All I Do
Rhymefest Lyrics

You can take the boy outta slum, can't take slum outta son
Even though I am no longer living in poverty, the experiences of growing up in a poor neighborhood continue to define who I am.

I should be lynched, I'm so high-strung
I am so anxious and on edge that I feel like I could be put to death for my behavior.

At 15 my mother tried to have me aborted
When my mother was pregnant with me at age 15, she attempted to have an abortion.

You gotta kill us both doc, I'm not the only one
I was determined to survive even if it meant my mother would die too.

It's a package deal, comin up like a pack of rats
Growing up in a poor neighborhood meant banding together with others in the same situation, like rats in a pack.

Fightin over scraps, the streets is ill
Living in poverty meant constantly competing for limited resources, and the conditions were harsh and difficult.

Take a trip to the city of wind, the city of sin
Come visit Chicago, the Windy City and a place known for its high crime rate.

My block'll have you born again
My neighborhood is so intense that it can make you feel like you've been reborn.

But it ain't like church, life hurts
Although my neighborhood can be intense like a church revival, the everyday reality of life in poverty is painful and difficult.

Drug raids, she stuffin rocks down her baby's diapers
In an effort to hide drugs from the police, some women would hide them in their baby's diapers.

It go the other way too when your mother's on hype
Sometimes it was the mother who was using drugs, and the child would have to help her buy and sell them.

And you gotta serve her blow 'fore you go to school
In order to keep the peace with a drug-addicted mother, I had to help her sell drugs before going to school.

So I spit like a fool to the chorus
I express myself through music, even if others think it's foolish or a waste of time.

Military jail time all they got for us
The system doesn't offer much hope for those caught in poverty and crime, with many ending up in military jail.

I seen how they deal every Hoover and Jeff Ford (how?)
I have witnessed how the government has dealt with powerful Black leaders like Hoover and Jeff Ford, which is often with extreme force.

Lock up all our leaders, let the ghetto eat us
The government seems to want to silence and repress Black leadership while also allowing poverty and violence to continue affecting the Black community.

I'm the ghetto Regis, in Che-vy Caprices
I am the voice of the people in my community, riding in a classic Chevy Caprice.

And niggaz that front can get blown to little pieces
Those who disrespect or challenge me or my community could face violent retaliation.

All I do - workin hard for scratch
I work hard to make ends meet and provide for myself and my family.

Talk shit get your jaw deattached
If you disrespect me, I won't hesitate to fight back and hurt you.

All I do - though I'm still in the streets a bit
Even though I've achieved some success, I still identify with the streets and the people who live there.

A brother ain't fin' to take no shit
I won't allow myself to be pushed around or disrespected by anyone.

All I do - lil' buddy, this could get ugly
Don't underestimate me or my community, because we are not afraid to defend ourselves and things could get violent.

Trust me, cause this is
My experiences in the hood have taught me that I need to be careful and assertive in order to survive and protect myself and my loved ones.

All I do - before I explode, I give you my ode
Before I become too overwhelmed with the struggles of life, I express myself through music to release the pressure.

In the summer, rain, fall or cold
No matter the circumstances, I will continue to make music and express myself through my art.

Spittin bars is felt to carve wealth
Through my music, I hope to create financial stability for myself by generating income through my art.

And stay hungry to the death I will starve my-self
I am willing to go to great lengths and make sacrifices to achieve success in the music industry.

To keep what I got and have what I want
I am motivated by both preserving what I have and striving to achieve even more in my life.

And stay real them my niggaz knowin half of 'em don't got
I remain true to myself and my community, even though many people don't have the same authenticity or sense of loyalty.

The gift to ball, a rhymers fit
I was blessed with the ability to rap and make music, which helps me earn a living and express myself.

Thought we still want the finest shit
Even though I come from poverty, I still have dreams of attaining a higher standard of living and enjoying the finer things in life.

Is take whitey's bread, keep a nice spread
In order to achieve the lifestyle I want, I need to earn money and accumulate wealth, even if that means taking money from those who have more than I do.

Hit the club and try to leave without bustin no heads
Even when I go out to have fun, I try to avoid getting into fights or confrontations with others.

I don't care about a deal, I've been poor all my life
Even though being signed to a record label would bring me financial success, I am not willing to compromise my values or authenticity in order to obtain it.

Cocksucker I ain't afraid of how the shit feel
I am not intimidated by the harsh realities of life or the struggles I face as a Black man in America.

Sit still, soak the moment in
I take time to appreciate and savor the good moments in life because I know how hard it can be to come by them.

You got somethin bad to say, nigga hold it in
If you have a negative opinion about me, keep it to yourself because I won't tolerate disrespect or criticism.

You afraid to die? You ain't a soldier then
In order to survive in the hood and stand up to oppression, you need to have courage and the willingness to risk your life if necessary.

Chi-Town stand up, we supposed to win
Chicago is a city full of resilience and strength, and we can overcome any challenge if we stand together and support one another.

This for my people locked up for pushin diesel
I am dedicating this song to those in my community who are incarcerated for selling drugs to survive.

Deliver us from this evil God
I pray that God will help us escape the violence and poverty of our surroundings and lead us to a better life.

Or gettin home from the gig and got a gang full of kids
Even after performing a show or making money, I am still responsible for taking care of my family and those who depend on me.

You feel the stress like (all I do)
I carry a lot of stress and worry with me at all times because of the difficulties of my life and the world around me.

Setbacks, yeah you gotta expect that
In this life, there will be obstacles and setbacks that you have to overcome, and you need to anticipate them as part of the journey.

Get back and grind nigga (all I do)
No matter what happens or how difficult things become, I will always get back to work and continue grinding to achieve my dreams.

Now you can let yourself breathe
If you work hard and persevere, you can create moments of peace and relaxation for yourself.

Throw yo' hands in the air and release say (all I do)
Celebrate your successes and moments of triumph, even if they are small, and take time to enjoy and appreciate them.