C.R.E.A.M.
El Michael's Affair & Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics

What that nigga want God?
Asking what someone wants and acknowledging a possible threat from the police

(Cash Rules) Word up, two for fives over here baby
Acknowledging the pervasive nature of money and the drug trade

Know what I'm sayin'?
Asking for understanding or agreement

(Cash Rules Everything Around Me C.R.E.A.M. get)
Cash dominates everything and the need to obtain it

(Dolla dolla bill y'all) Check this shit, yo!
Emphasizing the importance of money in society

I grew up on the crime side, the New York Times side
Growing up in a rough neighborhood and experiencing crime firsthand

Staying alive was no jive
Survival was difficult and required vigilance

Had second hands, moms bounced on old men
Living in poverty and dealing with a difficult family situation

So then we moved to Shaolin land
Relocating to a different neighborhood

A young youth, yo rockin' the gold tooth, 'Lo goose
A young person with a distinct style and fashion sense

Only way, I begin to G off was drug loot
Becoming involved in drug dealing as a means of making money

And let's start it like this son, rollin' with this one
Hanging out with friends and engaging in criminal activity

And that one, pullin' out gats for fun
Carrying guns and using them for entertainment

But it was just a dream for the teen, who was a fiend
Looking back and acknowledging a past addiction

Started smokin' woolas at sixteen
Starting to smoke drugs at a young age

And running up in gates, and doing hits for high stakes
Breaking into buildings and doing dangerous jobs for money

Making my way on fire escapes
Escaping danger by climbing on the outside of buildings

No question I would speed, for cracks and weed
Being willing to take risks for drugs and money

The combination made my eyes bleed
The effects of drug addiction

No question I would flow off, and try to get the dough all
Being consumed by the desire for money

Sticking up white boys in ball courts
Robbing people at gunpoint

My life got no better, same damn 'Lo sweater
Being stuck in a cycle of poverty and crime

Times is ruff and tuff like leather
Life is difficult and challenging

Figured out I went the wrong route
Realizing that criminal activity was not the answer

So I got with a sick ass click and went all out
Becoming fully committed to a new path

Catchin' keys from across seas
Receiving large shipments of drugs from overseas

Rollin in MPV's, every week we made forty G's
Making a lot of money from drug dealing

Yo nigga respect mine, or here go the TEC-9
Demanding respect and displaying a weapon for intimidation

Ch-chick-POW! Move from the gate now
Using violence to establish dominance and intimidate others

(Cash Rules Everything Around Me C.R.E.A.M. get the money)
Re-emphasizing the obsession with money

It's been twenty-two long hard years, I'm still strugglin'
Reflecting on a difficult life filled with struggles

Survival got me buggin', but I'm alive on arrival
Surviving difficult situations but still struggling

I peep at the shape of the streets
Being aware of the dangers in the environment

And stay awake to the ways of the world 'cause shit is deep
Being mindful of the harsh realities of life

A man with a dream with plans to make C.R.E.A.M.
Having aspirations to become wealthy

Which failed I went to jail at the age of 15
Failing to achieve those aspirations and getting arrested at a young age

A young buck sellin' drugs and such who never had much
Being involved in drug dealing due to poverty and lack of options

Trying to get a clutch at what I could not
Trying to make ends meet with limited opportunities

The court played me short, now I face incarceration
Feeling like the system let him down and facing prison time

Pacin' going upstate's my destination
Knowing that prison is the next stop

Handcuffed in back of a bus, forty of us
Traveling to prison with other inmates

Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough
Reflecting on the difficulties faced at a young age

But as the world turns I learned life is hell
Realizing that life can be harsh and unforgiving

Living in the world no different from a cell
Feeling trapped and confined, even outside of prison

Everyday I escape from Jakes givin' chase, sellin' base
Dealing drugs and trying to outrun the police

Smokin' bones in the staircase
Using drugs in a dangerous environment

Though I don't know why I chose to smoke sess
Not fully understanding why he turned to drugs

I guess that's the time when I'm not depressed
Finding temporary relief from depression through drug use

But I'm still depressed, and I ask what's it worth?
Feeling empty and questioning the value of his actions

Ready to give up so I seek the Old Earth
Looking for guidance from older and wiser individuals

Who explained working hard may help you maintain
Learning the value of hard work and perseverance

To learn to overcome the heartaches and pain
Learning to cope with difficult emotions and experiences

We got stickup kids, corrupt cops, and crack rocks
Describing the dangers and challenges of the neighborhood

And stray shots, all on the block that stays hot
Referencing the constant threat of violence

Leave it up to me while I be living proof
Becoming a role model and living proof of overcoming adversity

To kick the truth to the young black youth
Teaching and guiding younger generations

But shorty's running wild smokin' sess drinkin' beer
Acknowledging the difficulty in reaching younger generations

And ain't trying to hear what I'm kickin' in his ear
Being resistant to advice and guidance

Neglected, for now, but yo, it gots to be accepted
Acknowledging the current state of things, but still striving for change

That what? That life is hectic
Recognizing the chaotic and difficult nature of life