not your friends) And some of your friends (could lead you into dead ends) The other day my father said, "son, God bless your soul Our life is gettin' tougher and the world is cold" I said, daddy, daddy, daddy, what do you mean? He said ("you ain't got nothin' 'less you got the green") I realize to myself things are gonna be hard So each and every day I pray to God I say, now I lay me down to sleep (I give the Lord my soul to keep) If I should die before I wake (Take me to heaven 'cause I need a break) But if you let me live to another morn' (I'd like to know what's goin' on) What's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I Tell me what's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I