Can I live?
Yeah, it's me,
I know ya'll seen me, I'm the one with the rings blingin',
Pushing whips and them 22 inch chromes spinning,
Can I live?
Lot of ya'll want to judge me,
Hair braided up, pants sagging,
Can I just live, ya'll? (yo, I'm just trying to live)
Why can't ya'll leave me alone?
Man, seem like everybody be judging me,
Talking behind my back, faking the smiles then hugging me,
Pointing fingers, hating, jealous of my success,
Praying for my downfall, can't handle me being blessed,
Na, you'd rather see me at the bottom of the totem poll,
Scraping for dollars, on the edge, 'bout to lose control,
Back on the corner, still living in the projects,
Sill struggling, down and out, with no profits,
Still driving through the hood in a bucket,
I'm 'bout bringing my people over like I'm Harriet Tubman,
Been through the fire, like Kanye West beats the odds,
Now I'm on Shuffles and iPods,
See, most of ya'll could never reach stature, 'cause half of you gangster rappers is gangster actors and backstabbers,
Ya'll got the game backwards, but Bone and Darkchild make hits like linebackers.
Can I live?
If you wanna be in my shoes then get in,
You can talk the talk, but don't lived the life I live,
So can I live? - that's my question - Can I?
Can I live?
If you wanna be in my shoes then get in,
You can talk the talk, but don't lived the life I live,
So can I live? - that's my question - Can I?
I shed blood sweat and tears, been on this grind for years,
I'm at the top of the charts, no respect from peers,
I could be the franchise, still I'm chastised,
Spreading your lies, need recognise there's two sides,
My whole life been the underdog, against the odds,
Back still against the wall, fighting to represent in the ring for God,
Consciously making records for a different cause,
This crab game keep pulling me down, but like Ron Artest been known to rebound,
And like Roy Jones I'm pound for pound,
Spitting a different kind of message over platinum sounds,
Can I get some love and a little respect?
Can I rock your world without giving you sex?
And can I live in peace?
Man, I paid my dues,
You'll never know where I been until you walked in my shoes.
Can I live? (yeah)
If you wanna be in my shoes then get in, (a-ha)
You can talk the talk, but don't lived the life I live,
So can I live? - that's my question - Can I? (can I live, ya'll?)
Can I live? (come on)
If you wanna be in my shoes then get in,
You can talk the talk, but don't lived the life I live,
So can I live? - that's my question - Can I? (yeah)
I'm in it for the long hall, committed to the end like John Paul,
I'm trying to make a change; throw stones if I'm wrong,
If you can do it better, then by all means, shoot for the stars...but stop crushing all my life's dreams, and let me fulfil my destiny and purpose,
Why you trying to make me feel no good and worthless?
This life is all a player got to give, so back up and give me room to breath,
Can I live?
Can I live?
If you wanna be in my shoes then get in, (yeah)
You can talk the talk, but don't lived the life I live, (it ain't easy, ya'll)
So can I live? - that's my question - Can I? (can I live, ya'll?)
Can I live?
If you wanna be in my shoes then get in,
You can talk the talk, but don't lived the life I live, (ya'll ain't been in my shoes)
So can I live? - that's my question - Can I?
Can I live? (yeah)
If you wanna be in my shoes then get in, (so hard, ya'll)
You can talk the talk, but don't lived the life I live, (just trying to be me)
So can I live? - that's my question - Can I? (it's the only way I know how, ya'll)
Can I live? (came from the gutter, I'm just trying to give back)
If you wanna be in my shoes then get in,
You can talk the talk, but don't lived the life I live, (ya'll ain't never walked in my shoes, so ya'll don't know what I've been through)
So can I live? - that's my question - Can I? (how can you judge me?)
Can I live?
I feel by myself in this world sometimes,
Nobody relates what I've been trying to do for so many years,
Just trying to make a change, make a difference in all your lives.
