Lyrics

[Intro: Black Orchid] Now, I've seen trouble that kills And I've seen strife that's real And I've seen pain enough to make you wanna cry Yes, I've seen struggles in the street And I've seen jail But they can do me nothin' to make me ever run and tell [Verse 1: Coolio] As I stroll across land that's become somewhat devoid of man I see young boys that pretend to have a reason to take a stand It's important that you understand the relationship Between their environment and [?] mindset As times get harder, the [?] replacement figure for fathers It's increasingly easier for a young nigga to say, "Why bother?" With the raising of a nation of fake-ass thugs, sluts, and [?] illiterates Who ain't even listenin' 'Cause as soon as you speak the truth as you see it On something based on everyday reality You open the door for technicality We can't play this because you said that Or we can't show this because they don't like rap Well then you must like crap 'cause since 1999 Originality [?] of the music business is on decline That's why I came back to bang this and change shit And make some rearrangements, replacements [Chorus: Black Orchid] Because they know my name they think they know my game But they don't know a thing, they don't know about me They don't know me about me, they don't know about me They don't know a thing, they don't about me [Verse 2: Coolio] My occupation often requires concentration And mic distance [?] from your vocal [?] [?] pronunciation in preparation As I strive for perfection in all audio presentation With no hesitation I'm going for complete mental penetration With or without the use of [?] [?] But I still remember the code and dig ditches for all known snitches Bustas, bastards, sucka MCs in plastic Fake-ass Hollywood hoes, that shit is [?] I'm tryna maintain a certain level with the bass and the treble And shake off these dreams of playing [?] with the devil I never settle, [?] With a diamond-crusted bezel, keep the pedal to the metal Play the game like a cello—Monopoly, chess, or Othello 'Cause y'all really don't know the C-O-O-L-I-O [Chorus: Black Orchid] Because they know my name they think they know my game But they don't know a thing, they don't know about me They don't know me about me, they don't know about me They don't know a thing, they don't about me [Verse 3: Coolio] In the beginning there was love, then the love turned to hate And then the hate turned to greed, and greed paid the way for Jealousy and envy, but beauty's only skin deep I used to [?] And the ink is like acid as I etch my life in plastic To try to become immune to the pitfalls of the so-called fantastic The body of a man once the soul is gone Ain't worth the paper that a dollar is printed on So when I'm gone, don't waste my life insurance money on funeral [?] Have a party in my name and fill up the [?] And let all my family, friends, and enemies have a good time on me The asthmatic rapper nigga from the CPT And tell 'em I was a slave to the mission to maintain the rhythm And try to create a philosophy that encompassed all religion Race, color, or creed, and then pass around some weed And make sure my seeds got everything they need [Bridge: Black Orchid] Now, I've seen trouble that kills And I've seen strife that's real And I've seen pain enough to make you wanna cry Yes, I've seen struggles in the street And I've seen jail But they can do me nothin' to make me ever run and tell [Chorus: Black Orchid] Because they know my name they think they know my game But they don't know a thing, they don't know about me They don't know me about me, they don't know about me They don't know a thing, they don't about me