Things Done Changed
The Notorious B. I. G./Musicfire.in Lyrics

Remember back in the days, when niggaz had waves
Back in the day, black men used to style their hair in waves

Gazelle shades, and corn braids
They also fancied wearing Gazelle sunglasses and plaited cornrows

Pitchin pennies, honies had the high top jellies
They would enjoy playing penny toss and girls would wear high-top jellies

Shootin skelly, motherfuckers was all friendly
They would play skelly and everyone was friends

Loungin at the barbeques, drinkin brews
They would drink beer at barbeques and relax

With the neighborhood crews, hangin on the avenues
They would hang out with their friends in the neighborhood

Turn your pagers, to nineteen ninety three
The song was released in 1994, so he's telling people to think back to the previous year

Niggaz is gettin smoked g, believe me
He's saying that people are being killed

Talk slick, you get your neck slit quick
If you speak disrespectfully, you will face deadly consequences

Cause real street niggaz ain't havin that shit
People in the streets won't tolerate any kind of disrespect or confrontation

Totin techs for rep, smokin blunts in the project
They carried guns to establish dominance and smoked marijuana in the projects

Wait for niggaz to step up on some fightin shit
They wait for someone to challenge them to a fight

We get hype and shit, and start lifin shit
They get pumped up and start violent behavior

So step away with your fist fight ways
He's telling people that fighting is old-fashioned and not the way things are done anymore

Motherfucker this ain't back in the days, but you don't hear me though
He's reiterating that times have changed, and that people need to adapt

No more cocoa leave-io, one two three
He's referencing a children's game to say that things are no longer innocent

All of this to me, is a mystery
He's confused and upset about the changes he's seeing

I hear you motherfuckers talk about it
He hears people talk about the problems, but nothing is being done to solve them

But I stay seein bodies with the motherfuckin chalk around it
He's seeing evidence of the violence and death firsthand

And I'm down with the shit too
He's a part of the same environment and culture

For the stupid motherfuckers wanna try to use kung-fu
People are not equipped to handle violence with martial arts when guns are involved

Instead of a mac-10 he tried scrappin
One person tried to fight instead of using a gun

Slugs in his back and, that's what the fucks happenin
The person was shot and killed for not using a gun

When you sleep on the street
When you're out in these areas, you're always in danger

Little motherfuckers with heat, want ta leave a nigga six feet deep
Young people with guns want to kill others

And we comin to the wake
They will attend the wake of the deceased

To make sure the cryin and commotion ain't a motherfuckin fake
They want to make sure that the mourning is genuine

Back in the days, our parents used to take care of us
In the past, parents would provide for their children and take care of them

Look at em now, they even fuckin scared of us
Now, parents are fearful of their own children

Callin the city for help, because they can't maintain
People need help dealing with the issues in their communities because they can't handle it themselves

Damn, shit done changed
He's realizing that things will never be the same

If I wasn't in the rap game
He's contemplating what his life could be like if he wasn't a rapper

I'd probably have a key knee deep in the crack game
He could have easily fallen into the drug trade

Because the streets is a short stop
The streets often lead to a short, dead-end life

Either you're slingin crack rock or you got a wicked jumpshot
You either sell drugs or you're gifted at basketball

Shit, it's hard being young from the slums
It's tough growing up in poverty

Eatin five cent gums not knowin where your meals comin from
He grew up not knowing where his next meal would come from

And now the shit's gettin crazier and major
The situation is getting worse

Kids younger than me, they got the sky grand pagers
Kids much younger than him have cell phones

Goin outta town, blowin up
Kids are traveling and becoming famous

Six months later all the dead bodies showin up
But then, they start turning up dead

It make me wanna grab the nine and the shottie
He's feeling angry and wants to retaliate with a gun

But I gotta go identify the body
But instead, he has to go identify another victim of the violence

Damn, what happened to the summertime cookouts?
He's reminiscing and wondering why things had to change

Everytime I turn around, a nigga gettin took out
Every time he looks, someone is getting killed

Shit, my momma got cancer in her breast
He's dealing with difficult situations, even with his family

Don't ask me why I'm motherfuckin stressed, things done changed
He's stressed because of everything going on, and things will never be the same