Juvenile - Being Myself

Why does Juvenile gotta suffer so much
All this love in the hood keeps me in a fuss
Last night, me and the fellas almost got smoked
We heard gunshots and we said "we all broke"
A 2 mile chase hitting corners quick
Thank god we alright and made it to the bricks
Now I gotta carry a nine i guess
These brothas try to peel my cap, so I gotta put em to rest
Now is it really worth the fighting and fuss
We killed one of them, they killed one of us
A young teenage black male
Gave em a brand new 40 and he got locked in jail
They say thats how it's supposed to be
But I don't think that kind of life was chosen for me
So I send up the sin I pray
To the Lord to conversate
To end all of this hate

[Chorus:]
Living inside ghetto is not a joke, not a joke
I keep on seeing fellas from hood getting smoked
Living inside ghetto is not a joke, not a joke
I keep on seeing fellas from hood getting smoked
Living inside ghetto is not a joke, not a joke
I keep on seeing fellas from hood getting smoked
Living inside ghetto is not a joke, not a joke
I keep on seeing fellas from hood getting smoked

I wouldn't be alive if I didn't say
I'm the type of person that praise everyday
Brothas in the hood ain't the same
They got a gun and they change
Now they say I changed cause I'm making records
But I'm still in the hood handing out some chicken
Teenage sistas getting happy drawls
Used to be quiet, now she do it all
It's hard to undertsand this shit
And everybody I question say "life's a bitch"
My life is a bitch, because I made it that
So I'm praying to the Lord, please change me back

[Chorus]

My family's not together like they should be
And I don't think they ever will be
My grandma is the only one that says she loves us
So whats the reason for the everyday scream fuss
Daddy just got killed last week
For my boy on the curb, may he rest in peace
Then they went and killed Teck
Now I'm thinking "is the Juv next?"
I don't wanna run when I can't hide
Lord if I go, just make sure I'm on your side

[Chorus]

[Juvenile talks till end]