Back in the Day - Illegal

Back in the day I stayed paid I slayed and slanged

Them thangs never had shit, no I never had a fuckin' thing

I didn’t have mines to spend time or curl back

I needed that fast money so I had to react

Got go handle my hood 'cause my sea mileage is all that

I hustle when I had to so my pockets could stay kinda fat

Never was a crab — I never was a bummer

Just do what I gotta do and break a nigga off some

Correct, correct go even so a brother-

I just make em holla until he feels pain

Gimme your sneakers, money, clothes, rings, and your fuckin' chains

Cuz I-I I never could have shit

Who’d ever think I’d have this?

I wasn’t sure i had a window to throw out my pot of piss

Now-Now-Now this verse is to show whose life was worse

That’s why I’m a bad boy ghetto bastard and always have to curse

Back in the day when I was a teenager

Back in the day when I was a teenager

Back in the day when I was a teenager

Back in the day when I was a teenager

For Christmas I wish for a tip, my daddy never played catch

My mommy was addicted to crack because she had no self-respect

I used to walk the streets sometimes and never ate

Until my grandma took me away but still I wasn’t safe

But something changed, I had someone to care for me

But still I never had a male influence around me

My momma, grandmama, auntie and uncle were strung out

The only time I got love is when I had money or some drugs

I found all the ones I got left like a beaver

Until I start stealin that’s when my people starts to wonder

«Where you got it?

How you got it?

Can I have it?

Will you give it to me so I can make some ends by sellin it?»

Most of the time i used to give it to 'em

That’s when my Uncle Ed crossed over and made ducats by the minute get it?

I’m never packin pop tarts for lunch

I’m packin .38 Specials that’s why they call me Mr. Hotshot

Back in the day when I was a teenager

Back in the day when I was a teenager

Back in the day when I was a teenager

Back in the day when I was a teenager

In Holly Hill they hate to see you smile, love to see you frown

Can’t get yourself up out the ghetto

Tryna keep the next family down

But you know, that’s how it ever was

If you can’t have it you got it from the one who does

My mother did what she had to do to satisfy

Guess what they gotta do?

Dude, my first packages went by

More sales and we was making money we couldn’t stay in the 'jects,

had to get up and go

Niggas couldn’t stand to see that — started snitchin to 5−0

In other words, rattin' like a mouse

They listened and listened, then they ran up in the fuckin' house

Trashed the crib, the whole thing was a mess

They was takin everybody down puttin them in the DSS

Josetta shed tears, it was a cryin' shame — right?

That’s when I met Naughty By Nature and they told me that everything is gonna

be alright

Back in the day when I was a teenager

Back in the day when I was a teenager

Back in the day when I was a teenager

Back in the day when I was a teenager

13 on April 26 of 1992

But to my family it’s just another day another week

Jamal, fuck you

It’s the same shit different day so I just leave and go get sensimillia from

the neighbors

If I can, I shoot some hoop with my niggas on the corner

And ask them who they think the next goner’s gonna be

Me or some markhead niggas around the way?

Cuz they front they shit like they shit don’t stink

I knew much better when I was a kid I stayed on the DL

But still I always heard people scream Jamal when shit went down

It’s like when shit went down I was the number one suspect

It wasn’t because of me it was because of my uncle Trevor

Never lived a normal everyday kid life

Instead of after school activities I’m on the corner shootin dice at night

If you ain’t from around don’t come around

Because you won’t leave with a smile you’ll leave with a frown

On your face as you hear the words of a nine millimeter

Back in the days when I was a teenager