Thought Process
Outkast feat. Goodie Mob Lyrics

Let me get a chop at this lumber niggas
Allow me to contribute to this discussion

From the down underground are hangin' around the A-Town
We are from the underground scene in Atlanta

Lookin' for a come up, workin' from 9 to 5
We are striving for success through hard work

Just to get some change so T-Mo can stay alive
We need money to support T-Mo's survival

Not greedy or living' lavish yet but you can bet that when I do
Although we are not living luxuriously right now, it will change in the future

Nobody from my crew will I forget
I will always remember and support my crew

And if I start to get large and come up on some change
If I become successful and gain wealth

I won't change, everybody know they down
I won't change as a person, and everyone knows their loyalty to me

It's not the same, everyday life can be different
Life can be unpredictable and vary from day to day

These laws got me ready to ball
Restrictive laws and regulations contribute to my determination to succeed

Cause I fall a victim so I still be slanging them fat pillows
To survive, I continue to sell drugs

To make 'em meet, each and every day as I comb my city streets
I hustle every day to make ends meet

Sometimes I wish I never had been apart of this mess
I regret being involved in a life of crime

Cause the system got us fucked up
The system has oppressed us

It put us to the test, women and men if you black you in
The system discriminates against black people

Food for the soul listen to what I tell you it don't matter
Listen to my wisdom, regardless of your age or background

Young or old it's time we loc' up and do like we suppose
It's time for us to come together and act as we should

We killin' each other over this bullshit and some clothes
We are causing harm and death over materialistic things

We're trapped off in this world and society with no place else to go
We feel stuck in this society with no escape

So how you feel?
What are your thoughts and emotions?

Frustrated, irritated, sometimes I don't know myself I be too numb
I feel overwhelmed and apathetic at times

To feel something sometimes so I dig deep, get in the Cherokee
To experience emotions, I reflect deeply and isolate myself

Let my mind fly free into the wilderness so I can get this shit off my mind
I escape mentally to relieve my burdens and thoughts

That's why I be smokin' that dank sometimes, it keeps me from snappin'
I use marijuana to calm myself and prevent emotional breakdowns

Keeps me calm, keeps my mind open, keeps me fond of what I gots to do
Marijuana helps maintain my composure and focus on my responsibilities

Off in the studio to get my old burd back on her feet, and my little bro'
I go to the studio to support my partner's career and assist my younger brother

In Statesboro and my little 'cause Mark Twain, all my
I have family members named Mark Twain and a cousin living in Statesboro

Folks that hang with me when I was out in the trap or when I was goin'
Those who stood by me during my drug dealing days or difficult times

Through one of our episodes, only god knows, what I go through so I get down
God is the only one who truly understands my struggles, so I pray

On my knees, sometimes I come home too high to pray, but I get on my bed
Sometimes I am under the influence when I try to pray, but I still make an effort

Lay on my back and meditate, anyway, in the ceilings, the four walls
I meditate to find peace and solace within the confines of my surroundings

It's like cell therapy I got nothing to do but write about my L-I-F-E, put it
I express my thoughts and experiences through writing and music

Down on paper, so what you feel?
What are your thoughts and emotions about it?

I live for today, motherfuck another hour, it might be sour
I focus on the present moment as the future is uncertain

Never know my day, so I'm prayin' in the shower
I pray for protection and guidance in my daily life

Look up and thank the Lord for forgiveness, a witness to bad
I express gratitude to God for forgiving my past wrongdoings

I'm lookin' for good in the Southwest, God bless my neighborhood
I seek positivity and blessings in my community

It's people killin' in the street to eat
Some resort to violence in order to survive

Surviving the day is the only goat that I set
My main goal is to make it through each day

Just to make it home, I'm not alone
I strive to reach home safely with the support of my loved ones

Someone's out to get me when I haven't done shit wrong
There are individuals who wish to harm me without justification

My head felt swoll, mista couldn't see past my mouth
I felt egoistic and arrogant, hindering understanding

What route did you take man
What path or course of action did you choose?

Caught me by that loops of my pants
You apprehended me by grabbing onto my pants

Got me on the curb lettin' tha traffic pass me by
I am forcefully detained on the side of the road, watching cars go by

No questions I said nothing
I remain silent without answering any questions

Lookin' for the mutant to be buckin'
I am searching for someone to rescue me from this situation

The law naw, man Gipp show him my shit
I plea for Gipp to present my case to the law enforcement officer

Close my mouth then I dip
Afterward, I remain silent and leave

See to me G is a person who understand the plan
To me, Gipp is someone who comprehends the situation

Can't make no moves when you in the hands of the man
I am unable to take action when I am under the control of authority figures

They got some new suites down Peachtree
There are fancy apartments available on Peachtree Street

Left wing for the Feds, right wing for tha hardheads
Different factions occupy different parts of the city

Makin' more deals than Buddy Folks made with Hartsfield
There are numerous illicit transactions happening in the city

Somebody don't want my face in the place, for 96 shit's slick
Someone is trying to exclude me from certain locations, causing problems

Got me clean, lookin' fresh, dogs be scratchin' at my chest
I appear neat and well-dressed, making others envious or suspicious

Under the order of who? Guess who ain't non-iller than miller
Who gave the command? Well, it is none other than Miller, someone not to be trifled with

Want to 1, 2 your ass no more life what you gave was the past
I want to harm you, as your past actions have brought negativity

'cause ain't no future want to millicamp your case
There is no positive outcome, only a desire to ruin your reputation

Disgrace your face, make it seem to be safe
I aim to embarrass you and give the illusion of safety

But ain't no place to run
There is nowhere to escape

Sometimes I don't even know how I'm gon' eat
At times, I don't know how I will obtain food

'Bout twenty dollars away from being on the street
I am only a small amount of money away from homelessness

Shit, you might see a nigga on tv
Despite my financial struggles, I may still be seen on television

But hell it's almost like I'm rappin' for free
However, it feels like I am not adequately compensated for my music

That little money be gone, got dammit, I'm grown
The small amount of money I earn disappears quickly, frustrating me

Gotta help keep the heat and lights on
I must prioritize paying for electricity and heating

It would be nice to have mo' but I kinda like being po'
Having more money would be desirable, but there is something appealing about being poor

At least I know what my friends here fo'
I am grateful to know that my friends are there for me

I want to lie to you sometimes, but I can't
There are moments when I wish to deceive you, but I cannot bring myself to do it

I want to tell you that it's all good, but it ain't
I desire to reassure you that everything is fine, but it is not

It's nigga's hurtin' and uncertain 'bout if they gon' make it or not
Many individuals are suffering and unsure about their future

That's why we got nigga's killing
This is why some resort to violence

Feelin like they coming up off a little dope they sold
They believe they are gaining success from selling drugs

You can get some gold but we won't make it as a whole
While some individuals may achieve wealth, our community will not thrive

Cause without you there'd be no me
I acknowledge the importance of your support in my life

And without no unity there will never be any happiness
Without unity, we will never experience true happiness

You could smoke a pound of sess and it still won't relieve yo' stress
Even if you consume a large amount of marijuana, your stress will not go away

God bless my, thought process
May God bless and guide my thoughts and decisions

Now as an Outkast I was born, wasn't warned of the harm
I was born as an Outkast, unaware of the dangers I would face

That would come to meet me like Met Life, but yet life
Challenges met me like an unexpected meeting, yet life goes on

Done sent me through a lot of up's and down like it ain't nothing'
Life has put me through numerous highs and lows, as if they were insignificant

Like elevators but I ain't the one that's pushin' the buttons
I am not in control of the circumstances or events in my life

I got off at the 13th floor, when they told me that it wasn't one
I metaphorically stopped at a point of bad luck and superstition

They said it skipped from 12 to 14
According to them, there was no 13th floor

Still smoking, still drinking, no I'm sittin' on the Lincoln
I continue to indulge in vices without much change in my situation

4 A.M. thinkin' that in reality the world is like a ball full of playas
At 4 A.M., I contemplate that the world is full of deceptive and manipulative individuals

We trapped off in this maze with walls made of layers
We are stuck in a complex and confusing world

And only prayers is the tightest game that you can have
Prayer is the most powerful tool we possess

The devil's takin' a swing that might explain the broken glass
The devil is attacking us, causing chaos and destruction

But my crystal ball see the pistol fall to the wayside
I foresee a future where violence and weapons become less prevalent

Nobody would die in cops and robbers when we used to play right
In our childhood games of cops and robbers, nobody actually died

Huh, the only thang we feared was Williams, Wayne
The only people we were afraid of were Williams and Wayne

Never though about hittin' licks or slangin' caine
We never considered committing crimes or selling drugs

Didn't think I'd be the one to give in to abortion
I never expected to be involved in an abortion decision

Label me murder because my ass is scorchin'
They accuse me of murder because I am causing trouble

Hot from the glock that sits under my seat
I carry a loaded gun, ready for action

Yeah, it's real fucked up that my folks come to get me
I am disappointed that my friends had to bail me out

And it's like dat, yeah, and it's like dem!
That's how the situation is, yes, it's like them!