[Intro]
Yes, pay full attention
This is for gangstas, this is for gentlemen
There's two kind of people out there
I happen to be the boss type
I'm a product of my environment
Blame the streets, I am what they made me
[Verse 1]
My pops came from Bed-Stuy, my mom came from Africa
I'm all nigga if you know what I mean
They hooked up in the '70s when liquor and weed was heavy
And had me in Corona, Queens
By the time I was seven my mom left my pop
Then we moved to the south side of Yonkers, New York
Then my mom remarried, had my little brother Gary
My sister a year later, let me gather my thoughts
By the time I was nine I was out of my mind
My step pops didn't like me beat me out of my mind
Ten and eleven? the same, I never would change
He still had to hit me, aggravate a little nigga
Still wearin' Skippys
Garf had Adidas and Pumas, I coulda had a pair
But Mommy said wait 'til Christmas, but I needed 'em sooner
If you heard I was broke, dawg, it wasn't a rumor
[Chorus]
I said gangstas ride (Ride with me)
Gentlemen live your life (Live it up)
'Cause gangstas die (We all gon' die)
It's only a matter of time (The clock tickin')
I said gangstas ride (Ride with me)
Gentlemen live your life (Live it up)
'Cause gangstas die (We all gon' die)
It's only a matter of time (The clock tickin')
[Verse 2]
It was 1986 and I was twelve years old
That's right around the time when crack came out
It was the best thing that happened to me
I swear to God 'cause I was gettin' everything that I was askin' about
First we started off baggin' up, me and Garf
Then shit start addin' up, we gettin' smart
Now we on Broadway, coppin' our own base
Bring it home and put it in bottles, sit in Serato
Drink an OE and scramble like it wasn't tomorrow
I'm gettin kicked out of Junior High, thinkin' I'm grown
Garf bust with the yellow rabbit
And I had every color Delt we was gettin' it on
I was out robbin' Mexicans six in the morn'
Mom said I had a F again, riffin' I'm gone
Nigga get a little looted and grown, soup in the dome
Fuck me up worst when I went to the group home
[Chorus]
I said gangstas ride (Ride with me)
Gentlemen live your life (Live it up)
'Cause gangstas die (We all gon' die)
It's only a matter of time (The clock tickin')
I said gangstas ride (Ride with me)
Gentlemen live your life (Live it up)
'Cause gangstas die (We all gon' die)
It's only a matter of time (The clock tickin')
[Verse 3]
I'm leavin' out a lot of shit, nigga, it's too real
My alcoholic backround, the welfare motels
Abuse that I had to take, struggle that my mom's went through
How the fuck I'm gon' bond with you?
And the cases I got up to date told you that I bust an eight
Got niggas I can't name, out of state niggas fuck with weight
Little brother gone but I got a bigger angel
You fuckin' with a dirty game, don't let these niggas change you
The present's what you get and the past is what make the man future
I can't tell you I'm God or no Superman
No there ain't a 'S' on my chest, but it's a 'D' on my block (D-Block)
'Cause in life, the deepest lesson is death
I'm determined and I'm disciplined and destined to rep
I'm a Gangsta and a Gentleman, Panero the best
When I pass I'm like gas, motherfuckers
'Cause I'ma leave a stink that you'll never forget
[Chorus]
I said gangstas ride (Ride with me)
Gentlemen live your life (Live it up)
'Cause gangstas die (We all gon' die)
It's only a matter of time (The clock tickin')
I said gangstas ride (Ride with me)
Gentlemen live your life (Live it up)
'Cause gangstas die (We all gon' die)
It's only a matter of time (The clock tickin')
[Outro]
This gangsta and this gentleman shit, is about being humble
But at the same time, let niggas know what's real
And when I say you real, I could flip
But at the same time, I could talk to a nigga at the same time
If he don't respect that, then you gotta show 'em you're gangsta
He respect that you show 'em you're gentleman
'Cause you respect him as a man
That's what a gangsta and a gentleman is about
