Ghetto
Akon feat. The Notorious B.I.G. & 2Pac Lyrics

Uh, hit em with a little ghetto gospel
I'm about to share some realness about the struggles faced by people from the ghetto.

Those who wish to follow me
Those who relate to and are impacted by the same struggles as me and are willing to listen to what I have to say.

My ghetto gospel
My message of hope and inspiration for those in the ghetto.

I welcome with my hands
I greet and embrace those who are hurting and seeking a way out of their situation.

And the red sun sinks at last
Refers to the end of the day and how the struggles of the ghetto continue even as daytime ends.

Into the hills of gold
Symbolic of the struggles and hardships of life that one must face and overcome.

And peace to this young warrior
Wishing peace to the young people who are trying to survive in the ghetto.

Without the sound of guns
Describing the violence and danger faced in the ghetto and hoping for a peaceful resolution.

If I could recollect before my hood days
Reflecting on earlier times before life in the ghetto began and how life was different then.

I sit and reminisce, Thinking of bliss and the good days
Nostalgic about the days when life was simpler and easier.

I stop and stare at the younger
Taking notice of the younger generation and the struggles they face.

My heart goes to em, They tested with stress that they under
Feeling sympathy for the younger generation and the stress and hardships they encounter daily.

And nowadays things change
Noting how things have evolved since the earlier days, and not necessarily for the better.

Everyone's ashamed of the youth cause the truth look, strange
Young people facing challenges are misunderstood and misrepresented by others, leading to shame and embarrassment.

And for me it's reversed, We left em a world that's cursed
Recognizing the harsh realities of life and admission of blame for the current state of the world.

And it hurts
Acknowledging the pain felt by everyone due to the struggles of life.

Cause any day they'll push the button
Referring to how easy it is for life to be destroyed by a single action, whether deliberate or not.

And all come in like Malcolm X or Bobby Hutton died for nothing
The sacrifices made by others before us for the sake of equality and justice seem in vain when change is not forthcoming.

Don't it make you get teary, The world looks dreary
Feeling emotional and sad about the state of the world and how bleak things can seem.

When you wipe your eyes see it clearly
Taking a step back to evaluate the situation and see things as they truly are.

There's no need for you to fear me
Reassuring listeners that there is nothing to fear in what is being said, as it comes from a place of hope and inspiration.

If you take your time and hear me
Asking listeners to pay attention and not rush to judgement, but to really hear what is being said.

Maybe you can learn to cheer me
Hoping that people will take the words to heart and be inspired to change the world bit by bit.

It ain't about black or white cause we human
Everyone is human, regardless of their race, ethnicity or background.

I hope we see the light before it's ruined, my ghetto gospel
Closing on a hopeful note, wishing for things to change and for people to see the light before it is too late.

Tell me do you see that old lady, Ain't it sad
Drawing attention to the struggles of the elderly and the hardships they endure.

Living out of bags
Living out of bags signifies displacement and being uprooted.

Plus she's glad for the little things she has
Despite her situation, she finds contentment in the small things in life.

And over there there's a lady, Crack got her crazy
Highlighting the devastating impact of drugs and addiction on individuals and communities in the ghetto.

Guess who's giving birth to a baby
Revealing the harsh reality of how addiction affects both mothers and their children.

I don't trip or let it fade me
Refusing to let the struggles of life and the harsh realities of the ghetto get one down.

From out of the fryin' pan
Leaving one bad situation only to be thrust into another.

We jump into another form of slavery
Acknowledging that the struggles of poverty and the ghetto can be similar to those of slavery, trapping people in a vicious cycle of hardship and difficulties.

Even now I get discouraged
Despite the inspirational message, there are times when even the most hopeful and optimistic can get discouraged.

Wonder if they take it all back
Questioning whether all the sacrifices and struggles are worth it in the end.

Will I still keep the courage
Despite the doubts and struggles, holding on to the courage to keep pushing forward and hoping for change.

I refuse to be a role model
Rejecting the notion of being a role model and choosing to live life on one's own terms.

I set goals, take control, drink out my own bottles
Taking control of one's life and making one's own decisions, striving towards personal goals and aspirations.

I make mistakes but learn from every one
Acknowledging that nobody is perfect, and learning from mistakes is an important part of personal growth and progress.

And when it's said and done
Looking forward to a time when everything has been achieved and life's goals accomplished.

I bet this brother be a better one
Confident that the struggles and hardships faced in life can lead to becoming a better, stronger person in the end.

If I upset you don't stress never forget
Reassuring listeners that disagreement is natural and it's not worth stressing about it.

That God isn't finished with me yet
Believing in a higher power and having faith that there is still work to be done in life.

I feel his hand on my brain
Being guided by a higher power and believing in the power of inspiration and creativity.

When I write rhymes I go blind and let the Lord do his thing
Allowing creativity and inspiration to take over, with a belief that a higher power is guiding and influencing the work being created.

But am I less holy
Questioning whether partaking in seemingly unholy acts makes one less spiritual or separates one from their faith.

Cause I chose to puff a blunt and drink a beer with my homies
Acknowledging that seemingly negative habits, like smoking marijuana or drinking, can be part of socialization and bonding with friends.

Before we find world peace
Acknowledging that peace begins within oneself and within one's own community, before it can be brought to a larger scale.

We gotta find peace and end the war in the streets
Recognizing the importance of breaking down barriers and ending conflict at a local level before larger scale change can occur.

My ghetto gospel
Closing with a reminder of the message of inspiration, hope and change being shared throughout the song.