All I Could Do Is Cry

[Verse 1] In 1993, on March 22nd While I was locked up, coming up with hit records It was late in the evening, when I got the bad news The one I loved so dear had to finally pay her dues I tell you like this, life could be a trip That's why sometimes I stay fresh off that dip Or maybe I'm a soldier, just like my stepdad Doing all I could to be the man that I am It's such a tragedy, that's why sometimes I cry Cause mama got caught up in a bus off homicide And to this day, I can never tell a story How Helen Dale died on that early Monday morning But shit does happen, and life goes on though If we ever find him, it's gon' be some gun smoke Unless the Lord, he finally takes his given place It won't be another motherfuckin' murder case That's why I lay low, slowly peepin' out the scenery Hopin' that the dark finally sheds some light on me Prayin' to my father with my hands held high Livin' day by day, in this fucked up state of mind It's drivin' me crazy, and all for me to take it I often wanna reach for the nine nickel plate One big ol' bang to the head, and it's all over Rest in peace, to another young soldier [Chorus] Street soldier in the army of life Street soldier, stay strong Street soldier in the army of life Street soldier, stay strong [Verse 2] My mental anguish caused pain and led me astray And at the age of 13, I moved to L. A Didn't know much about the streets that I roamed But I had to learn quick, because these streets'll make you stand strong A young soldier, that's what I be Because my mental was deprived of the woes of society But still I remain a full cruise like clothes And hold my own and watch my back and stay up on my toes Never did live within the situation I kept my bids to myself to avoid incarceration No one knows me but me, that's the way it's gotta be Cause infiltration's not allowed up in my crime family Never seen a man cry until a man died like Scarface But still I'm faced with homicides every day, damn What's new and poppin' on the block Cause every time I turn around somebody on my block, they got shot But I remain up on the streets Cause it's the only life I know A ghetto child A street soldier [Chorus] Street soldier in the army of life Street soldier, stay strong Street soldier in the army of life Street soldier, stay strong, stay strong [Verse 3] Back in the days, the world didn't treat me kind And I was lucky if I even had a piece of mind Tryin' to maintain and cope in my younger years Keepin' overlooked by all the ballers and the pens Needed more money and some green stacks I had none of that, twistin' through the hood with the homies In they Cadillacs, tryin' to get paid, but I was still on show Cause every dime that I earned, I put away for my slaughter coat And when I got it, fools banged on me Got off the school bus now, everybody swangin' on me 11 deep shit, I get them up, I"m by myself, can't be scared Cause poppa ain't raised no punks I get to swappin' with this one fool and knock him out And everybody wanna know what I'm about I guess they did what they had to do Cause in reality, if you ain't watchin' him, they watchin' you You ready to kill for your riches, the lifestyle But what's the point, they commit to shameless But often mention, but if you trippin' 96, your number's chosen Life is lost by ghetto kids, street soldiers [Outro] Street soldier in the army of life Street soldier, stay strong Street soldier in the army of life Street soldier, stay strong Street soldier in the army of life Street soldier, stay strong Street soldier in the army of life Street soldier, stay strong