You know, sometimes in life We try our best But no matter how hard we try Things still go wrong But don't be discouraged If it's meant to happen, it's gonna happen It's of a higher order, a higher design A divine design Divine design, design's the rhyme My brother standin' on the corner, straight stranded in time 'Cause favorite MC's makin' records that perpetuate crime Babies, is havin' babies, stick-up kids is goin' crazy Stray dogs is in the street, watch that one he got the rabies Had to knock this nigga out because he tried to play me No phone in my home, dog, what the fuck you lookin' at? Sha came home from prison, and quickly relapsed Black-on-black's got that nigga for his chain on the train The shots, wasn't fatal but they damaged his brain Cocaine, numb the pain like Nova I'ma do him for his ID and now it's all over Champagne wishes, on a four-leaf clover Livin' up, in the hood and pushin' a Range Rover Shorty bootylicious but you pay for her affection Pimpin' told her this would get her up out of the 8 Section Nana in church, celebratin' Christ's resurrection Poogie shot too much dope, he got that HIV infection Cops serve and protect them, for us there's no protection Guns and drugs and unnatural selection brothers think it's still all good I guess they just caught up in the hood... Where you at? Has crossed my mind Where you at? Has crossed my mind Divine design protects the blind The Twin Towers fallin' down, another sign of the times The masses embracin' ideas that confine the mind Little girls think they grown ladies, what have you done for me lately? Alcoholics in the street, watch that one I think he crazy Had to bust off my gun 'cause shorty tried to blaze me Little kids on my block whylin' out, because they lack the fact Rae got 5 to 10 for sellin' DT crack The dopeman stacks, don't hate the player, hate the game Feds harass drug dealers while terrorists hijack planes Maintain, hard times is almost over The summer heat make the streets explode like supernovas Battle scars, tattoo street soldiers The pen make, heathen men seek Allah or Jehovah Son's mad thugged out, prime candidate for correction Leave MC's with no dad, he rocks no hats when he's sexin' When he get that life term, somebody test him Solitary, confinement - it's too late for reflection Cops serve and protect them, for us there's no protection Guns and drugs and unnatural selection brothers think it's still all good I guess they just caught up in the hood... Where you at? Has crossed my mind Where you at? Has crossed my mind Divine design ensures that I'll shine The truth - a double-edged sword that can sever your spine My mental spray like a Mac before I clap like a nine The young black man's angry, ain't no if, ands, or maybes 85's in the street, runnin' round in mental slavery Got beef wit the beast, he always tryna lace me Po-po all up in the hood like a gang, what the fuck is that? So-called crooks, get shot in they back Fake niggas react, but make they moves just for fame From activist, to poli-tic-ian Hu-mane, the tongue they speak when sober Power-drunk, they wicked like the last day in October Snakes in the grass, here comes the lawn mower Pork chops, crack and piss, what a terrible odor John Taliban got the complexion for the connection Where I come from youth grow up day to day with no direction Cops serve and protect them, for us there's no protection Guns and drugs and unnatural selection brothers think it's still all good I guess they just caught up in the hood...