Lyrics

[Produced by Kanye West] [Intro: Common] Uh, uh, uh, yeah Uh, uh, uh, uh-uh-uh, yeah Uh, uh, uh, uh-uh-uh, yeah [Verse 1: Common] I open my eyes, the corner's like African tribes The blackest of thighs, a black enterprise where passionate rise The youth fantasize with grass and cash in they eyes A youth dies, and momma's asking, rationalize Tryna build a spot where ghetto bastards could rise The ghetto's been bastardized by those that capitalize Wonder if it's a plan that the Master devised To bring His people to a land where Blacks are despised To actualize scripture, the rich are getting richer The younger becoming thicker, summer's becoming winter Hard times, hard liquor, link cards and God figures There's Romans in Caprices, with pieces, to scar niggas The corner's our picture, in motion, it stars niggas Emotions of those that be smoking like Todd Bridges These are our bridges, from nothing to something That's why on every city block, you hear them pumpin' The corner [Chorus: Kanye West] I wish I could give you this feeling I wish I could give this feeling, uh-uh, uh-uh uh On the corners, niggas robbin', killin', dying Just to make a living – huh?! [Spoken Word: The Last Poets] We overstated, we underrated, we educated The corner was our time,  When time stood still in Gators and snakeskins, in Yellow and pink, and Collared blue profiles glorifying them [Verse 2: Scarface] On the corner, the birthplace of various dreams The ending of the beginning, the scariest thing As we survive here to die here, whatever we seen We accept it, live with it, or better the scheme On the corner, the backdrop for hustling crack rock The spot where the 'lac stops to issue the packs out There's money on the corner, you'd be stupid to pass up Remember there's a code, and if it's broken, we blast ya There's Crips on the corner, Bloods on the corner GDs and Vice Lords, so it's thugs on the corner There's children having fun, so it's love on the corner OGs with triple beams, hold they drugs on the corner There's cops on the corner (Uh) Dope fiends that walk around in they socks is on the corner But I love 'em, so I'm on 'em It's life on the corner, death on the corner We fight until our very last breath on the corner Corner – yeah [Chorus: Kanye West] I wish I could give you this feeling I wish I could give this feeling, uh-uh, uh-uh uh On the corners, niggas robbin', killin', dying Just to make a living – huh?! [Spoken Word: The Last Poets, (Yasiin Bey)] The corner was our magic,  Our music,  Our politics Fires raised, as Tribal dances and war cries (Brooklyn!) Broke out on different corners Power to the people Black power! Black is beautiful [Verse 3: Yasiin Bey] (The corner, man!) C-O-R-N-E-R My nigga, it's the corner, every city block got 4 of em' (Uh-huh) It's simple math, something jumping off on all them (Now, break it down) The church, the chicken shack, the liquor store, the dope house The bail bond, the nail salon, the barber shop, the courthouse (Whoa!) The youngin' blowing that smoke out, he hi-fi They're "'bout it 'bout it", no power outage for live wires The block wired, and shots fired, from hot eyes A cold world, full of hot summers and loud sirens (Woo) The 'caine slangers, and gang bangers, and lane-changers (Ha) Elders anxiety-prone, they're Reagan's teenagers They whispering, "Man, you can't change him, the streets raised him" They on the block like they ain't neighbors, they straight strangers Grandmama hit me with three words: "Son, keep praying" This shorty hit me with three more, "Son, keep blazing" They're both deep statements, from two unique places Real forever real, and I just love to hear the streets say it Corners! [Chorus: Kanye West] I wish I could give you this feeling I wish I could give this feeling, uh-uh, uh-uh uh On the corners, niggas robbin', killin', dying Just to make a living – huh?! [Spoken Word: The Last Poets] The corner was our Rock of Gibraltar, our Stonehenge Our Taj Mahal, our monument Our testimonial to freedom, to peace, and to love Down on the corner