Last of a Dying Breed
Young Jeezy Lyrics

Welcome to the life of a young thug nigga (yea)
This is an introduction to the lifestyle of a young thug.

Only hang out wit' them criminals and drug dealers (ayyy)
This individual only associates with criminals and drug dealers.

I'm from even where dead die (die)
The singer comes from a dangerous area where death is common.

But try an' do it big like the kid from Bedstuy
Despite the difficult circumstances of their upbringing, the artist is striving for success like the famous rapper from Bedstuy.

I see death around the corna and I ain't scared
Despite the danger, the artist is fearless in the face of death.

I got a carbon 15 and I'm fully prepared (that's right)
The singer carries a firearm and is ready to use it in self-defense.

Lord a mercy 20 rounds in a clip (yea)
The singer has a large amount of ammunition in their firearm.

Outta line get 20 rounds in ya hip (ayyy)
If someone crosses the artist, they will be met with violent retaliation.

Shoot first and ask questions lata' (lata)
The artist believes in being proactive with violence and isn't interested in investigating before acting.

The answer is it was all about the paper (yea)
Money is the motive behind the artist's criminal activities.

Everything the game is shit to lose
In the criminal world, everything is at risk of being lost.

And a new forty-five that I'm dyin' to use (yeahhhh)
The artist has a new firearm that they are eager to use in their criminal pursuits.

If ya real like me (like me)
The singer is addressing those who share their values and mindset.

Throw ya hoods in the air so the whole wide world can see (ay)
The singer is calling on those who share their lifestyle to show their allegiance by making a public display.

Last of a dying breed, last of a dying breed, last of a dying breed
The singer believes they are part of a small group of individuals who live this lifestyle.

Keep that thang on ya hip that's just the way that it's gotta be
Carrying a firearm is a necessary part of this lifestyle according to the artist.

I done seen niggaz come and go
The artist has witnessed many people enter and exit their criminal world.

Shit the whole world done seen what I done before
The singer's actions and crimes have been widely publicized.

We do anythang when the funds is low
The singer will do whatever it takes to survive when they are struggling financially.

I'm the reason outta towners don't come no mo'
The artist is responsible for scaring off visitors to their area.

Let me show you niggaz how to break down the whole thang
The artist is confident in their knowledge of how to participate in the criminal world.

My nigga B.G. know Buck been a birdman
The artist's associate knows that they have killed someone (referred to as a 'birdman').

It's got to be in ya blood to be a thug
The singer believes that criminal behavior is innate and can't be taught.

If I ain't makin' enough I'ma jack my plug
If the artist isn't making enough money, they will resort to stealing from their drug source.

We was born in it
The singer has always been involved in the criminal world and was raised in it.

Not sworn in it
The singer has not taken an oath of allegiance to the criminal world.

You can go against it or you can join wit' it
The singer acknowledges that others can either join the criminal world or choose to resist it.

Made my mark so the streets gon' remember me
The artist believes they have made a significant impact in their criminal world and will be remembered for it.

Now come and get it nigga Cashville Tennekee holla back
The artist is taunting their enemies to come face them in battle.

'Cause they talked pleas and included G's like you and me
Some individuals who the singer thought were trustworthy were in fact informants, using fake loyalty to incriminate others.

The first step was going to set a trap
The initial move by the police was to trick the singer and their associates into revealing incriminating information.

So in a short period, they convinced the grand jury to allow a phone tap
The police were able to secure legal permission to monitor the artist's phone conversations.

And if they listenin'
The artist believes that their phone conversations are being monitored.

Not once did they hear us mentioning
Despite the phone tap, the artist was careful to not say anything incriminating.

Murder and a cocaine distributing
The singer and their associates avoided talking about any illegal activity that the police could use against them.

Through all that was dividends comin' in
Despite the phone tap, the artist continues to make a lot of money from their criminal activities.

I'm strict legit, and better yet we too smart for ya bullshit
The singer believes they are too intelligent to be caught by police and they maintain a legitimate facade to avoid suspicion.

Callin' all cars (callin' all cars)
The police are engaged in active pursuit of the singer and their associates.

Hit your brother along
The singer is warning their associate that the police are also after them.

And tell 'em hurry up and come them niggaz got gunz
The artist's associates are urged to come armed and ready to fight the police.

Man down, shots fired, only fuck niggaz and cops died
The artist is describing a violent altercation with the police where only their own associates and police officers were hurt or killed.

First stage of a riot
The singer believes that their conflict with the police could escalate and lead to widespread violence.

And them fucks couldn't sneak by
The police were unsuccessful in subduing the singer and their associates.

Oh, you want to witness some shit
The artist is taunting their enemies to continue pursuing them and witness more violence.

Fine bitch, be quiet
The artist dismisses any objections or complaints from their adversaries.

Because they only got what you tell 'em
The artist believes that their enemies only know what they reveal to them and are operating without full knowledge.

And only witness that they had, the bitch was layin' there dead
The only witness that the police had was killed by the singer and their associates.

Shot in the street all red, with two shots to his head
The victim of the artist's violence suffered brutal, fatal injuries.

'Cause he was workin' for the feds
The victim was an informant working for the police and was targeted because of it.

And the last informant, informed us
Before the victim was killed, they informed the singer and their associates about police activity.

They had it out for us
The singer believes that the police are specifically targeting them for arrest.

For a bird that he got popped for
The police used a minor, unrelated crime as an excuse to go after the artist and their associates.

So ride or die for him (ride or die for him)
The artist's associates are called upon to be loyal and pursue violent retaliation against the police.

Better yet, you better kill 'em
The singer urges their associates to be violent in their response to the police.

'Cause I think he's gonna be the bitch to tell 'em
The singer is warning that one of their associates might become an informant and rat them out to the police.

And he probably done all ready told 'em
The artist believes that the informant has already shared information with the police.

But then again with out a witness them bitches ain't got shit
The artist believes that without an informant, the police won't be able to bring a strong enough case against them.

If ya real like me (like me)
The artist is once again calling on those who sympathize with them to take action.

Throw ya hoods in the air so the whole wide world can see (ay)
The singer is urging their audience to make a public display of their loyalty.

Last of a dying breed, last of a dying breed, last of a dying breed
The artist believes that they are part of a rare group of individuals living this hard lifestyle.

Keep that thang on ya hip that's just the way that it's gotta be
Carrying a firearm is a necessary part of being part of this group according to the singer.