It's a cryin' shame, brothers takin' life as a game 
Growing up against the law, but no-one knows who's to blame 
Dealin' drugs on the corner, you don't have to, but you wanna 
A meal is hard to make, but you tell yourself you're gonna 
Dealing 12 to 12, day into evening 
I wonder how you continue to be grieving 
Your meal is made and it's time to chill 
You buy the black Mercedes Benz with the gold to the grill 
Cruisin' up the ave while your friends get jealous 
You find out, you quickly get restless 
You buy a gun, it doesn't help but hurt you 
Because your so-called friend rattled on you 
You're in the pen serving 10 to 20 
Your boy snatched your girl and put use to your money 
You're out for teen, but what does it mean? 
You're just a wasted, young brother who lost it all on a dream 

What's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I 
Yeah, what's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I 

My blood brother is bleeding, it's a cryin' shame 
Out on the street tryin' to play the game 
Formally an in-mate straight from upstate 
Can't stop him now 'cause you see it's just too late 
He's on the run and he's got a gun 
Stay out his way unless you want some 
See, he's gettin' older, a bit more bolder 
Got his name written up in the 5-0 folder 
A big Christmas list of all the crime's he's committed 
He says he didn't do it, but we know he did it 
Summons his lawyers, fingerprints, bung shots 
Lookin' for my brother, yo, he's at the drug spots 
Livin' off that cheap Chinese food 
He says he only bumps the people when he's in the mood 
Runnin' 'round with his crews and his 2-2's 
I saw him last night in the prime time news 
Shot and killed by a 
His birth to the earth was a big mistake 

Now, history was not my favourite subject 
I used to flip through the pages and get upset 
Seein' little of black and too much of the other 
(They tried to brainwash you) Picture that, a jungle brother 
Read this, read that, answer question 3 
But when I got to 3, it had nothin' to do with me 
Somethin' was wrong, and I knew it all along 

A: Now, I've been told all the do's and don't-do-not's 
My mother, hallelujah, she called the shots 
She said, "Don't play with guns and play with knives 
And most of all, don't play with other people's wives 
When you're walkin' down the street, pay the pushers no mind 
'Cause all they wanna do is put your mind on cloud nine 
Put your head up high and your feet on the ground 
You don't have to be like everybody else to be down 
Stay in school 
G: Don't be no fool 
A: Don't lose your temper 
G: And keep your cool 
A: Follow your heart 
G: And not your friends 
A: And some of your friends 
G: Could lead you into dead ends" 
A: The other day my father said, "Son, God bless your soul 
Our life is gettin' tougher and the world is cold" 
I said, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, what do you mean?" He said, 
G: "You ain't got nothin' 'less you got the green" 
A: I realise to myself things are gonna be hard 
So each and every day I pray to God 
I say, "Now I lay me down to sleep 
G: I give the Lord my soul to keep 
A: If I should die before I wake 
G: Take me to heaven 'cause I need a break 
A: But if you let me live to another morn 
G: I'd like to know what's goin' on 

What's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I 
Tell me what's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I