Walk With Me
DMX ft Big Stan Lyrics

Sometimes I will take my brother by the arm
I will offer my brother comfort and support

Other times I will take my brother by the shoulder
I will guide my brother and offer him direction

Then there are times I will take my brother by the neck
I will exert control over my brother and show him tough love

Any way I touch you, walk with me..
Regardless of how I approach you, support me and walk alongside me

This ain't the way it's supposed to be (B.S.!)
The world is not living up to our expectations

This ain't the way it's supposed to be (off that bloodline thang)
We need to stay loyal to our family and support each other

This ain't the way it's supposed to be!
We need to strive for a better world and not accept the status quo

This ain't the way, shit is supposed to be!!
The current state of the world is unacceptable and needs to change

Now I done seen the streets turned into a beast with sharp teeth
The city has become a dangerous place

Put claws in the strong and just devour the weak
Those who are vulnerable and weak are often exploited and mistreated

Make them proud niggaz humble (uh-huh)
Even those who are successful can be brought down by the harsh realities of life

Then turn around and make them loud niggaz mumble (uh-huh)
Even confident and outspoken people can be silenced by adversity

In the jungle I done seen niggaz voted "Most likely to win"
Even those who are expected to succeed can fall victim to the harsh realities of life

Lose it all at the end of a stem; what a lame (uhh)
Drug addiction can ruin a person's life

Friends killin friends for paper, what a shame (uhh)
The pursuit of money can lead people to do terrible things

And everybody thinkin they players, what a game (damn)
People often overestimate their own abilities and importance

I done seen this whole shit change
The world and the people in it have changed over time

Looked again and realized that ain't shit changed (WHAT?!)
Despite the passage of time, some things never seem to change

Except the fact that I'm a grown man now (uhh) standin on my own two
But even though the world hasn't changed much, I have grown and matured

Used to hate guns, now a nigga own two (C'MON!)
I have become more comfortable with using violence to protect myself

Twin glocks for cops and use I promise to
I am prepared to defend myself against the police

I ain't goin out like Amadou, you know what I'ma do (AIGHT?)
I refuse to be a victim of police brutality like Amadou Diallo, and I will take action to protect myself

So sit back and try to visualize if you can
I encourage you to imagine my experiences and perspective

All the stories of a wise man - walk with me
Follow me and learn from my insights

Look at my life.. look at how I live
Examine my experiences and how I navigate the world

Look at what I go through.. so what I've got to give (THIS IS IT!!)
Understand the struggles I face, and recognize the value of what I have to offer

Now I've done seen life play jokes with death as a punchline
The cruelty of life often seems like a cruel joke

In a world with no hope, struggle to get mine
When there seems to be no hope, we must work hard to succeed

I was raised in a time of regret and bad news (uh-huh)
My upbringing was filled with negativity and disappointment

So I was taught my values by bad dudes (uhh)
I had to learn life lessons from people who were not good role models

Hustlers and killers.. they taught me wrong from right
I learned to distinguish between good and bad behavior from people who engaged in criminal activity

Told me everything that's wrong is right, like
I was taught to think that immoral behavior was acceptable

Hopin' a train, poppin' the thing
I was taught to engage in risky and illegal behavior

And havin' hot blocks poppin with 'caine, lockin' the game (Come on!)
Drug dealing and violence were seen as viable options for success

And the more shit, change, the more it's the same
Even though things change, some aspects of life remain the same

And the more you try to get rid of it, the more it remains
Efforts to eradicate social problems often fall short

You remember when the kid's dream to get to the top
In the past, children aspired to become successful in legitimate occupations

Was bein' doctors, firemen, even the cops?
They wanted to be heroes and help others

Look at the kids now, lost, no hope
Today's youth lack direction and purpose

To get ahead they plan to rap, play ball, or sell dope (ooooh)
Many young people feel that their only options for success are through music, sports, or crime

And if you thinkin we the problem you wrong
Blaming the younger generation for societal problems is misguided

A generation died at the same time our fathers was born
The challenges faced by today's youth are a result of longstanding societal issues

I've seen a broken home influence a good kid to go bad
Growing up in a dysfunctional family can have a negative impact on a child's behavior

'Cause boys with sane minds to go mad (uhh)
Even those who are mentally stable can be driven to madness by difficult circumstances

And young girls to lose they innocence so fast
Young girls are often exposed to adult situations and lose their innocence at a young age

And so often the results are so sad
The consequences of societal problems can be devastating

Losin' her skirt, don't even know what flirt means
Girls are often sexualized and taught to use their bodies to gain attention

So a baby's poppin' up with a baby at thirteen (damn)
Teen pregnancy is a serious issue in society

A few years, she tried to settle down with her man
The girl becomes involved in a serious relationship as a means of stability

Tried to stop fuckin' all them other niggas and can't
She fails to remain faithful to her partner

Though she want to, the curse got her doin' this dirt
Despite her desire to behave differently, she struggles to break the cycle of infidelity

'Cause she saw mommy do it whenever daddy went to work (damn)
Her mother's behavior influenced her own choices in relationships

And it hurts, I know the pain call it the truth
The reality of the situation is painful to acknowledge

Bad parents are destroyin' the youth, I been there (WHAT?!)
Poor parenting can have a negative impact on children and their behavior

I've watched men beat on my mother my whole life
I grew up in a household with domestic violence

So when I hit my baby mother I thought it was alright (NO!!!)
As a result of my upbringing, I was desensitized to violence and perpetuated it in my own relationship

Maybe if I woke up and them niggas was gone
If I was able to separate myself from the negative influences in my life, I might have made different choices

I would of knew that all the hittin' was wrong, talk to me
I could have recognized that domestic violence is never acceptable

This, is, for my niggas
This song is dedicated to my friends and community

This right here?! Is for my niggas
The message of the song is especially relevant to my community

B.S. baby! Uh-huh, uhh
The initials B.S. are being used as a nickname, possibly for Big Stan or Bloodline

Bloodline, bloodline, bloodline!
An exclamation to show loyalty to one's family and community

All my dogs, off the motherfucking chain!
My friends and associates are wild and untamed

Arf, arf, arf, arf, arf-arf, ya heard?
A playful expression used to get attention or sound tough

Bitch ass nigga (bitch ass nigga!)
An insult directed at someone who is perceived as weak or cowardly

Iceberg, hoo, B.K.! Ali X! St. Claire! Jinx!
A shout-out to various people and locations in New York City