Walk With Me
Big Stan; DMX Lyrics

Sometimes I will take my brother by the arm
I may support my brother at times

Other times I will take my brother by the shoulder
I may help my brother in other ways sometimes

Then there are times I will take my brother by the neck
Sometimes I may show tough love to my brother

Any way I touch you, walk with me..
No matter what, stay by my side and walk with me

This ain't the way it's supposed to be (B.S.!)
Things are not the way they were meant to be

This ain't the way it's supposed to be (off that bloodline thang)
Things are not as they should be because of conflicts within our bloodline relationships

This ain't the way it's supposed to be!
The current state of things is not correct or ideal

This ain't the way, shit is supposed to be!!
The reality of the situation is terrible

Now I done seen the streets turned into a beast with sharp teeth
I have observed the dangerous nature of the streets

Put claws in the strong and just devour the weak
The strong prey upon the weak in the streets

Make them proud niggaz humble (uh-huh)
The streets can make even the proudest people humble

Then turn around and make them loud niggaz mumble (uh-huh)
The same streets can make even the loudest people become silent

In the jungle I done seen niggaz voted "Most likely to win"
I have seen people who were expected to be successful lose everything in the streets

Lose it all at the end of a stem; what a lame (uhh)
I have seen people lose everything due to addiction

Friends killin friends for paper, what a shame (uhh)
People will do anything for money, even kill their friends

And everybody thinkin they players, what a game (damn)
Everyone believes they are in control of their situation, but really they are just pawns in a bigger game

I done seen this whole shit change
I have watched as things have changed over time

Looked again and realized that ain't shit changed (WHAT?!)
After closer examination, I realized that nothing has really changed

Except the fact that I'm a grown man now (uhh) standin on my own two
The only thing that has changed is that I am now a grown man who can stand on his own

Used to hate guns, now a nigga own two (C'MON!)
Despite my previous dislike for guns, I now own two of them

Twin glocks for cops and use I promise to
I have guns to protect myself from the police, if necessary

I ain't goin out like Amadou, you know what I'ma do (AIGHT?)
I refuse to be killed by the police like Amadou Diallo, and I will take whatever actions are necessary to protect myself

So sit back and try to visualize if you can
Take a moment to really picture and understand what I'm saying

All the stories of a wise man - walk with me
Learn from the wisdom of those who have come before you

Look at my life.. look at how I live
Consider the way I live my life and what I have gone through

Look at what I go through.. so what I've got to give (THIS IS IT!!)
My experiences are what I have to offer and share with others

Now I've done seen life play jokes with death as a punchline
Life can be unpredictable and cruel, even with death lurking in the background

In a world with no hope, struggle to get mine
In a world where there seems to be no hope, I have to fight to get what's mine

I was raised in a time of regret and bad news (uh-huh)
I grew up during a difficult, regretful time filled with negativity

So I was taught my values by bad dudes (uhh)
My values were influenced by negative people in my life

Hustlers and killers.. they taught me wrong from right
People who live a life of crime taught me the difference between right and wrong

Told me everything that's wrong is right, like
They taught me that illegal behavior is acceptable and normal

Hopin' a train, poppin' the thing
Committing robbery by jumping onto a moving train and using weapons

And havin' hot blocks poppin with 'caine, lockin' the game (Come on!)
Selling cocaine to control a particular territory

And the more shit, change, the more it's the same
As things change, in many ways they stay the same

And the more you try to get rid of it, the more it remains
The harder you try to fix a problem, the more it lingers

You remember when the kid's dream to get to the top
Remember a time when kids aspired to achieve greatness

Was bein' doctors, firemen, even the cops?
They wanted to be professionals like doctors, firefighters, and police officers

Look at the kids now, lost, no hope
Today's children are lost and have no hope

To get ahead they plan to rap, play ball, or sell dope (ooooh)
Their plans for success involve becoming musicians, athletes, or drug dealers

And if you thinkin we the problem you wrong
Don't think that we are the problem, because you're mistaken

A generation died at the same time our fathers was born
An entire generation died just as our fathers were being born

I've seen a broken home influence a good kid to go bad
Growing up in a broken home can negatively influence a good kid and lead them down a destructive path

'Cause boys with sane minds to go mad (uhh)
Even mentally stable boys can lose their minds in certain situations

And young girls to lose they innocence so fast
Girls lose their innocence at a very young age

And so often the results are so sad
The consequences of these situations are often tragic

Losin' her skirt, don't even know what flirt means
Girls are losing their virginity at a young age and may not even understand what flirting is

So a baby's poppin' up with a baby at thirteen (damn)
Teenage girls are getting pregnant and having babies at a very young age

A few years, she tried to settle down with her man
After a few years, the girl tries to settle down with her partner

Tried to stop fuckin' all them other niggas and can't
She tries to stop cheating on her partner, but can't seem to do it

Though she want to, the curse got her doin' this dirt
Even though she wants to stop, she is compelled to continue doing wrong

'Cause she saw mommy do it whenever daddy went to work (damn)
Her mother cheated on her father while he was at work, which influenced her behavior

And it hurts, I know the pain call it the truth
I understand the pain associated with these situations, but they are the truth

Bad parents are destroyin' the youth, I been there (WHAT?!)
Bad parents are a major reason why today's youth are struggling

I've watched men beat on my mother my whole life
I have witnessed abuse towards my mother for my entire life

So when I hit my baby mother I thought it was alright (NO!!!)
Because of my upbringing, I thought it was okay to be physically abusive towards my partner, but it's not

Maybe if I woke up and them niggas was gone
If certain people were no longer part of my life, things might have turned out differently

I would of knew that all the hittin' was wrong, talk to me
I would have realized that my abusive behavior was wrong

My niggaz
My friends/brothers

This, is, for my niggas
This is for you, my friends/brothers

This right here?! Is for my niggas
This song/piece of work is dedicated to you, my friends/brothers

B.S. baby! Uh-huh, uhh
Big Stan, baby! This is me!

Bloodline, bloodline, bloodline!
Our family/bloodline relationships are important

All my dogs, off the motherfucking chain!
All my friends/brothers are wild and crazy

Arf, arf, arf, arf, arf-arf, ya heard?
Barking dogs signify our wild and crazy nature

Bitch ass nigga (bitch ass nigga!)
Insult towards someone who is weak/cowardly

Iceberg, hoo, B.K.! Ali X! St. Claire! Jinx!
Shoutouts to various people/places/people groups