What We Do...
Freeway Lyrics

Man if I get rocked, this shit for my kids nigga It's that real shit...
If something happens to me, I want my children to be taken care of. This is my reality.

Even though what we do is wrong... We still hustle 'til the sun come up Crack a 40 when the sun go down It's a cold winter Y'all niggaz better bundle up And I bet it be a hotter summer, grab a onion Yes the ROC gets down, you hot now, listen up
Even though our actions may be considered wrong, we will continue to hustle and survive in this harsh environment. The ROC is always ready, no matter the season.

Don't you know cops' whole purpose is to lock us down? And throw away the key But without this drug shit your kids ain't got no way to eat, huh? We still try to keep Mom...smilin'... 'Cause when the teeth stop showin' and the stomach start growlin' Then the heat start flowin'
The police's job is to imprison us, but without selling drugs, our families wouldn't have anything to eat. We do our best to provide for our families, even if it means resorting to violence.

If you from the hood I know you feel me ([Jay-Z:] Keep goin'...) If a sneak start leanin' and the heat stop workin' Then my heat start workin' I'm-a rob me a person Catch a nigga sleepin' while he out in the open...and I'm-a get him ([Jay-Z:] Keep flowin'...)
If you come from the same community as I do, you understand the dangers we face and the need to protect ourselves at all times. If someone threatens us, we will respond with force.

We gotta raise our kids while we livin' Make a million off-a record bail my niggaz outta prison Fuck a Bentley or a Lexus just my boys in the squadder Nigga talk reckless then I hit 'em with the Smif 'n... But I'm never snitchin' I'm a rider
We have to support our children and our community while we're alive. Making a lot of money is nice, but it's more important to take care of our friends and family. We will defend ourselves, but we won't turn on each other.

If my kids hungry snatch the dishes out ya kitchen I'll be wylin' til they pick me outta line-up...
If my children are hungry, I will do whatever it takes to provide for them, even if it means getting in trouble with the law.

We keep the nines tucked, chopped dimes up, rap about it Wyle out, fuck niggaz up, laugh about it I'm not tryin' to visit the morgue but Freeway move out 'til I sit with the Lord 'Til I...get my shit together, clean up my sins
We carry guns with us at all times and sell drugs to survive, but we also enjoy making music and socializing with others. Although I don't want to die, I understand that I need to change my ways to make peace with my past actions.

And I can get it to ya like 10 while you yawnin' mang... Still deliver the order mang! And I ain't talkin' bout chicken and gravy mang! I'm talkin' bout bricks 'o ye-yo, halves and quarters 4 and a halves of hash you do the math Swing past us scoop up your daughter She want to roll wit' a thug that rap, you do the math He won't blast 'til my stacks in order mang!
I can deliver drugs to you quickly, even if it's early in the morning. And don't think I'm talking about food. I'm talking about drugs. Come by and pick them up. If your daughter wants to be with someone like me because of my rapping skills, think about the consequences. I won't use my weapons until my money is in order.

Hove never slackin' mang, zippin' in the black Range Faster than the red ghost, gettin' ghost wit' Pac-Mang One-time know a got a knack to get that change Leader of the black gang, are-O-see mang Bang like T-Mac, ski mask air it out Gotta kill witnesses 'cause Free's beard's stickin' out Y'all don't want no witness shit, we squeeze hammers mang Bullets breeze by you, like Lousiana mang...
I (Jay-Z) am always on the move, driving in my black Range Rover. I'm faster than the red ghost from Pac-Man and can quickly make money. I am the leader of our gang and am able to make things happen. We're not afraid to use violence to protect ourselves, even if it means killing witnesses. We are skilled with guns and can shoot accurately.

Gramps still prayin' workin on my nerves man... Like, "Son you gotta get your soul clean... Before they blow them horns like Coltrane..." But still I cry tears of a hustler Wipe tears from my mother, pull out beers for her brothers... That's above us, make beds for the babies Tuck kids under covers, buy cribs for their mothers Shit I'll probably be wylin' with their fathers Tell Ms. Robert, tell Enijah that I'm ridin' for her father That's like my brother, like same mother different father Any problems dog know I got 'em And still we grind from the bottom Just to make it to the bottom sold crack in the alleyways Still gave back Marcy a Dollar Day Real gangstas make hood holidays They ain't thank us but we still paid homage mang Soul Food Sunday lookin' like Big Momma's mang Tell the gang I never break my promise mang... mang... unnh!
My grandfather still bothers me by telling me to clean up my life before it's too late. Despite this, I still feel the pain of living a hustler's lifestyle and try to comfort my mother and her family. We do our best to take care of the children and mothers in our community, even if it means getting into trouble. I will always support those who need help, and we continue to work hard to make it out of this cycle of poverty. We have given back to our community throughout the years, even though we don't receive gratitude. We celebrate together and won't break our promises to each other.