Monster
Strung Out Lyrics

Time it makes you old, experience Makes you wise.
As time goes on, you gain experience that helps you make wiser decisions.

And it's only a fool who judges life by What he sees in other people's eyes.
Only a foolish person judges their own life based on what others think of them.

The decisions that you cast affect The outcome of your game the Only person who's gonna think about You is the one that's standin' in your shoes
The choices you make have consequences, and you're the only one who's going to think about yourself and your own needs.

Live by the sword die by the wword I'm a weapon of my set.
If you live by violence, you'll most likely die by it. The artist is a product of the violent environment he grew up in.

The only family that I've ever known Is the gun that's by my side
The artist's only sense of family and protection comes from the gun he carries with him.

Little big man he's not alone Now, he's all grown up his stories Written all along these city walls.
The singer is not alone in his struggles, and his experiences have been shared by many others in his city.

Found unity, he's gained a brotherhood As they gather to beat you down The fists reign hard, the fightin' Never stops.
The singer has found unity and brotherhood with others who have been beaten down by their environment. Violence is a constant in their lives.

There's no mercy in this town And I don't know when it's gonna' end for me This side of town is all I know It's all I see
The artist knows that there's no mercy in his town, and he's not sure when he'll escape his violent environment. He only knows this side of town and it's all he's ever known.

If I go on like this I'm gonna' End it all one day It's my destiny it's my reality It's society.
The artist is afraid that if he continues to live in this violent environment, he'll eventually take his own life. This is his reality, and it's the product of his society.

I wear colors proud but stare Me down I've got a million scars to prove My pain
The artist is proud of the gang colors he wears, but he's constantly stared down by others. He has many scars that serve as proof of the pain he's endured.

You think you know who I am Try walking a mile in my shoes.
The singer challenges others to try to understand who he is by experiencing what he has experienced.

Quick on the draw Never walk alone Know your enemy Never be afraid, it's what they always say Till they come around for you.
The artist has been taught to always be ready for violence, to never be alone, and to know his enemies. However, this mentality only goes so far - eventually, someone will come after him.

Ghetto birds light the evening Sky as the sun begins to fall Another night he'll spend in this Jungle with his back up against the wall
The singer spends another night in the dangerous ghetto, feeling trapped and with no way out. The police helicopters serve as a reminder that he's being watched and that he's not safe.