you tell me that there's love here, but to me it's blatant
nothin but all the blood here, i'm dealin wit satan
plus wit all the hatin, it's hard to keep peace (uh huh)
though shalt not steal, but i will to eat
i tried doin good, but good's not too good for me
misunderstood, why you chose the hood for me?
mean i'm aight, i just had to work hard at it
went to gran'ma for answers, she told me that god had it
so now here i am, confused and full of questions
am i born to lose? or is this just a lesson?
and who is gon' choose, when it get's turned around?
and will it be layin in my own blood, and on the ground?
{my child, i've watched you grow up, and i've been there (uh huh)
even at those times you least suspected it, i was there (aight)
and look at what i've given you, the talent to rhyme
i may not come when you call, but i'm always on time}
[chorus X2]
somebody's knockin, should i let em in?
lord, we're just startin, but where will it end?
but when the funds are low, the guns'll blow
lookin for that one that owe, make him run that doe
{no! put down the guns, and write a new rhyme, you'll get it all in due time
you'll do fine, just have faith, cuz you mine (uh huh)
and when you shine, it's gon' be a sight to behold
so don't fight to be old, or lose sight when it's cold
see that light down the road? it's gon' guide you there
two sets of footsteps, i was right beside you there}
but what about them times i only saw one? those were the times that i was under the gun
{it was then, i carried you my son
led you to safety, it just wasn't your time to face me}
aye yo a few of them times i thought you would erase me
but all you did was embrace me, prepared me for the worst
offered me eternal light, but scared me wit the hearse
and the curse, turned to grace, when the hurt, turned to faith
no more runnin (uh huh), slidin, in the dirt, cuz i'm safe
[chorus X1]
somebody's knockin, should i let em in
so if i'm yo man, i'm in yo hand, what's your plans
never had a friend, cuz you couldn't trust your man
learned to stand, before i crawled, things were twisted
and if you showed me anything at all, then i missed it
looked the wrong way (uh huh), i've done some wrong things (true)
kept a bad attitude, but that's what wrong brings
and now you mean to tell me that after all this time
it was you that kept a dog from goin out of my mind?
it was you that breated life into my lungs when i was born
and it was you that let me know, what was right, from what was wrong
it was you that let me do what i knew could be done
and it was you that gave me a good wife and a beautiful son
and it's been you speakin to me inside my mind
and it's been you who has forgiven time after time
it was you who opened my eyes, so i could see
it was you who shined your light on me
