Pray
Jay-Z and Marvin Gaye Lyrics

Delivery me from my enemies, oh God
Please protect me from those who seek to harm me.

Defend me from those that rise up against me
Please protect me from those who oppose me and my goals.

Deliver me from the work of inequity
Please protect me from the harm caused by unjust actions.

And save me, from the Bloody men
Please protect me from those who are violent and seek to cause harm.

Look, mind state of a gangster from the 40's
I approach life with the mentality of a 1940s gangster.

Meet the business mind of Motown's Berry Gordy
I combine my gangster mentality with the intelligence and success of Berry Gordy.

Turn crack rock into a chain of 40/40's
I have turned a negative (crack cocaine) into a positive (chain of successful nightclubs).

Sorry my jewelry so gaudy
I apologize for wearing flashy and ostentatious jewelry.

Slid into the party with my new pair of Mauris
I arrived at the party wearing my new Mauri shoes.

America, meet the gangsta Shawn Corey
I am introducing myself, Shawn Corey, as a gangster to America.

Hey young world, wanna hear a story?
I am asking the younger generation if they want to hear a story.

Close your eyes and you could pretend you're me
Imagine yourself in my shoes and my experiences.

A cut from the cloth of the Kennedy's
I come from a family with strong political and social ties, similar to the Kennedy family.

Frank Sinatra having dinner with the Genovese
Frank Sinatra, a famous singer, is having dinner with the Genovese crime family.

This is the genesis of a nemesis
This is the beginning of someone who will challenge or harm me.

Mother America's not witnessed since
America has not seen something like this before.

The Harlem Renaissance birthed black businesses
The Harlem Renaissance was responsible for creating successful black-owned businesses.

This is the tale of lost innocence's, as the incense burn
This is a story of people losing their innocence while in the presence of burning incense.

And the turntables turn and that Al Greens plays
The music continues to play and time moves forward.

I see my mother's afro, as mama taps her toes as she rolls her J's
I remember my mother's hairstyle and her tapping her feet while rolling joints.

And my papa just left the house, in search of the killer of my uncle Ray
My father has just left the house to find the person responsible for killing my uncle Ray.

And she's tryna calm my nerves, as I observe this is just one day
My mother is trying to calm me down as I realize that this is just one day in my life.

And what tomorrow has in store, we could never be sure, so all we can do is Pray
We don't know what the future holds, so we should pray for guidance and protection.

Because of Your strength
I ask for protection because of God's strength.

While I walked upon thee
As I walk through life.

For God is my defense (pray for me)
I rely on God to defend and protect me.

As I head towards my homeroom, I observe the ruins, dope needles on the ground
As I walk to school, I see the destruction caused by drug addiction.

I hear a car go, "Vrooom", drug dealer in the BM with the top down
I hear a car (BMW) driving by with a drug dealer showing off his wealth.

As the girls start to giggle, I ask, "Why you laugh?", they say, "You too little
Girls laugh at me for being small and not understanding the danger of the drug trade.

One day you'll understand, when you become a man 'bout things you have to get you"
They promise that I will understand the importance of making money when I am older.

Fast forward, freeze frame on my pistol
I flash forward to using a gun to protect myself in the future.

Fist full of dollars, ignorance is so blissful
I have a lot of money but I am not aware of the danger it brings.

I didn't choose this life, this life chose me
I did not actively choose a life of crime, but was rather forced into it.

Around here is the shit that you just do
In my community, participating in criminal activity is common and expected.

I just left school, the same BM is pulled over by the boys dressed blue
I see the same BMW getting pulled over by police as I am leaving school.

They had they guns drawn, screaming, "Just move"
The police are aggressively pointing their weapons and telling the people in the car to move.

"Or is there something else you suggest we can do"
The police ask if the people in the car have any other suggestions for how to proceed.

He made his way to the trunk, opened it like, "Huh"
The driver of the car opens the trunk nonchalantly.

A treasure chest was removed
A large amount of drugs are taken out of the trunk.

Cops said he'll be back next month
The police allow the drug dealer to continue his criminal activity and promise to see him again in the future.

What we call corrupt, he called paying dues
The drug dealer sees his actions as paying his dues, while others see it as corrupt.

Now when the rules is blurred, as they is and were, what am I to do?
When the lines between right and wrong are blurred, what choices do I have?

But pray, pray the Lord forgive me
I turn to prayer for guidance and forgiveness.

Pray He guides me by what I'm 'bout go through
I ask God to guide me through the difficult times ahead.

Geah, anywhere there's oppression, the drug profession
Drug dealing thrives in areas with oppression and poverty.

Flourishes like beverages, refreshing (ah)
Drug dealing is as common and frequent as getting a refreshing beverage.

Sweet taste of sin, everything I've seen made me everything I am
The temptation of sin is sweet, and my experiences have shaped me into who I am.

Bad drug dealer or I victim, I beg
I may be seen as a bad person for dealing drugs, but I am also a victim of my surroundings and experiences.

What came first? Moving chickens or the egg?
I question whether my involvement in the drug trade came first, or if it was a result of my environment.

This is why I be so fresh, I'm tryna beat life 'cause I can't cheat death
I try to look my best and live life to the fullest because I cannot avoid death.

Treat shame with shamelessness, aim stainless at anuses
I respond to shame with a lack of shame and use guns to intimidate and harm others.

You know who's game this is
Everyone knows that the drug trade is run by people like me.

Move coke like Pepsi it don't matter what the brand name is
I am willing to sell any type of drug, regardless of the brand.

I stand behind mine, everything I do I'm a man behind mine
I take responsibility for my actions and stand behind them.

I'm not a angel, I'm sure, but every night before I lay
I am not perfect, but every night I pray.

I drop my knees to the floor and I pray
I kneel down in prayer to seek guidance and forgiveness.

The name shall endure forever
The name of God will always exist.

The name shall be continued as long as the sun (pray for me)
God's name will continue to be praised for as long as the sun exists.

Men shall be blessed in Him
Those who believe in God will be blessed.

All nations shall call Him blessed
People from different nations will recognize and praise God.

In your name I pray (pray for me)
I pray to God in His name.

Lord bless us
I ask God to bless us all.